Pink Slime and Wrinkles

Remember pink slime? That was the stuff that made headlines a couple of years ago, much to the consternation of the fast food industry, which had long been adding the crimson goo as inexpensive excipient to beef up their burgers (and profits). Although the addition of fillers is not necessarily illegal or even unhealthy and has historically been a way to lower food costs to consumers, this particular additive created an unusually universal and vociferous revulsion. Within weeks of the ABC news story that revealed the practice to the public, fast food giants like McDonald’s, Burger King and Taco Bell had officially renounced it and public schools around the country stopped serving it.

However, despite the horrific moniker, the strawberry colored filler with the gloppy consistency that was added to meat was actually not much different than the meat itself. It was chemically treated connective tissue (CT), the rubbery, flavorless chewy stuff most people know as gristle.

Despite its unsavory reputation, the stuff of slime, as well as gristle, is actually a pretty important substance, that is, when it’s a component of our bodies. Connective tissue makes up around 20 to 25 percent of our weight. It’s responsible, as the name implies, for connecting our various components, assuring that our organs and tissues are tightly bound to each other. It’s a type of biological cement that keeps us in one piece, as an intact and coherent whole.

Connective tissue is produced in a special cell called a fibroblast, the birthplace of the three major components of CT which is known as the “matrix”.

1. collagen (“colla” is the ancient Greek term for glue), a strong, structural protein that gram for gram is more powerful than steel

2. elastin – a flexible, elastic protein that allows connective tissues to resume their shape after stretching or contracting.

3. complex sugar molecules (polysaccharides) and sugar-protein complexes (proteo-glycans) which act as a shock absorber and also have a nourishing and detoxifying effect.

The combination of the fibroblasts and the matrix they extrude is what is generally referred to as connective tissue

While the most well-known form of connective tissue is the stuff that makes up our cartilage, tendons and ligaments, there’s lots of other CT examples in the body. Fascia is a connective tissue that runs through each of our 600-plus muscles acting to unify them into one coherent muscular system. The blend of muscle and connective tissue is what is referred to as flesh and it makes up over 80 percent of our bodies. Much of our teeth and the deeper layers of our skin is connective tissue and so is bone and fat. Blood (and the veins, arteries and capillaries it flows in) is connective tissue, which makes sense, considering it connects the body systems and components together, bringing them oxygen, nutrients, hormones removing the toxic wastes.

One of the most interesting properties of connective tissue, is its ability to trap and store electrical energy. Like tiny submicroscopic snowflakes, the atoms that compose connective tissue are structured in an organized crystalline, fashion. Unlike snowflakes the crystalline structure of connective tissue is flexible, allowing the atoms within it to flow in fluid-like fashion. Scientists refer to this sophisticated structure as a “liquid crystal”, and it gives connective tissue an electrical property that allows to it to act like a giant computer chip, turning mere meat to an intelligent machine, making our fleshly bodies in essence a computer that can store and process energy and information. Connective tissue is sensitive, it learns and is responsive to its environment. The intelligent nature of connective tissue allows it to grow, heal and repair with, under ordinary circumstances, great efficiency.

On the other hand, the many diseases that cause a weakening and degrading of connective tissue present us with serious health challenges. There are hundreds of these so-called Connective Tissue Diseases (CTDs) that affect bones, gums, blood vessels and skin which are the cause of pain, loss of function and reduced quality of life.

Some CTDs, like cellulitis, are initiated by bacterial infections. Others like Marfan’s Syndrome and Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome are genetic predispositions. Still others, like rheumatoid arthritis, lupus and scleroderma are the result of autoimmune phenomenon, where the body’s immune defense weaponry, ordinarily trained on outside invaders, is unfortunately turned on itself. The most common autoimmune CTD is called Sjogren’s Syndrome, which effects structures like the tear ducts and salivary glands, resulting in severe and downright miserable symptoms of dry eyes and mouth.

Even if you don’t have a full blown connective tissue disease, you can still be suffering from the effects of weakened or defective CT, which include prolapsed organs, hernias, and aneurysms and strokes. Bleeding gums are the manifestation of a degradation of oral connective tissue. The signs of plain old aging, including joint, back and spinal degeneration and pain are related to the dissolution of connective tissue. So is bone weakness. Wrinkles and skin looseness can also be thought of as a sign of connective tissue breakdown. Because of the large proportion of CT in the body as well as its relationship to the muscles and the nervous system, many of these conditions can be associated with discomfort, pain, loss of function and a greatly degraded quality of life.

If you are dealing with any connective related illness, or accelerated skin aging and skin laxity or crow’s feet, there lots of ways you can prevent or slow down it progression. And, because the aging process is so inextricably linked to connective tissue weakness, these same strategies can help you stay younger longer.

For one thing, it’s helpful to eat connective tissue. Cartilage containing foods from bones can be especially helpful. They’re packed with amino acids and complex sugars that can support connective tissue building. Chicken or turkey bones boiled in water makes a delicious soup stock and are a nutritious source of these important nutrients. If you want to go all out and max out on the connective tissue proteins, throw in some chicken feet, pig ears, all great sources of cartilage amino acids.

Co-factors including vitamins are also important, especially Vitamin C, without which the body cannot make connective tissue. Scurvy or Vitamin C deficiency disease is a classic CTD and while all it takes is a small dose to prevent its occurrence, taking higher doses of the nutrient, say a gram or 2 a day, can help the body max out on connective tissue synthesis. Vitamin A is important and so are essential fatty acids. Because sugar reacts with and weakens connective tissue, lowering blood glucose can be a helpful strategy. Also, using anti-glycemic nutrients, including the B-Vitamins, Magnesium, Chromium, Vanadium and Selenium can be helpful strategies. Add Glucosamine, Chondroitin and Hyaluronic acid, traditionally used as anti-arthritics, which are important non-essential connective tissue building supplements.

There are topical strategies to turn on the connective in your skin. Alpha Hydroxy acid found in fruits (particularly citrus), milk and red wine have been prized for centuries for their skin and anti-aging properties. These days, the age conscious can purchase cleansers or toners, creams and lotions, which contain purified AHA extracts, like glycolic and lactic acids. Vitamin A in its retinol and retinoic acid forms have been repeatedly shown to activate the CT producing fibroblast. Likewise, Vitamin C lends the same benefits to skin connective tissue, when applied topically, as it does to the CT inside the body when ingested in food or supplements.

10 important connective tissue building supplements

1. Branched Chain Amino Acids – 3 aminos (valine leucine, isoleucine) found in meat, eggs, fish and other high protein food and most especially whey protein. Important for building and repair

2. Sulfur – mineral associated with providing connective tissue with hardness and resilience. Deficiencies somewhat common due to soil depletion

3. Liquid Silica Gel – bioavailable form of silica, the mineral that acts a precipitating or activating agent for the growth of connective tissue

4. Vitamin C – The presence of this nutrient acts like chemical “switch” turns on the production of connective tissue.

5. Vitamin A – Quintessential anabolic (building) vitamin. Important for all growth repair and recovery functions

6. B-complex – Like all cells, the “fibroblasts” responsible for manufacturing connective depend on the B’s for energy production

7. Vitamin D -Stimulates and improves building and repair of connective tissue and promotes general health and wellness.

8. Omega 3 and Omega 6 Essential Fatty Acids – anti-inflammatory and epigenetic activation of building and repair genetics

9. Magnesium – connective tissue represents a storage form of this mineral which is an important epigenetic factor that turns on the genetics of connective tissue building

10. Calcium regulates VT matrix production, preventing the formation of scars

3 things to do to stimulate connective tissue building

1. Get some sun -solar ways activate building biochemicals

2. Make sure to exercise – important for turning on building chemistry, particularly of muscle and connective tissue.

3. Eat cartilage-containing chicken bone broth and cartilage components like glucosamine, chondroitin hyaluronic acid - they’re building blocks and act as triggers for the production of new ligaments, tendons, bone and other forms of connective tissue

Did you know?

A good massage is more than a relaxing indulgence. According to the September, 1994 edition of the British Journal of Sports Medicine it can be an important way to heal and improve connective tissue functioning, support the mobility of ligaments, tendons and muscle, speed healing and reduce the likelihood of scar formation.