REDUCING FREE RADICALS
Free radicals are metabolic by-products of metabolism consisting of any molecules with an ”odd” number of electrons, mainly OH and HO2, which act as major oxidizing agents, damaging tissue just as oxygen rusts iron. The major biological changes associated with diseases, aging, and eventually death, are the result of excess free radical activity. Numerous studies have demonstrated that virtually every known disease is associated with increased free radical activity, most particularly cardiovascular, neurological diseases and cancer. Ultimately free radicals progressively damage DNA.
Major studies have demonstrated that smoking, obesity, inactivity and inadequate nutrition are the major culprits in creating free radicals and diseases. Unfortunately less than 3% of Americans have the 4 most basic health habits:
- No smoking
- Body mass index between 19 and 24
- Daily intake of at least serving of fruit and vegetables
- Moderate physical exercise at least 3 times each week
Average total intake of fruits and vegetable is 3.4 servings per day, well below the MINIMUM recommendations of 5 and even further from the optimal of 10 servings per day! A serving is 4 ounces of fruits or vegetables or 6 ounces of juice. Many Americans attempt to ”make up” their deficits by taking antioxidant supplements, such as Vitamins C and E and beta carotene, Co-Q 10 and others. Interestingly, although blood levels of antioxidants are increased by these supplements, there is little evidence that they are adequate substitutes for fruits and vegetables. And there is no evidence that total free radical production is decreased by these supplements. The best test for free radical excess is measurement of malondialdehyde in the urine, tests available as Oxi-Data or Oxi-Score. Actually the best evidence for free radical reduction comes from synergistic eating of a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, up to 10 servings daily. On a practical note, almost no one does this! Indeed, average American intake is 3.4 servings per day. Of course, stimulating the Ring of Crystal with the SheLi TENS works well but it takes 20 minutes daily and most people will not do that either!
Heart disease, cancer, cataracts, hypertension and stroke have been proven to be clinically reduced in those individuals who eat a wide variety of fruits and vegetables. My recent study of the effect of drinking two ounces of Mistica daily has provided the first known demonstration that taking a concentrated fruit/vegetable drink actually reduces free radical production by 44%. This is far superior to the known effects of taking vitamin antioxidant supplements. In my own situation, adding ProArgi9 lowered my free radical output by 90%, similar to my use of the SheLi TENS on the Ring of Crystal. In a society where ‘fast” food is a major contributor to disease and poor nutrition, supplements like
Mistica are a potential tremendous contribution to health. Reducing free radicals has more potential for improving health than any other approach known.