Optimizing the Plasma Membrane: A Cellular Approach to Health

I love to work from the ground-floor up with most things, to ensure a strong foundation upon which to prosper any endeavour, and this is as true in the realm of health and well-being as it is anywhere. When it comes to your bodily health, it doesn't get more ground-floor than caring for and nourishing the cell, the smallest unit of life!

The human body is comprised of trillions of cells; they vary slightly in shape and function according to the type of cell (think of a brain cell as opposed to a muscle cell, or a skin cell as a opposed to a immune cell) but all cells share certain features and they all work together in purpose to maintain life and health. Caring for the health of your cells, in turn, is a foundational way to cultivate and build health; for the cells become tissues, which in turn become organs, which form organ-systems, all together to create your body and its proper functioning.

Every one of your cells singularly functions as part of your multi-celled body to perform countless tasks that are essential for life and for flourishing health. These tasks include metabolism, homeostasis, communication, and reproduction (Starr & Evers, 2018). Your cells also contain mitochondria, the "powerhouses" of the cell, that produce all the energy required to keep you going and thriving, as well as your DNA, the set of encoded instruction that dictates what is created and expressed in your body. When any one of these critical tasks is impaired or malfunctions, your health deteriorates and life can suffer. Therefore, to care for the cell is to care for your overall health and quality of life! And one of the most important ways that you can optimize the health of your cells is to ensure a healthy plasma membrane.

All human cells have a plasma membrane; the outer layer of the cell that is made up primarily of fats and some proteins and that serves as the barrier between the internal world of the cell and its external environment. The plasma membrane encloses and protects the cell contents, and it participates in a number of important activities to support cell function and stability. It also serves as the main regulator of what can enter and exit the cell, an absolutely critical component of cellular health; we want the good stuff a.k.a. nutrients, ions, water etc. to be able to get in and the bad stuff like toxins and waste to be able to get out! The plasma membrane is so vital for cell health that some experts believe that it is not only one of the more important components of the cell but THEE most important component to consider for optimal cell health!

Cells with an unhealthy plasma membrane lose their ability to perform vital tasks such as holding water, nutrients, and electrolytes; they lose their ability to communicate with other cells and be controlled by regulating hormones (Murray & Pizzorno, 1998) such as insulin, the hormone responsible for regulating balanced blood sugar. Simply put, cells with an unhealthy plasma membrane lose their ability to function properly and are at an increased risk for injury and/or death, which is a major contributor to chronic diseases of all sorts. (Murray & Pizzorno, 1998 & 2005).

The quality, structure, and function of the plasma membrane is directly influenced and impacted by your dietary choices, primarily by the types of fats you eat on a regular basis, as these are what end up comprising your cell membranes (Murray & Pizzorno, 2005). The fats found in your cell membranes are the fats you regularly consume and depending on what types, you may be contributing to the health or deterioration of your cellular membranes, with significant consequence. This knowledge is beneficially potent, for knowing this empowers us to make better choices toward optimal health.

To better ensure healthy plasma membranes make sure to incorporate plenty of monounsaturated fats into your diet, like olive oil, avocados, and raw nuts and seeds. Additionally, aim for a balanced intake of essential fatty acids from organic, whole grains, beans, lentils and other legumes, nuts and seeds, pasture-raised meats and organic butter and dairy. Strive to regularly eat omega-3 fatty-acid rich foods such as cold-water fish (wild salmon, mackerel, halibut, and cod) and liberally include egg yolks, organ meats, and even cruciferous vegetables, as these are great sources of vital phospholipids (type of fat) necessary for healthy cell membranes.

Plasma membranes made up primarily of the above kinds of fats are fluid and flexible, respond well to regulating hormones and in cell-to-cell communication, and perform optimally in a number of other crucial physiological processes that keep you alive and healthy (Murray & Pizzorno, 1998). Think the likes of improved blood flow and blood pressure, a healthy heart rate, the lessened likelihood of detrimental clot formation, optimal brain-cell receptivity and functioning, and improved mechanisms like blood sugar control due to enhanced responsiveness to hormones like insulin.

At the same time that you increase the above types of fats for optimal membrane health, be mindful to limit and moderate your intake of saturated fats from animal sources, especially from conventionally-raised animal meats and inorganic dairy. An overabundance of saturated fats in cellular membranes creates hardened, less fluid and flexible membranes (Murray & Pizzorno, 1998). Cells with these types of plasma membranes become less agile, more sticky, and less responsive to other cells and regulating molecules, potentially inhibiting important physiological processes while increasing the likelihood of harmful ones. The results being any number of negative health consequences related to and experienced in one or more of your major organ-systems (circulatory, lymphatic, respiratory, integumentary, endocrine, gastrointestinal, urinary, musculoskeletal, reproductive, immune, and nervous system).

Lastly, as it relates to dietary fats, please, for the life of me, and you! eliminate or reduce as much as possible the intake of trans-fatty acids and processed "vegetable" oils (fake, adulterated fats). These are found in hydrogenated oils like margarine, heavily processed seed oils, processed, packaged foods, junky snack food, deep-fried fast foods etc. These "bad" fats significantly degrade plasma membrane integrity and function and accelerate the deterioration of cell health and therefore your health. These processed and fake fats not only impede and/or inhibit vital cellular functions and expose your membranes to free-radical damage, they kick out and displace healthy, necessary fats like omega-3s, preventing their use and the benefits they exert on your health. Do yourself a big favour and ditch the fake, processed fats and oils! Your body and health will thank you.

Great health begins with caring for the most basic and foundational properties of life and nothing gets more foundational than paying mind to the health of your cells. And although there are many ways to protect and optimize cell health, prioritizing the health of your cells' plasma membranes is a great place to start. And knowing that you can begin TODAY to positively impact the integrity and function of your cellular membranes with your dietary choices is powerful fuel for your journey forward in health and well-being!

Specific sources utilized: Ballentine, R. (2007). Diet & Nutrition: A Holistic Approach. Himalayan Institute.

Murray, M. T., & Pizzorno, J. (1998). The Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine 3rd ed. Atria Books.

Murray, M., Pizzorno, L., & Pizzorno, J. (2005) The Encyclopedia of Healing Foods. Atria Books.

Evers, C. A., Starr, C., & Starr, L. (2018). Biology Concepts & Applications 10th ed. Cengage Learning.