There has been an ongoing controversy about antioxidants, and if they are good or bad for you. Patrick has added his voice thru some research papers. The tug of war in this is about the [ROS] and the Removal Of Free Radicals, which we sometimes call Free Radical Scavenging. All of us have both antioxidants and free radicals present in our bodies, at all times. Some antioxidants like Glutathione[Previously Run In Clinical Trials], are made in our bodies, while we MUST get others from diets by eating HIGH antioxidant food that DOUBLES as {Anti-Inflammatory} foods. Our Bodies also produce free radicals, as byproducts of cellular reactions[Both good ones and Bad ones]. As an aside, it has been shown that on an individual basis, that the higher one's Anti-Inflammatory Measurements the Higher one's PSA. And visa versa. I.E. the liver produces and uses free radicals to detoxify the body, while white blood cells send free radicals to destroy bacteria and damaged cells. When certain types of oxygen molecules are allowed to travel freely in the body, they cause what is known as oxidative damage, which is the formation of Free Radicals. When Antioxidant levels in the body are LOWER than that of Free Radicals due to poor nutrition, toxic exposure or other oxidative factors wreaks havoc in the body. The Effect??? Accelerated aging, damaged or mutated cells, broken down tissue, the activation of harmful genes[Like In Cancer], within DNA, and an overloaded Immune System. Homeopaths say,"because we today are exposed to very high rates of oxidative stress at ever younger ages, we need the POWER of antioxidants, which means we need to consume high antioxidant foods. As we age, the body's ability to make its own antioxidants declines, so that the balance of free radicals and antioxidants starts favoring Free Radicals, and the ability to scavenge free radicals Diminishes. What Are Antioxidants
One definition is any substance that inhibits oxidation. To be an oxidizing agent or a free radical does not require the oxygen atom with an out of balance [-] negative valence. So you all take oxygen as the main culprit off to the side. There are many many molecules that are unbalanced---and the big word here is Unbalanced Electrically, that are very damaging Free Radicals. All free radicals do not come under the terminology of [ROS]. Those that do like Superoxide, Peroxide, and singlet Oxygen do. In Chemistry we define Free Radical reaction with Antioxidants as Oxidation Reduction Reactions, and is the transfer or combining of an electrically unbalanced molecule[Such as any free radical], to create Neutrality. Antioxidants include dozens of foods, herbs, and supplements. to make the point again, antioxidants can inhibit unwanted oxidation, or reactions promoted by oxygen, peroxides, and/or NON CONTAINING OXYGEN FREE RADICALS, THAT ARE ELECTRICALLY UNBALANCED. The American Academy Of Naturopathic Medicine does suggest from research, that when it comes to longevity and overall health, the benefits of consuming antioxidants foods, herbs, teas and supplements are: * Healthier glowing skin
* Reduced Cancer Risk
* Support of Detoxification
* Longer Life Span
* Protection against Heart, and Stroke Disease
* Reduction of Dementia
* Prevention of Macular Degeneration
* As food additives to prevent spoilage.
Antioxidants in your diet offer much needed help to counter damage done by sun exposure, poor diet, smoking, drug use, medications, poisons[Toxicity], chemical exposure[Why we do not use antioxidants when taking Chemo], high amount of stress, and natural factors that increase that increase the risk of age related problems. They protect healthy cells while halting growth of cancerous cells. The argument about antioxidants and stopping cancer cell growth--would be another discussion, at another time---using Supplemental Antioxidants at high dose levels, so they act as drugs, cannot by me be delineated--as to do this anyone should be under the care of a Naturopath--board certified, and one also with a MD.
Before defining certain Foods Herbs and Supplements--we need to discuss the ORAC SCORE. This Score was devised by The National Institute of Aging. It is basically the ability of a food or herb or supplement to absorb or cancel out free radicals. Tests are done in Test Tubes using 100 grams of material. All we need to know is the higher the number the more antioxidant capability a food or herb or supplement has. Supplements are hard to measure---as we have many manufacturers, with different extraction processes, as we found out with New Chapter, and also different sourcing. I.E Turmeric from India does not have the same antioxidant ORAC SCORE as Turmeric from China.
High Antioxidant Food List[W/ORAC SCORE]
* Dark Chocolate---21,000
* Elderberries---15,000
* Pecans---18,000
* Wild Blueberries--- 9,600
* Boiled Artichokes---9,400
* Cranberries---9,000
* Kidney Beans---8,600
* Blackberries---6,000
* Cilantro---5,200
* Goji Berries---4,300
Other Antioxidant Rich Foods are Tomatoes, Carrots, Pumpkin Seeds, Sweet Potato, Pomegranates, Strawberries[For its Fisetin], Kale, Broccoli, Red Grapes, Red Wine[For Patrick]
Top Herbs[W/ORAC SCORE]
* Clove 314,000
* Cinnamon 267,000
* Oregano 159,000
* Turmeric 102,000
* Cocoa 81,000
* Cumin 74,000
* Parsley Dried 74,000
* Basil 67,000
* Ginger 29,000
* Thyme 27,000
Others are Garlic, Cayenne Pepper, and Green Tea.
Top Antioxidant Supplements[NO SCORES--we do not have standards}
* Glutathione
* Quercetin
* Lutein
* Vit C[Use Liposomal]
* Resveratrol
* Astaxanthin
* Selenium
Others are Lavender Oil, NAC, Catalase[which destroys H2O2].Chlorophyll, and one of my favorites from the bible---Frankincense Essential Oil. I use 5-Loxin which is the identified Antioxidant Molecule in Frankincense. If it was good enough for Jesus, it is good enough for me.
I know as we age those antioxidants made by the body decrease in production. So I feel obligated to supply what is not being made anymore, by supplementation. As to use of these materials as drugs in high dosage, I already said I would not discuss. So is supplementation with Antioxidants a Yes or a No. How about a maybe. It has been clearly shown in the literature and in studies and testimonials, that Antioxidants can treat cancer. I did not say cure! Breast, colon, and prostate cancers can react positively in some ways---if for nothing more than making the host more healthy to fight the disease.
The use of supplementation would be up to the individual to make their own decision. At least we know that there other forms of Free Radicals that are not Oxygen Based, and we had a bit of Chemistry in terms of Oxidation Reduction Reactions as what happens when the Free Radical meets the Antioxidant.
And to end IMO I consider the Cancer Cell Itself to be a Free Radical. These abnormal cells have a positive side and a negative side in terms of electron activity. Read my post on Chelation and Copper, that I did many many months ago---kind of a reverse antioxidant activity--where we went after the, Copper, Cu++ instead of a O[-]. But still a oxidation reduction reaction, using EDTA.
I do not know if I settled any arguments--but I have been asked by many to write on the subject---so I have.
Nalakrats
