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Chapter 5
Antioxidant Nutrition: Oxidative Stress and Free Radicals
Welcome to chapter five of our Journey to Better Nutrition! In this discussion we deepen our knowledge and experience about how nutrition works inside the human body. This will lead us naturally and organically into a conversation about how the Simplexity nutrition products work inside the human body. The main purpose behind this and all our nutrition conversations is to assist you in experiencing optimum product benefits and results. And all of this is designed to be an integral part of your enthusiastic commitment to creating a healthier diet and lifestyle.
The absence of disease symptoms does not necessarily indicate the presence of health. Health is a measure of cell, organ, and system function throughout our body; and the constant and complex interplay of all of our wonderful bio-chemical interactions. Every function inside the human body depends upon the proper introduction, digestion, and distribution of essential micronutrients. Basic functions can be restored and damaged tissues can be regenerated with the right nutritional support.Oxidative Stress, Oxidants, and Free Radicals Not too many years ago, we heard about only stress. Today we hear the term oxidative stress. Let's use a simple example to clarify some terms, so we can get to the nutritional solution. Oxygen is the common denominator in the negatively charged and always destructive change-agents in our body called oxidative stress, oxidants, and the more technically correct label oxygen-free radicals (which are commonly referred to as free radicals). Oxygen? One of our most essential nutrients…a villain? Not exactly. This is a perfect example of how thinking of nutrition in terms of good or bad, instead of the more interdependent adjectives complementary or insulting, can lead to confusion. Of course oxygen is an essential nutrient. Deprive the body of oxygen for only a few minutes and death will surely follow. Think of a pile of burning, smoldering leaves. Lots of thick smoke, no visible flames, not much heat. Left alone, what little fire remains could easily go out in a few minutes or a few hours. What could you do to radically change and transform this situation? Exactly. Increase the flow of oxygen to the smoldering coals at the bottom of the leaf pile. Use a pitchfork or a metal rake and just lift up the leaves and let some air circulate around the coals for a few seconds. What happens? Can you spell ignition? Depending on the moisture content of the leaves, of course, our little once-smoldering leaf pile has just ignited as if gasoline had been added to the mix. Suddenly, it looks and feels like our little fire is burning ten times faster and hotter. Why? Oxygen. Oxygen is an essential ingredient in almost every form of energy production inside the human body. We require oxygen for metabolism and for every form of aerobic process that takes place inside every cell in our body. Inside the mitochondria of every cell (remember our each cell is a factory metaphor?), oxygen provides the catalyst for the fuel for all the other activities of the body: digestion, cellular repair, immune function, nervous system responses, reproduction, the contraction and expansion of our muscles...everything. However, oxygen has a dark side. Oxygen causes things to activate, energize, metabolize, burn…and when this happens without obstruction or protection, things will burn up completely and disappear. If this happens to the leaf pile mentioned before, no problem. If it happens to the cells of our body…big problem! Oxygen's ability to do this is called oxidation. Oxidation refers to the tendency that things have towards dissipation and disintegration. Of course, oxygen by itself doesn't do anything. In order for oxidation to take place, other biochemical factors and agents must be present, such as enzymes, trace minerals, amino acids, fats, and carbohydrates. These various nutritional factors, co-factors, and agents are called antioxidants. Antioxidants allow for a balanced amount of burning to take place inside the cells. Antioxidants allow for a normal and healthy amount of energy production. So, antioxidants serve two purposes:
So, a certain amount of oxidative stress is normal, as we have just described. Then of course, there is that other kind of oxidative stress: the abnormal, insulting, and destructive kind. Two factors dominate the situation called oxidative stress:
Free radicals are highly charged but extremely unbalanced molecules that have a very destabilizing and destructive effect when they interact with our cells in the absence of essential antioxidant protection. The technical description states that free-radical molecules are destructive because they are missing an electron in their structure and therefore seek stability by stealing electrons from other stressed-out and unprotected cells. This situation leads to two basic cellular vulnerabilities:
To Summarize Antioxidants are natural compounds found in most healthy plant-based foods that help to protect the body from harmful free radical activity. Some antioxidant compounds are manufactured inside the body, but most come from natural organic foods, herbs, and supplements. These antioxidant compounds are always made up of different combinations of a variety of micronutrients: vitamins, minerals, trace minerals, amino acids, essential fatty acids, phytochemicals, pigments, etc. Like most other groups of micronutrients, antioxidant compounds work synergistically, and this means that smaller amounts (even trace amounts) of several different antioxidants will always be more effective than taking a large amount of just one. Click here to access more information about antioxidants. All the Simplexity Health nutrition products provide some degree of antioxidant protection from free radical damage by virtue of the presence of Super Blue Green Algae…a nutrient-rich, enzyme-rich, antioxidant-rich food source. And here is a list of Simplexity's more specialized antioxidant products: Super Sprouts & Algae provides antioxidant protection in the blood and lymph by protecting the cell walls from the outside. Super Q10 provides antioxidant protection inside the cells of our body. The nutrient coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is essential for energy production inside every cell of the human body. If it is missing, the cell remains vulnerable from attack by free radicals. If the cell contains CoQ10, free radicals have less of a chance of hurting you. The Protective Effects of Antioxidants: Promoting Stamina "A remarkable study of elite mountain climbers in the Himalayas provides new insight into the protective effects of antioxidants. During a climb on Annapurna, one of the highest mountains in the world, professional climbers were evaluated for levels of vitamins C and E (both antioxidant vitamins) and the effects on their performance. The athletes were climbing at altitudes above 20,000 feet without supplemental oxygen, under extreme conditions. Some climbers received vitamin E supplements of 200 milligrams twice a day for four weeks, while others received a placebo of no nutritive value. The study confirmed that antioxidants have an important protective effect. Climbers who received supplemental vitamin E were able to engage in strenuous physical activity for longer periods of time without suffering fatigue. Why? More stamina and better resistance to oxidative stress during the climb due to the inclusion of antioxidant vitamins in their diet."What else can I do? Understanding the role of oxidants and antioxidants in normal metabolism is essential food for thought. Taking antioxidant supplements (such as many of the Simplexity Health products, especially Super Sprouts & Algae and Super Q10), will definitely assist the body in its desire and ability to confront free radicals and more effectively manage oxidative stress from all sources. And there is a lot more that you can do with the rest of your diet and lifestyle. Check the following list:
Action Step for Chapter 5!
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