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Oxidative Stress and Cellular Nutrition Excerpts from the book: "The Heart of Health; The Principles of Physical Health and Vitality," By Stephen Linsteadt, NHD, CNC An apple turns brown when cut open due to oxidation. Your car rusts and eventually falls apart due to oxidation. Your skin ages and wrinkles due to oxidative stress. Over time, the cells in your body literally rust and degenerate due to oxidative stress. If we allow this process to go unchecked, we can look forward to suffering from arthritis, diabetes, Alzheimer's dementia, Parkinson's disease, macular degeneration, lupus, MS, fibromyalgia, and chronic fatigue or worse yet, dying from heart disease, stroke or cancer. The simple truth is that over 70 chronic degenerative diseases are due to "oxidative stress." While oxygen is essential for life, there is also a dark side to oxygen. As oxygen is utilized within our cells to create energy there is occasionally a charged oxygen molecule created, called a free radical. This "free radical" has at least one unpaired electron in its outer orbit. When free radicals attempt to stabilize themselves by stealing an electron from a surrounding compound or molecule a new free radical is formed in its place. In turn the newly formed radical then looks to return to its ground or neutral state by stealing an electron from another cellular structure or molecule. Thus the chain reaction continues and can be thousands of events long. A free radical prefers to steal electrons from the lipid membrane of a cell, initiating a free radical attack on the cell known as lipid peroxidation. Free radicals are generated in large quantities from tobacco smoke, automobile exhaust and other forms of air pollution. Free radicals are also produced from the food we eat, particularly from the consumption of hydrogenated oils like margarine and over-heated fats like French fires, and other fried foods. The body normally keeps free radicals in check by the natural production of antioxidants and by the pH alkaline buffering systems. Antioxidants readily donate an electron to the free radical without damaging itself. For example, one of the antioxidant protection mechanisms used by the body at the cellular level is the phospholipid membrane around the cell. This membrane is made from phosphorous, cholesterol and nitrogen and shields the cell from free radical attacks. The electrons in the cholesterol fatty acids readily donate electrons thereby neutralizing the free radicals before they do any damage to the cell. When this mechanism fails free radicals damage the cell membrane and it becomes hard - therefore not allowing the passage of nutrients into the cell or it becomes fractured resulting in the collapse of the cell by drainage of the inner fluids. Both situations will lead to the death of the cell. Modern research suggests that mutations of the DNA caused by free radicals are the major contribution for the development of cancer. Free Radicals Damage Hormone Receptors, Energy Factories and DNA. 
Unchecked free radical damage destroys cells leading to tissue inflammation. Tissue inflammation, particularly in the walls of blood arteries creates a thinning of the arterial walls on one hand and an inflammatory response on the other hand that causes a build up of cholesterol at the site, leading to cardiovascular disease. When this oxidative stress is allowed to persist over a prolonged period of time, you will most likely develop a serious chronic degenerative disease. Fortunately, we have our own army of antioxidants, which are able to neutralize free radicals and render them harmless. In past generations our defense systems were sufficient. Unfortunately, due to the high level of environmental toxins that we now face our bodies' defense systems need additional support. Most antioxidants come from fruits and vegetables. Our soils have become depleted of antioxidants and supporting minerals. Food processing and storage along with our own poor food choices and preparation have also added to the lack of antioxidant protection we receive. Therefore, if we now need 400 IU of vitamin E to counter the onslaught of free radicals from our current environment, we would need to eat 33 heads of spinach, or 80 avocados, or 5 pounds of wheat germ every day to achieve this level of vitamin E. In order to obtain the optimal level of vitamin C of 1200 to 2000 mg daily, we would need to eat 18 oranges, or 160 apples. It is clear from the above example that in order to replenish and maintain healthy levels of antioxidant protection we must adapt a healthy diet along with complete and balanced nutritional supplementation. Nutritional supplementation must be of the highest quality and blended in proper ratios in order to achieve proper cellular nutrition and protection. Cellular nutrition simply means providing the body with all the antioxidants along with the all supporting B vitamins and antioxidant minerals at optimal levels. When all of the necessary nutrients are provided to the cell in a complete and balanced nutritional supplement, our body's natural antioxidant, immune, and repair systems are maximized. Some of the most important nutrients that should be supplemented daily are:
If you find it impossible to change your morning saliva pH to at least 5.8, then you will need to consider the possibility that you have a dental infection or heavy metal toxicity. Taking too Many Supplements or the Wrong Kinds of Supplements Taking too many vitamins may be a problem. Taking high dosages of specific and isolated nutrients may also be detrimental to your health. Many people have reported increases of their symptoms from taking mega-dosages of many vitamins and minerals. This is why it is important to know what is in the supplements you are taking and to be sure you are taking quality supplements. * In clinical practice we only recommend pharmaceutical grade supplements of the highest quality and blended in ratios that complement the body's requirements. Contact us to learn more. |
*Disclaimer: All information presented by Natural Healing House is for educational purposes only. The articles are not intended to substitute for a consultation with your physician. In case of medical questions (stress, anxiety, pain, etc.) or uncertainties, the reader is encouraged to seek the advice of his/her own physician or health care practitioner. The products listed have not been evaluated by the FDA and, therefore, cannot claim to treat, diagnose, cure or prevent any disease.
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