Physiology

A

Adenosine A molecule that builds up in the brain during the day and signals tiredness, whose blocking by caffeine… Ageing The biological processes that gradually damage cells and tissues with age, on which diet has a documented influence,… Anabolism The set of metabolic building reactions that assemble complex molecules (muscle, stores) from simple ones, using energy; the… Antioxidants (physiological and endogenous) The body's internal defence systems (glutathione, superoxide dismutase, catalase) that neutralise free radicals, far more powerful than dietary… ATP (adenosine triphosphate) A molecule that serves as the universal energy currency of cells, produced from nutrients and used by every… Autophagy A cellular "clean-up" process in which cells break down and recycle their damaged components, triggered notably by fasting…

B

Basal metabolic rate (or resting energy expenditure) The number of calories the body burns at rest to maintain vital functions (breathing, circulation, protein synthesis and… Blood sugar (glycaemia) The level of glucose (sugar) in the blood, finely regulated by hormones, whose stability is essential for energy,… Bowel transit The progress of food along the digestive tract to elimination, whose speed depends on fibre, hydration, physical activity… Brown fat Adipose tissue specialised in producing heat, rich in mitochondria, which burns energy rather than storing it, and remains…

C

Catabolism The set of metabolic reactions that break complex molecules (proteins, fats, glycogen) down into simple ones to release… Chewing The first mechanical and enzymatic stage of digestion, which conditions the rest of the digestive process and helps… Chronic low-grade inflammation A persistent, low-intensity inflammatory state with no visible acute symptoms, considered a common denominator of many modern chronic… Circadian rhythm The body's internal clock of about 24 hours that regulates sleep, body temperature and metabolism, and that mealtimes… Cortisol The stress hormone made by the adrenal glands, which raises blood glucose and alertness under stress and follows…

D

Dental health and diet The condition of teeth and gums, influenced directly by how often you consume fermentable sugars rather than by… Detoxification The set of processes by which the liver and kidneys transform and eliminate unwanted substances, a permanent function… Diet and mental health A field of research on the links between diet, mood and cognitive function, with documented associations but mechanisms… Digestion The mechanical and chemical processes that break food down into absorbable nutrients, from the mouth through the stomach…

E

Eating behaviour All the behaviours linked to food intake, determined by physiological hunger but also by emotions, environment and social… Eyesight and nutrition Visual function whose maintenance depends on specific nutrients, notably vitamin A for night vision and the carotenoids lutein…

F

Fatigue and nutrition A persistent feeling of exhaustion that can stem from identifiable nutritional deficiencies, chiefly iron, vitamin B12 or vitamin… Free radicals Unstable, highly reactive molecules with an unpaired electron, produced naturally by metabolism and able to damage cells when…

G

Ghrelin A digestive hormone secreted mainly by the stomach that stimulates appetite, often called the "hunger hormone"; the counterpart… Glucagon A hormone made by the pancreas that raises blood sugar by releasing glucose stored in the liver, acting…

H

Hair and nutrition Hair growth depends on an adequate intake of protein, iron and zinc, and responds to deficiencies with a… Hormesis A phenomenon in which exposure to a low dose of stress (toxin, heat, cold, exercise, fasting) strengthens the…

I

Immunity (and nutrition) The body's defences against attack (viruses, bacteria), strongly influenced by diet, the microbiota, sleep and lifestyle. Insulin A hormone made by the pancreas that regulates blood glucose by promoting its uptake (absorption) by cells and… Intestinal villi Microscopic folds in the lining of the small intestine that multiply the surface available for absorption, and whose…

K

Krebs cycle A series of chemical reactions at the heart of the mitochondria that completes the breakdown of nutrients to…

L

Leptin A hormone produced by fat cells that tells the brain about the body's energy reserves and regulates appetite… Low-grade inflammation Chronic, low-intensity inflammation without acute symptoms, sustained by lifestyle and considered a common ground for chronic diseases and…

M

Melatonin A hormone released by the pineal gland at nightfall that tells the body it is time to sleep,… Menopause and diet The permanent end of menstrual cycles, accompanied by a fall in oestrogen that changes fat distribution, speeds up… Mitochondria Organelles found in almost every cell, nicknamed "powerhouses" because they produce ATP (cellular energy), with a central role…

N

Nutrient absorption The passage of nutrients from digestion into the bloodstream across the gut wall, the stage that determines how… Nutrition and pregnancy A period when needs for certain micronutrients rise sharply and specific food safety restrictions apply, without energy intake… Nutrition and the brain The most energy-hungry organ in the body, which depends on a continuous supply of glucose or ketone bodies,…

O

Oxidative stress An imbalance between the production of free radicals and the body's antioxidant capacity, causing cell damage involved in…

S

Satiety The state of not being hungry that sets in after a meal and determines the time before the… Serotonin A neurotransmitter involved in regulating mood, sleep, appetite and digestion, nicknamed the "feel-good hormone", mostly produced in the… Sleep (and nutrition) An essential restorative physiological state, closely interlinked with diet: sleep regulates appetite and metabolism, while what you eat… Stomach The muscular pouch of the digestive tract that stores, churns and acidifies food, and whose acidity governs protein…

T

Thermogenesis The body's production of heat, notably during digestion (the thermic effect of food) and through brown fat, contributing… Thyroid and nutrition The gland in the neck that produces the hormones regulating metabolism, and whose function depends directly on two…

V

Visceral fat Deep fat stored around the internal organs (liver, pancreas, intestines), metabolically active and far more dangerous to health…