An Oasis Of Health

Oxidative Stress

2007-11-19T16:04:00.000-08:00

Imagine trillions of little engines, one in each of the cells in your body, each one alight with the fire of energy production and cell maintenance. As each little engine uses the fuel provided by our digestive and enzymatic process and combines with oxygen, it draws fuel into itself and gives off metabolic exhaust. This metabolic exhaust is the free radicals that run amuck in our body. They become a grave problem because unless they are neutralized by anti-oxidant activity or anti-oxidant enzymes they ricochet around our body, burning holes in our tissues by snatching oxygen molecules and regenerating. The process cycles continuously unless the free radicals are neutralized. This tissue destruction is called oxidative stress. As we get older, the tissues become inflamed by this oxidative attack and the signs of aging begin to appear. Even as children, oxidative stress and its accompanying silent inflammation can be the result of a poor diet and dirty air.

When we eat less anti-oxidants in the form of fresh organic fruits and vegetables, we cannot keep up to the free radical production as metabolic exhaust. Pesticide and herbicide residues and environment pollutants must be metabolized in the body and released along with the metabolic exhaust. When there is more of what are called free radical promoters like processed foods, than there are anti-oxidants to neutralize them, the body becomes toxic and overloaded. This is where the silent inflammation rises up onto the radar screen as pain or illness.

Anywhere you have a cell, you can have free radical damage; in the brain causing dementia and Alzheimers, in the joints causing arthritis, in the blood vessels causing heart disease, in the nerves causing MS, Myasthenia Gravis and ALS, and in the gut causing colitis. Lupus and Fibromyalgia are serious forms of inflammation caused by free radical damage. Where free radicals are formed and released as metabolic exhaust, damage begins and the healthy tissue surrounding the damage will release growth hormone-like factors the minimize the damage and promote healing. Unless the anti-oxidant level is high enough to counter the free radicals, the damage site will continue to release more and more hormone in an effort to repair the damage. Scar tissue may form as the damage attempts to heal and may even build up over time causing joints to stiffen, blood vessels to narrow, thinking to get fuzzy, and muscles to tighten. This is where you can get soft tissue damage in organs, and skeletal soft tissues. If the damage become great enough, the immune system in the gut will be triggered and an allergy or an auto-immune disease may form.

What can we do? First of all, alcohol and smoking cause increased oxidative stress in the liver, blood vessels, lungs and heart. Smoking reduces the oxygen uptake capacity of the cells, further increasing acidity and oxidative stress.

Remove heavy metals from your body. Do not cook with aluminum cookware, even if it is anodized. As the coating wears, the under layer of aluminum becomes exposed to the food that you are cooking. Deodorants containing aluminum should also be avoided. Be aware of products containing lead or mercury, even the fillings in your teeth. Beware of copper or iron in your drinking water. Be sure to use a good water filtration system.

Electrical contamination from high tension wires, computers, electrical outlets and electrical equipment push the body into stress, which is a strong free radical promoter.

It is also a really good idea to change your shopping habits. Try to buy as close to fresh organic as possible. Remember the advice from nutritionists a few years back. Only buy foods from the perimeter of the store and stay away from canned and refined, processed foods in the other aisles. All the chemicals found in the foods and on the labels impose a huge toll on our oxidative energy cycle. If you can consume more antioxidants than you produce metabolic exhaust, you are ahead of the game. If you can juice your fruits and veggies, you increase the antioxidant value and the natural pectin will help chelate heavy metals from your body.

Most people only consume between 1200 and 1700 oxidative units per day in the foods they consume. It is not enough to tip the balance and reduce your exposure If you want a phenomenal source of antioxidants, you must supplement your diet with a high quality cellular and energy renewal program. You can tip the scale and give your body the repair capacity it needs to clean up years of damage. The 300 billion cells that you renew every day have a chance to be free of damage and oxidative stress. You will have more energy to get through your day and you could feel just great!

Collagen and Aloe

2007-11-19T16:01:00.000-08:00

Collagen is the fibrous, structural protein that makes up the white fibres, the collagenous fibres, that make up skin, tendons, bones, cartilage and all of the connective tissues in the body. It is also found dispersed in the gels of the body, to provide stiffening. A good example of that is the vitreous humour of the eye. Collagen is the natural protein that constitutes most of the body’s structural support providing a framework on which to hang itself. It is the primary structure of what we know as connective tissue. It is the fibrous connective tissue that holds our body together and gives it shape.

Collagen gives the different organs their strength and along with elastin, their elastic properties. Twenty-five percent of the dry protein weight of the body is collagen. Seventy-five percent of our skin is made of it and thirty percent of our entire body is collagen. It is part of the natural make-up of our tendons, hair, skin, joints, ligaments and vital organs. When the body’s collagen supply is reduced, the body is profoundly affected. It can become weak and achy, movement can become painful and overall performance is weakened and fatigue sets in. These symptoms can be profoundly increased as we age.

Besides its many structural properties, collagen serves as a major catalyst for growth and repair throughout the body. Nearly all body tissues contain one of the fifteen different types of collagen in the body. Many different aging-related diseases are related to lack of these collagen proteins. Unhealthy aging also creates problems with the collagen itself.

As the body ages, the production of collagen slows. It starts slowing in the twenties and by the time we are sixty, we tend to have collagen issues that can be quite profound. Lack of collagen or the body’s improper use of it is how the body stiffens as we age.

With continued aging, our connective and muscle tissues begin to break down until we notice that we are not as strong as we used to be. Bending and lifting become more difficult. Even opening that jar takes on a whole new strategy that we didn’t have to deal with when we were younger.

Outside the body, the skin begins to show the signs of collagen breakdown. The skin starts to wrinkle and lose its healthy glow. We begin to develop ridges and furrows, red marks, brown spots and scaly patches. The skin dries out in spots as its ability to hold moisture in the collagen diminishes.

Over the centuries, people in warmer climes have known about Aloe and its healing properties. Modern science has shown that it profoundly affects the fifteen different types of collagen in the body. The collagen loses its aged look, taking on a new fullness and elasticity that is reminiscent of youth. Not only does the skin soften and smoothen, bones take on a new density and the muscles, tendons and ligaments take on a new strength and flexibility of formerly youthful days.

Talk about aging gracefully!

That Quick Plugger Upper - Cholesterol

2007-11-19T15:54:00.000-08:00

Part of what turns good cholesterol into the sticky, dangerous "gunk" that can clog up the works, is oxidative stress. You remember that puff of metabolic exhaust that happens as the cell burn fuel? Free radicals, an unavoidable by-product of natural processes in your body, turn cholesterol into the kind of gunk you don't want laying around in your blood vessels. But you have to eat! It is not only necessary for your survival, it is one of the pleasures of life!

But a steady supply of powerful antioxidants can zap those troublesome free radicals before they can do their dirty work. They provide the oxygen atoms that restabilize the molecules in the cholesterol so that it is not sticky enough to adhere to blood vessel walls and other places in the body where it tends to accumulate. The body can then use the cholesterol to do what it needs to do.

In fact, there was a very small study done in 2003, by a joint team of Israeli and U.S. researchers. They found that, on average, after one year, patients supplementing with 50ml (about 1.7 ounces) of a red type, high antioxidant juice daily showed a 35% decrease in the thickness of the "gunk" on the artery walls.

While the control group, which did not supplement with red type, high antioxidant juice , showed an average increase in the sticky cholesterol plaque of 9%. Once it starts accumulating in your body, the gunky cholesterol attracts more to itself because it is sticky.

The internet is full of reports on the horrendous side effects of statin drugs. If you are curious, just type ‘statin drugs’ into your search engine and the internet will enlighten you. My point is that your body needs cholesterol to function well. It does not need too much, nor does it need oxidated cholesterol.

The solution seems really simple and clear. By reducing oxidative stress in the body, the “bad” cholesterol doesn’t form in the blood vessel walls and other areas of the body. If the average person is getting between 1200 and 1700 ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorption Capacity) Units per day in their food intake to mop up free radicals and the body needs approximately 4000 ORAC Units to move the body into a repair state, then you obviously need more antioxidants. But, you also need the right kind. The red and blue/purple anthocyanins are among the most powerful antioxidants that work well with ‘de-gunking’ cholesterol.

The solution seems very clear, at least red and purple!

Antho What?

2007-11-19T15:38:00.001-08:00

Can you imagine the beautiful colors in blue and purple flowers and fruit? You know those purple iris and petunias, even delphiniums and blue salvia, not to mention blueberries, concord grapes and cranberries. These plant and fruit pigments are more than just coloring agents for flowers and fruit. They are anthocyanins and they contain an array of health benefits.

The early hunter-gatherer indigenous people ate these wild fruits in large amounts. Anthocyanins are antioxidant flavonoids that protect many body systems. They have some of the strongest effects on the body of any plant compounds. Not only are they beautiful, they are the active component in Ageless Xtra, a neutraceutical superfood which is produced at low temperatures to preserve these super-antioxidants.

Scientists are now discovering how such anthocyanins work and are beginning to appreciate their health benefits. Of the 4000 identified flavenoids, Anthocyanins were found to have the strongest antioxidizing power of 150 flavonoids studied. Besides Chlorophyll, anthocyanins are probably the most important group of visible plant pigments.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture recently tested certain berry varieties for their ability to protect the body against oxidative stress and free radical damage. Blackberries tested as having the highest ORAC units of any native fruit. ORAC units are a measure of the antioxidant capacity against free radicals. The varieties of native fruit that had the highest antioxidative capacity against superoxide radicals, hydrogen peroxide, and other oxidants are hull, thornless, and jewel raspberries; early black cranberries; and Elliot blueberries.

In the past, Anthocyanins have received less attention than other flavonoids, despite their far-reaching effects. Because native berries were such a large part of early diets, our ancestors probably ate far more anthocyanins than we do now. If you live in North America, you will get far more benefit from consuming fruit native to the area than you will from tropical or imported species. Scientists report the blue and purple fruits contain the most health protecting anthocyanins than other fruits. Some researchers feel that, by comparison to our ancestral diet, we are deficient in anthocyanins. When people become aware of the antioxidant power of these compounds, perhaps we can improve the amount of anthocyanins in our diet.

As the baby boomers get older they are looking at ways to stem the avalanche of degenerative disease and aging. Thus, there is an emerging science based on the principles of anti-aging, the protection and anabolic maintenance and repair of the body. In his book, The Metabolic Plan, Stephen Cherniske lays out the model of the aging process in the body. The root cause is inflammation, which causes aging, which causes disease and decrepitude.

A few years back, researchers did some experiments with aging rats. This is some of the most important research which has laid the foundation for proving Stephen Cherniske’s theories around aging. These researchers demonstrated that oxidative stress is the primary cause of neurogenerative disease and by feeding aging rats a high anthocyanin rich diet, primarily blueberries and blueberry concentrate, these degenerative effects could be slowed or even reversed. The proven method of action was to squelch free radicals, eliminating them from the body, reducing oxidative stress dramatically. As a result, cell membrane fluidity was increased, youthful balance was restored, coordination, memory and learning capacity were optimized. Feeding the rats blueberry concentrate spared Vitamin E oxidation and showed increased levels in these rats compared to a control group. Lowered levels of Vitamin E has been shown in those with Alzheimer’s Disease.

Genomic and proteomic laboratory research showed that dark cherries, cranberries and concord grapes were native fruits that were equally high in anthocyanins. By combining them with the blueberries and other brain boosting compounds in addition to vitamins, putting them in a high grade aloe delivery system, provides one of the best cellular renewal formulas in the world today.

Taking the basic anthocyanin formula a step further, other brain boosting compounds were added, along with other ingredients to maximize anabolic (rebuilding) activity to create an energy turbo charging effect to the body. Studies currently underway are showing that those in what is now termed the senior years of life are showing cognitive improvement. Time and research will tell if the rats were indeed telling the truth.

A New Slant On Osteoporosis

2007-11-19T14:33:00.000-08:00

Osteoporosis is the loss of bone mass and bone mineral density, which leads to bone weakness and higher susceptibility to fractures from fragile bones. There is no single certain cause for osteoporosis, although there are many hypotheses. Risk factors include menopause, lack of vitamin D, smoking, steroid use, excess alcohol intake, lack of exercise, genetics and low intake of calcium rich foods.

Osteoporosis affects 1.5 million Canadians and 15 million Americans and those numbers are growing as our populations age. It affects one in four women and one in eight men over the age of 50. The cumulative costs are staggering, affecting quality of life in many ways.

It has long been known that people in industrial countries have a higher prevalence of degenerative disease, including osteoporosis, than those in other parts of the world. There are many dietary hypotheses around what increases or decreases risk of osteoporosis.

But now, researchers like Dr. Susan New in her recent review published in Proceedings of the Nutrition Society have been focusing on the role bones play in regulating the body’s acid-base balance.

The blood is that very delicate vital structure within us that survives in a healthy way in very narrow parameters of temperature, acidity and alkalinity. The blood pH should be between 7.38-7.42. The body regulates pH using ‘buffers’. Buffers can bind or release acids, depending on the need. Most North Americans need more of a buffer that has a high acid-binding capacity, such as the alkaline minerals found in bone.

In a perfect situation, the body will be able to regulate the pH of the blood with the premium diet. North American bodies are two acidic from our processed food diets, our hectic lifestyles and our toxic environment. Lack of exercise stagnates us into an over acidic condition.

When the body has excess acidity, it will pull alkaline minerals from anywhere it can find them in an attempt to buffer the pH of the blood, to keep it within its strict range. The largest store of minerals in the body is the bones. A low, or acidic pH is usually caused by too much dietary protein, not enough fruits and vegetables, too much stress, medications, external toxins and lack of exercise. An acid pH also changes the way the cells in the bones work. Osteoclasts (cells that break down bone) become activated and osteoblasts (cells that build up bone) become inhibited. This is the opposite of what happens with estrogen’s effect on the cells in the bone, which is why it is a problem for post-menopausal women. When pH is acidic, more bone is broken down, resulting in mineral loss. Over time, the result is osteopenia, followed by osteoporosis.

The good news is there are ways to reduce acidity. The first is by increasing fruits and vegetable consumption. It has been shown that by increasing fruits and vegetables, the body becomes more alkaline even though most do not contain large amounts of calcium. If you are not fond of leafy dark green veggies or the chewing that is involved, you may want to try a balanced land and sea green product. One tablespoon of the greens is equivalent to the fibre and antioxidant equivalent of five dinner salads…without the chewing. You just mix it in water or fruit juice and take it morning and night. The protective effect of greens may be due to the amount of alkalizing substances they contain. Because of this, the green leafies help to keep the body in an anabolic or rebuilding state, which helps the whole body and not just the bones.

Add a biologically active Aloe product to your daily regimen and you have a mineralized collagen rebuilder which will strengthen weakened bones and make the bone more resilient and less brittle. Biologically active Aloe has been shown in independent studies to be the most powerful Aloe in the world.

By keeping the body in a rebuilding state, you prevent it from ‘stealing’ minerals from the bone. By decreasing the amount of calcium and other minerals taken from the bones, it is entirely possible to reverse the severity of osteoporosis, reversing it altogether, in a safe, natural and scientific way.