OXIDATIVE
STRESS
October - December 2016 •
The Lion King
• 47
Health
By Yvonne Ohale
also increases when we are physically
and or emotionally stressed.
Some evident signs of oxidative stress
are:
1. Fatigue
2. Memory loss and/brain fog
3. Muscle and/ joint pain
4. Wrinkles and grey hair
5. Decreased eye sight
6. Headache and sensitivity to noise
7. Susceptibility to infections and a lot
more.
HOW TO REDUCE OXIDATIVE STRESS
Avoid exposure to unnecessary oxidation:
this can be achieved by
i. Avoiding sugar and processed
foods while balancing your blood
sugar levels
ii. Prevent infections
iii. Avoid toxins – cigarettes, exhaust
fumes etc.
Increasing anti-oxidants:
you either
help your body make more, or
you consume them in food or
supplements. What anti-oxidants do is
block oxidation and make it harmless.
This can be achieved by consuming
foods rich in glutathione and sulphur.
These include peaches, walnuts,
spinach, tomatoes, garlic, onions,
cabbage, avocados etc. Others are
supplements containing vitamin C,
E & D, zinc and magnesium. Other
foods and herbs rich in antioxidants
are tomatoes, water melon, ginger,
green and black tea.
Knowing that we are all exposed to
stress, toxins and infections on a daily
basis, choosing ways to reduce stress
and increase anti-oxidants will help
you prevent cancer and live a longer,
healthier life.
T
he term “oxidative stress” is
mentioned all the time in science
and nutrition but it is not often
clear what it means for your health.
Understanding and preventing it is a
smart strategy for your wellness.
The process of oxidation happens
when our bodies metabolize (or
process) the oxygen that we breathe
and our cells produce energy from
it. This process also produces free-
radicals which are molecules that
interact with molecules within our cells
resulting in damage or stress to nearby
cells and DNA (genes).
Free radicals are normal and
necessary to some extent. In addition
to causing some damage, they also
stimulate repair. It is only when so
many free radicals are produced and
they overwhelm the repair process
that it becomes an issue. That is what
we call oxidative stress.
Oxidation happens under a number of
circumstances including:
i. When our cells use glucose to
make energy.
ii. When the immune system is
fighting off bacteria and creating
inflammation.
iii. When our bodies detoxify
pollutants, pesticides, cigarette
smoke etc.
In fact, there are millions of processes
taking place in our bodies at any point
in time that can result in oxidation. It
