Understanding Oxidative Stress.

The world of oxygen, oxidative stress, free radicals, antioxidants, preventing degenerative disease and slowing the aging process.
Oxygen. It's essential to our planet's life force, and the way we breathe, function, and stay healthy. Without it, our organs couldn't function. We wouldn't be able to live. However, oxygen also plays a vital role in the breakdown of our body's functionality - but only if we're not keeping ourselves in balance and free of toxins. Let's see why.


What is oxidative stress?

Oxidative stress, simply put, is the damage made to a cell through the oxidative process.

Oxidation, in itself, is a very normal process - it happens all the time to our bodies and many things that surround us.
However, when there are disturbances in the natural oxidation process, such as the attraction of a free radical to another molecule in your body, the results are often toxic effects.
Imagine an iron pipe lying on the ground. As it weathers years of rain, environmental exposure, sun, and other factors, it begins to rust.

The rust is caused by oxidation. Free oxygen radicals are created during the metabolism of normal oxygen cells, or oxidation. These free radicals are missing a simple electron and are in search of another molecule that they can combine with to become "whole." In their quest, they fire charges that damage other cells and structures around them. This, in turn, causes the rust.
In effect, your body is "rusting" as it goes through its lifetime, the free oxygen radicals wildly running through your system, searching for a mate.

As you can see, the more free radicals your body contains, the more damage that's likely to be done. The best way to see this damage is through our normal aging process.


Oxidative Stress and Aging

While modern medicine has found ways for humans to live longer, our quality of life - especially during the last 30 years - has gone down.
Much of this can be attributed to oxidative stress and the toxins that we're encountering more and more throughout our lives.

A simple way to visually experience the effects of oxidative stress on aging is to visit a nursing home. Compare the skin of a five-year-old to that of a resident, and notice the breakdown, wrinkles, and color as compared to the smooth, supple skin of a child.
Throughout our lives, our skin encounters free radicals in many different forms, and their effect is clearly obvious on our skin.

But oxidative stress isn't only apparent on the outside. It's the cause of many or most diseases our society is concerned with today.


Oxidative Stress and Disease

To date, science has discovered that oxidative stress may very well be the cause of over 70 well-known, widely-spread diseases.

Depending on what form of toxin or stress your body is exposed to on an ongoing basis, you could find yourself suffering, even at an early age, from diseases that could be prevented if only you'd have minimized the harmful free radicals in your system.

Here are just some of the diseases are caused by oxidative stress:

• Heart Disease
• Cancer
• Arthritis
• Lung Disease
• Fibromyalgia
• Diabetes
• Neurodegenerative Diseases like Parkinson's and Alzheimer's
• Autoimmune Diseases
• Eye Diseases like Macular Degeneration



A Look at Free Radicals

Obviously, even back in the early days of man, free radicals existed and caused oxidative stress.
They're inherent to life and a normal byproduct of regular oxygen molecule metabolism. However, our bodies were only made to withstand so much exposure to free radicals (even though our body does an amazing job at neutralizing them in a normal, low-toxin setting).
The increased and prolonged exposure to these wild and reckless free radicals cause a faster build-up of "rust" or disease in our bodies.

So what are some of the most common reasons our bodies' oxygen molecules oxidize themselves into an increased amount of free radicals? Some of them you're probably well aware of, and some of them may come as a surprise.

• Environmental and Air Pollution
• Cigarette Smoking
• Excess Stress
• Prescription and Over-the-Counter Medications
• Radiation
• Excessive Exercise
• Increased Exposure to Sunlight



The Heroic Role of Antioxidants

The key ingredient, by far, to reducing the amount of free radicals in your system is antioxidants. 
Antioxidants are fantastic little substances that wander through your body, giving up an electron to the greedy free radicals charging through your system. They neutralize the free radicals and allow your body to do its business of excreting them safely and without harm.


Our bodies already make several different types of antioxidants all on their own. But as our exposure to harmful free radicals in the environment and through our lifestyles increase, our need for outside supplies of antioxidants is vital in the war against aging and degenerative disease.


While a good supply of antioxidants come from natural sources like healthy food, we also need to supplement those sources.


Increasingly, our food supply is being degraded through harmful growing practices and soil depletion, and can no longer be relied upon to protect us from the oxidative stress all around us.
With a healthy supply of free-radical-neutralizing antioxidants, you can see how our bodies are better able to withstand and ward off the "rusting" for decades longer than we currently do.

Help For Digestive Problems

Digestive problems are the No. 1 problem in North America. These diseases, encompassing everything from hemorrhoids to colon cancer, result in more time lost—at work, school, and play—than any other health problem. They also appear to be occurring with much more frequency—while many of them were almost unheard of in our grandparents’ times, they are cropping up more and more and at an earlier and earlier age.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS, is a common complaint: some 10 to 20 percent of the population experiences the diverse symptoms this syndrome causes. IBS goes by several different names. It is also called spastic colon, spastic bowel, mucous colitis, spastic colitis, colitis, intestinal neurosis, and functional bowel disease.
As its name indicates, it is a collection of symptoms that can appear in any number of combinations. These symptoms include bloating, gas, diarrhea, constipation, abdominal pain and spasms, and nausea. The pain is often triggered by eating, so people suffering from IBS don’t always eat enough, which results in malnutrition.


Most health practitioners agree that there is no set cause of IBS, and that food allergies, medication, stress, hormone changes, low fiber intake, infection, parasites, lactose intolerance, laxatives, and antibiotic abuse could all be involved. In fact, the consensus is that just about anything that disturbs our intestinal bacterial balance—the ratio of good bacteria to bad bacteria—could have a hand in causing IBS. IBS is not serious in that it is not life-threatening; however, it makes for a very uncomfortable life.


In IBS, the normal rhythm of the muscular contractions of the digestive tract becomes irregular and uncoordinated—the body’s digestive system usually churns along like a good washing machine, but in IBS, the "wash cycle" is irregular, and this interferes with movement of food and water. This means that the food, instead of "rinsing out" of the body efficiently, accumulates in the digestive tract, which, in turn, leads to the accumulation of mucus and toxins in the intestines. The result of this is that gas and stool do not flow freely, and, viola, the above-mentioned symptoms begin to appear.


Because many of the IBS symptoms are the same as those found in more serious digestive problems (such as Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis), the first thing to do is to eliminate the possibility that the symptoms are related to one of these. After you and your health practitioner are sure that your problem is IBS, action can be taken.


Many health practitioners feel that food allergies are the main cause of IBS and recommend being tested for allergic reactions to foods. Foods that trigger allergies include cheese, milk, chocolate, butter, coffee, eggs, and nuts. Controlling food allergies often controls IBS.


Dietary changes can help relieve symptoms. Avoid animal fat, butter, carbonated drinks, chocolate and candy, dairy products, fried foods, sugar, food additives, alcohol, and tobacco. Most health practitioners recommend a high-fiber diet and supplementing with a bulking fiber like psyllium. Drinking plenty of water is also important.


Helpful supplements include aloe vera, peppermint, chamomile, melissa, valerian, ginger, and chaste berry.

Help For Constipation

 

 

Not everyone's perception of bowel regularity is the same. While one person may expect to have a bowel movement every day, another individual is perfectly content with a movement every three or four days.  Constipation is not merely defined by a reduction in the frequency of bowel movements, although that is one criterion. Rather, it involves a sensation of incomplete emptying, straining to evacuate the bowel, and hard or lumpy stools. People who feel constipated often turn to herbal remedies for relief.

Demulcents

A demulcent is an agent that soothes and protects your mucous membranes. Herbs that are rich in mucilage, such as plantain, fenugreek, chickweed, slippery elm, mullein and marshmallow, and foods that contain pectin, such as apples, plums and guavas, are examples of demulcents. While they are not laxatives, per se, they improve bowel function by coating and lubricating the inner lining of your gut.

Stimulants

Some herbs help to stimulate muscular activity in your intestine, which improves bowel activity and increases the frequency of bowel movements. Senna, cascara, buckthorn, rhubarb and aloe are stimulants, according to nutritional expert Phyllis Balch, author of "Prescription for Herbal Healing." Dosages of stimulant herbs vary, depending on the type of herb and the concentration of the preparation. Stimulants can generate excessive bowel activity, which may result in abdominal cramping, diarrhea, dehydration and electrolyte depletion.

 

 

Bulking Agents

Some herbal preparations act as bulk-forming agents. They help to retain moisture in your intestine, thereby softening your stool and increasing its volume. A softer, bulkier stool is more easily propelled through your gut. Psyllium husks, kelp, bran and hibiscus are all plant-derived bulking agents. Bulking agents help to re-establish normal intestinal motility in chronic cases of constipation, and they may even prove useful for people suffering from intermittent diarrhea. Bulking agents tend to cause fewer side effects than stimulants, so they can usually be used for longer periods of time without causing problems.

 

 

Bitters

The presence of bitter-tasting compounds at the back of your tongue triggers reflexes from your brain, which stimulate bowel activity. This is one of the reasons black coffee gets people's bowels working in the morning. Bitter agents also increase the flow of bile into your intestine, which further stimulates bowel activity. Any child who has touched a dandelion stem to his tongue knows that this herb possesses remarkable bitter properties. Goldenseal and Oregon grape are bitter herbs that may be useful for constipation.

 

 

Considerations

Constipation can result from a variety of factors. Many causes, such as reduced fluid intake, physical inactivity or a change in diet, are benign and usually self-limiting. Others, such as hypothyroidism, irritable bowel syndrome or intestinal masses, may merit medical attention.

Lower Blood Pressure With Olive Leaf

Olive leaf

Initials researchers found that the olive lead extract (oleurpein) had the capacity to lower blood pressure in animals. Other European researchers confirmed this finding and determined that olive leaf extract also increased blood flow in the coronary arteries, relieved arrhythmias, and prevented intestinal muscle spasms.

Dutch researcher determined that active ingredients in the oleurpein. This active ingredient is called elenolic acid. It was found to have a powerful anti-bacterial effect. Studies showed that elenolic acid killed every virus tested-every single one! Among the viruses tested were herpes, influenza, a couple of leukemia and a sarcoma. Elenolic acid was also effective against parasitic protozoans and bacteria. Furthermore, it was found to counteract a variety of viruses associated with the common cold on humans.

At Spain's University of Granada, pharmacologists determined that the olive leaf extract causes relaxation of arterial walls in laboratory animals, such results suggested a possible benefit for hypertension.

In Tunis, researchers found that the aqueous extract of olive leaves reduced hypertension, blood sugar, and the level of uric acid in rodents. This finding also indicates potential in the treatment of hypertension, as well as diabetes and heart diseases.

Olive leaf extract has been reported to:

• Enhance the immune system
• Increase energy
• Has an internal cleansing action
• Has an anti-viral, anti-fungal, anti-bacterial and anti-parasitic actions
• Can reduce or even eliminate many diverse health problems
• Lowers blood pressur
• Lowers blood fats
• Reduces blood sugar 

Lower Blood Sugar And Cholesterol With Fenugreek

Fenugreek

As a medicinal plant, fenugreek has traditionally been considered a carminative, demulcent, expectorant, laxative and stomachic. The plant has also been employed against bronchitis, fevers, sore throats, wounds, swollen glands, skin irritations, diabetes, ulcers, and in the treatment of cancer. Fenugreek has been used to promote lactation and as an aphrodisiac. Furthermore, fenugreek seeds have been used as an oral insulin substitute, and seen extracts have been reported to lower blood glucose levels.

Compounds extracted from the plant have shown cardiotonic anticholeserolemic, hypoglycemic, diuretic, antichloristic, and hypertensive activity. One of its constituents is an alkaloid called іtrigonellineІ which has shown potential for use in cancer therapy. The seeds contain steroidal saponins that account for the many beneficial effects of fenugreek, particularly the inhibition of cholesterol absorption and synthesis. The seeds are also rich in dietary fiber, which may be the main reason why it can lower blood sugar levels in diabetes.

Fenugreek has the following properties:

• Lowers fever
• Supports the respiratory system
• Treating gastritis and gastric ulcers
• Treatment of cancer
• Anti-diabetic (lowers blood sugar levels
• Lowers cholesterol level
• Laxative
• Carminative
• Increases breast-milk production
• Induces childbirth

SEA KELP

Kelp is a variety of seaweed that can be found on rocky shores throughout the world. It is a natural food source that can be obtained from all good health stores.


There is a large list of nutrients in kelp and these include over 70 minerals and trace elements, growth hormones, vitamins, enzymes, and proteins which include iodine, potassium, magnesium, calcium, and iron.



What Can Kelp Do For You?

There are a large number of kelp benefits that have been discovered throughout the years and taking a kelp supplement really can help to keep your body healthy. Some of the main benefits that have been discovered are:

• Kelp has been shown to help alleviate arthritis pain
• Kelp can help to increase energy levels
• Boost immunity
• Improve liver function
• Fight against heart disease and cancer
• Suppress AIDS
• Control appetite and can help with weight loss due to its metabolism stimulating properties.
• Kelp has been used to treat thyroid problems due to the iodine in kelp which helps under active thyroids which is due to the lack of iodine.
• Helps with poor digestion, flatulence and constipation.
• Kelp kills the herpes virus
• Kelp helps to lower cholesterol levels
• Kelp helps to maintain the health of the mucous membranes
• Kelp can be used to help reduce hair loss.

As you can see taking a kelp supplement really does have some powerful health benefits but what else is there to know about kelp. As you already know kelp is in fact a seaweed and can be bought dried, granulated or as a powder. Getting the health benefits of kelp is extremely easy as kelp can be added to drinks or water and it can also be used for flavouring or as a salt substitute. Kelp can be used when cooking and can be added to soups, stews, stir fries, and cooked with beans or grains.


Kelp benefits are constantly being investigated and studied but there is nothing stopping you from beginning to restore your body's health now by taking a kelp supplement or adding kelp into your daily cooking routine. Remember your health is in your hands so why not take the necessary steps now.

Celery seed Extract

Celery Extract

Celery is a member of the Umbelliferous family along with carrots, parsley, and fennel. The modern celery originated from wild celery native to the Mediterranean where its seeds were once highly valued as a medicine. Like many other folk medicines, modern research is upholding the medicinal value of this common plant. In particular, scientists are evaluating the most powerful of the healing factors of celery, a compound known as 3-nbutylphthalide or 3nB for short.

What is 3nB?

3nB is a compound that is unique to celery and is responsible for the characteristic flavor and odor of celery. 3nb was discovered as the active component of celery in response to investigations by researchers seeking to explain some of the medicinal effects of celery including the lowering of blood pressure and the relief of arthritis. 3nB first drew significant scientific attention when researchers at the University of Chicago Medical Center identified it as the factor in celery responsible for the blood pressure lowering effect of celery.1 The research was prompted by one of the researcher's father, who after eating a quarter-pound of celery every day for one week observed his blood pressure dropped from 158 over 96 to a normal reading of 118 over 82. Subsequent animal studies found that a very small amount of 3nB lowered blood pressure by 12 to 14% and also lowered cholesterol by about 7%.

How does 3nB lower blood pressure?

The blood pressure lowering effect of 3nB appears to be a result of several effects. First of all, let me explain exactly what blood pressure refers to. It refers to the force with which your blood flows through the vessels. High blood pressure is usually the result of too much fluid there is in your blood and how flexible or resistant your blood vessels are. Retention of sodium (salt) leads to increase fluid volume in the blood while hardening of the arteries and the hormones released during stress lead to loss of flexibility or constriction of blood flow. If you put your thumb over a garden hose, the pressure against your thumb and the resultant pressure of the flow of water out of the hose can be reduced by either turning down the faucet (reducing the fluid volume) or by letting more water flow out the end of the hose (dilating the vessel). In treating high blood pressure, doctors usually prescribed diuretics (water pills) to reduce the fluid volume and vasodilators to relax the arteries to reduce the resistance of blood flow or beta-blockers to turn down the pumping action of the heart. 3nB appears to help lower blood pressure by both acting as a diuretic and vasodilator through impacting the production of prostaglandins (discussed below) as well as acting in a similar manner to drugs known as calciumchannel blockers.² 3nB has also been shown to lower blood cholesterol levels and reduce the formation of arterial plaque in experimental studies (animal and test tube studies).^3,4 This effect may increase the elasticity of the blood vessels and also lead to lower blood pressure readings. 3nB also appears to promote some effects on areas and systems of the brain that control vascular resistance.

The benefit of celery extract in high blood pressure is its apparent safety and the fact that it has a very unusual mechanism of action as a diuretic. Most diuretics change the ratio of sodium to potassium in the blood and as a result dangerous side effects can occur as a result of either too much potassium or sodium. In contrast, celery extract acts as a diuretic but does not alter the ratio of sodium to potassium in the blood. The research on the blood pressure lowering effect of celery and celery extracts is quite preliminary, but I think it is certainly worth the effort to give it a try as some people have noted significant reductions. What research will probably show is that some people with high blood pressure will respond to celery extract while others will not. This occurrence is not unusual as physicians treating high blood pressure will tell you that there is a similar phenomena with conventional drugs used in high blood pressure.

Another real advantage of celery extract over conventional drugs used in high blood pressure is that the drugs lower blood flow to the brain. While this effect is helpful in reducing the likelihood of stroke, it often leaves people taking these drugs feeling tired, depressed, dizzy, and forgetful. Celery extract on the other hand has actually been shown to not only help prevent stroke in animal studies, but also improve blood flow as well and act to protect the brain and enhance energy production with the brain in a similar manner to Ginkgo biloba extract.^5-8 It has produced dramatic recovery in neurological and brain function in animals in studies that simulate a stroke.^6-10 It has also been shown to significantly increase lifespan in animal studies.¹¹

What other effects have been noted with 3nB?

3nB has shown tremendous promise as an anticancer phytonutrient and detoxification aid in an experimental animal model,¹² but it is its use as a pain reliever in arthritis, fibromyalgia, and gout that is getting most of the attention.

A celery extract standardized to contain 85% 3nB and other celery phthalides has been evaluated in the treatment of "rheumatism" – the general term used for arthritic and muscular aches and pain.13,14 In these studies efficacy was evaluated by well-established clinical protocols used to measure the effectiveness of conventional drugs used in arthritis and muscular pain. This protocol allows objective measures of clinical pain that can be assessed statistically and for individual comparisons. Due to the chronic, fluctuating nature of rheumatism, the design of the study was a longitudinal study. This sort of study compares the results achieved when using the active substance to a time when it is not used.

During the active phase of the 12-week study, the 15 subjects suffering from either osteoarthritis, osteoporosis or gout received 34 mg of a proprietary celery extract standardized to contain 85% phthalides twice daily. The pain had been present for approximately 10 years in a remittent or continual form and it led to a lack of joint mobility and pain that prevented the carrying out of household duties, hobbies and activities involved in employment of these subjects. The results of the study were extremely positive and quite statistically significant. The chance that such a positive effect in reducing pain in these subjects was a placebo effect was less than 1 in 1000. Subjects experienced significant pain relief after 3 weeks of use with the average reduction in pain scores of 68% and some subjects experiencing complete 100% relief from pain. Most subjects achieved maximum benefit after six weeks of use although some did notice improvements the longer the extract was used. Detailed blood chemistry as well as clinical evaluation in these test subjects did not turn up any side effects. Many subjects noticed a diuretic effect, but no changes were noted in the sodium and potassium balance (the significance of this effect was discussed above).

Based on the positive results in this small pilot study, a larger 70 patient study was conducted. Test subjects received 75 mg of the celery extract twice daily for three weeks. At this higher dosage, subjects reported even better results than in the pilot study. Statistically and clinically significant reductions were noted in pain scores, mobility, and quality of life. Again no side effects were noted other than the diuretic effect with no changes in the sodium and potassium balance. It appears to be particularly helpful for sufferers of gout as 3nB appears to lower the production of uric acid by inhibiting the enzyme xanthine oxidase.¹⁵

What is the proper dosage and are their any side effects?

Over 100,000 people in Australia have now used this proprietary celery seed extract standardized at 85% phthalides without any reports of side effects. The current recommendations for joint and muscle complaints based on the information now available from trials as well as clinical experience are the following (based upon using a celery seed extract standardized to contain 85% 3nB and other phthalides):

• For the relief of join and muscle pain (includ ing pain due to osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and fibromyalgia): one tablet two to three times daily.
• For gout: two tablets twice daily. NOTE: The initial blood uric acid measurements may increase in people with gout as uric acid crystals begin to dissolve.

Do you have to take the celery extract continuously to maintain benefits in relieving joint and muscle pain?

Yes. Results from the studies conducted to date indicate that as long as the celery extract is used it keeps pain at bay. But, if it is stopped the pain tends to recur.

How much celery or celery extract should I take for high blood pressure?

My recommendation is to either consume 8 ribs of celery per day or take a celery extract standardized to contain 85% 3nB and other celery phthalides at a dosage of 75 to 150 mg twice daily.

Can I take celery extract with conventional anti-inflammatory drugs?

Yes. There does not seem to be any adverse interactions with conventional drugs.

Are there any contraindications?

Since the effects of celery extract have not been evaluated for safety in pregnancy, it is generally recommended that it not be used during pregnancy or lactation. No other contraindications are presently known. I would advise individuals taking the drug Coumadin (warfarin) to be closely monitored by their physician when starting to use celery extract. It is just a precautionary recommendation.

How does 3nB work to produce all of these benefits?

Based upon al of the existing research it is clear that 3nB exerts a profound effect on many of the body’s control systems. Chief among them the prostaglandin system. Prostaglandins are chemicals that mediate or control many important body processes including regulating inflammation, pain, and swelling; blood pressure; and heart, digestive, and kidney function as well. Some of the effects noted for 3nB on the prostaglandin system are quite unique and novel. Rather than simply inhibiting the production of prostaglandins by blocking enzymes that produce them like aspirin or even the more expensive and selective Cox-2 inhibitors, 3nB appears to help restore balance in the prostaglandin system.