Free Radical and Toxin Minimizing!!

Basic FREE RADICAL & TOXIN MINIMIZING Tips


FREE-RADICAL DAMAGE is the NUMBER ONE cause of
AGING, CHRONIC AILMENTS, and possibly CANCER!


Ø FREE RADICAL DAMAGE affects everything from your DNA to the collagen layer of your skin, and is responsible for most chronic degenerative diseases as well as for speeding up the aging process of our cells. Symptoms of antioxidant depletion may include chronic fatigue, depression, hormone imbalances, brain dysfunctions (including learning disorders, brain fog and memory loss), indigestion, muscle fatigue and brittle bones, to name a few.

Ø FREE RADICALS are oxygen-rich by-products that are produced when we breathe in the oxygen needed for our cells to function properly. Free radicals are toxic to cells. Free radicals are also formed by acidic body pH, exposure to toxins in the environment such as air and water pollution, chemical out gasses (such as from new carpet and plastics), volatile organic compounds (VOC’s) found in household cleaners, home building/remodeling products, chlorine and chlorine by-products, chemicals in personal care products, and insecticides, electromagnetic radiation, processed and cooked foods, heavy metals in fish, steroids and antibiotics added to meat, trans fatty acids from hydrogenated fats, stress, tobacco smoke, car exhaust, and even excessive amounts of sunlight (an example is age spots), to name a few sources.

Ø ANTI-OXIDANTS are compounds that stabilize and neutralize free radicals. Anti-oxidants have the ability to repair damage by free-radicals once it’s done, and can also “scavenge” free radicals before they cause harm. The single factor that is common to all antioxidants is that they are all sources of hydrogen. The hydrogen atom carries electrons for transference to neutralize free radicals. Our primary source of hydrogen (and important antioxidants) comes from the foods we eat, mainly brightly colored fresh fruits and vegetables, preferably grown “organically” in rich soils and picked and eaten while ripe, preferably raw or steamed/cooked minimally.

v TIPS TO HELP MINIMIZE FREE RADICAL & TOXIN DAMAGE:

v BALANCE YOUR BODY’S pH (link), (keep it alkaline vs acidic) with HEALTHY pH balancing NUTRITION, ANTI-OXIDANT supplementation, toxin minimization, and alkaline drinking water (pH DROPS can be added to your drinking water if you don’t have an alkaline water purification system, or when eating out).
v EAT ANTI-OXIDANT RICH FOODS. Anti-oxidants are found mainly in brightly colored fresh fruits and vegetables, preferably grown “organically” in rich soils, and picked and eaten while ripe. BLUEBERRIES quench free radicals from the body around five times higher than most other fruits and vegetables. Some other sources of antioxidants are other fresh berries, broccoli, cantaloupe, sweet red pepper, nuts and seeds, sweet potatoes and yams, avocados, chick peas, spinach, and carrots, to name a few.

v EAT GREEN CHLOROPHYLL-RICH FOODS such as Spirulina, and Wheat, Barley and Kamut Grasses, and other chlorophyll-rich foods, as they contain antioxidant compounds. Science has shown you should include a variety of antioxidants in your diet for maximum effect. Although the foods we eat are our best sources of antioxidants, if you don’t manage to consume five servings of fresh fruits and vegetables a day, you may need antioxidants in the form of chlorophyll-rich foods, or in supplement form.

v TAKE ANTI-OXIDANT SUPPLEMENTS, which include the trace elements selenium and zinc, and vitamins A, B2 (riboflavin), B3 (niacin), B6 (pyridoxine), and vitamins C and E.

v DRINK ONLY PURIFIED WATER, such as ionized or reverse osmosis, free of Chlorine, Fluoride, Lead, etc., and preferably alkaline water.

v USE PURIFIED (FILTERED) WATER FOR ALL NEEDS, such as showering, bathing, brushing teeth, etc. Toxins are absorbed through the skin and enter the body faster than if ingested because they don’t have to pass through the liver. Chlorine, chlorine by-products, and other chemicals are easily absorbed through the skin, and can also enter the body through inhalation, such as when showering. Inhalation of chlorine can be very damaging to the lungs.

v USE AN INDOOR AIR PURIFIER as studies have shown the air inside your home can be up to six times more polluted than your outside environment. Pet dander, dust mites, airborne bacteria, house dust, and volatile organic compounds build up in your enclosed home and can lead to a variety of health problems, such as asthma, allergies, cancer, and chemical sensitivities, to name a few.

v BUY ORGANIC PRODUCE, GRAINS, AND OTHER FOODS whenever possible to avoid chemical absorption by the plants, and then by you!

v WASH FRUITS & VEGETABLES (including Organic) in a natural solvent to remove pesticides, e-coli, etc.

v PREVENT, CONTROL, AND REVERSE TYPE II DIABETES. High blood glucose levels accelerate our body’s production of free radicals. This increase in free radical activity is a dominant reason why diabetics suffer so many complications.

v IF YOU’RE A SMOKER and HEALTHY AGING IS YOUR GOAL, STOP SMOKING NOW. With one puff of a cigarette, you take in 4000 chemicals, including the very addicting nicotine. Every year, smoking causes one in five deaths in this country! And we now know second hand smoke has devastating, deadly effects on those inhaling smoke from someone else’s cigarettes.

v LEARN TO MINIMIZE and HANDLE STRESS. High levels of stress, and more importantly, an impaired ability to cope with stress, cause the immune system to weaken and make the body more vulnerable to infections and disease (and hence free radicals).

v BUY CHEMICAL-FREE PERSONAL CARE, BABY CARE, and ANIMAL CARE PRODUCTS, such as soaps, facial cleansers, shampoos, conditioners, moisturizing lotions, etc. Your skin is your largest organ. What you put on your skin goes directly into your body to a large degree, and much quicker than if ingested as it doesn’t have to bypass the liver.

v BUY ALCOHOL and ALUMINUM FREE ANTI-PERSPIRANTS, as these ingredients basically either shrink pores or physically block or clog them to reduce the flow of perspiration, (there’s a reason they’re called anti-perspirants!) Also, aluminum is linked to Alzheimers. Sweating, or perspiration, is an essential function that helps the body stay cool. An alternative to anti-perspirants is Crystal deodorant stones (spray also) which enable your body to perspire, you just won’t have any of the accompanying odor. They do this by providing an environment where bacteria that cause odor can’t thrive. They are made with mineral salts, are hypoallergenic, fragrance-free, non-sticky and non-staining, and can be used by both men and women.

v WEAR A CHEMICAL FREE NATURAL SUN SCREEN, AND COVER UP most of the time WHEN OUT IN THE DIRECT SUN. Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States, with more than one million cancers diagnosed each year. Overall, one in six Americans will develop skin cancer at some point in their lives. A tan is your body’s reaction to being damaged. And contrary to popular belief, a tanning bed is no less damaging. Age spots and wrinkles are caused by oxidative free radical damage from the sun.

v WASH YOUR HANDS OFTEN THROUGHOUT THE DAY. When washing your hands in a public toilet, don’t turn the water faucet off after washing hands unless with a paper towel. Also, use a paper towel to open the bathroom door when exiting as many people don’t wash their hands after using the restroom! Wash hands thoroughly after touching all door handles, railings, money, etc.

v AVOID TOUCHING YOUR EYES, NOSE, MOUTH, or going to the bathroom, without having just washed or sanitized your hands.

v USE ONLY A “NATURAL” “CHEMICAL FREE” HAND SANITIZER preferably without alcohol. Don’t forget, what you put on your skin gets absorbed directly into your body. Research indicates that most viruses, fungi, and bacteria cannot live in the presence of many essential oils. Thieves oil, a Young Living product, is packed with powerful, germ-killing essentials, and may be a good option as a natural hand sanitizer.

v AVOID PROCESSED and FRIED FOODS including most fast food restaurants, white flour products, and processed meats and cheeses.

v AVOID HYDROGENATED AND PARTIALLY HYDROGENATED FATS, such as margarines, and products made with them, to avoid trans fatty acids. A company named “Earth Balance” sells a 100% vegan Non-Hydrogenated Natural Buttery Spread that looks and tastes very similar to margarine.

v DON’T COOK WITH ALUMINUM OR TEFLON. Aluminum as been linked to Alzheimer’s (as mentioned above regarding anti-perspirants), and Teflon particles end up contaminating your food. The off gases from food burned in a Teflon pan could kill your pet bird!!

v KEEP OPTIMAL BODY WEIGHT, AS TOXINS ARE STORED IN FAT, and will be released into your body as you burn fat for fuel!

v EAT LESS OR NO MEAT TO AVOID TOXINS STORED IN THE ANIMAL’S FAT from pesticides and herbicides, and to avoid steroids, hormones, etc. Look for “Free-Range, Hormone-Free, Anti-biotic Free, Cage Free, Organic” meat and eggs.

v BUY NATURAL CLEANING PRODUCTS that are Biodegradable, contain Non Petroleum based surfactants, and are Chlorine and Phosphate free.

v USE FULL SPECTRUM LIGHTING to simulate natural, healthy light.

v CHOOSE RUGS MADE FROM COTTON, WOOL, JUTE, etc. instead of synthetic fibers. (Also make sure they are free of stain repellents, mothproofing agents, and glue.)

v BUY PBDE-FREE PRODUCTS (PBDE is a flame retardant) for clothing, cushions, carpets, mattresses, car seating, computers, fire extinguishers, etc.)

v CHOOSE UNBLEACHED, CHLORINE-FREE PAPER PRODUCTS and PERSONAL CARE PRODUCTS (such as tampons and pads).

v BUY ORGANIC CLOTHING (especially under garments) and BED SHEETS when possible.

v DON’T MICROWAVE in PLASTIC and DON’T SERVE HOT FOOD IN PLASTC DISHES, WITH PLASTIC UTENSILS, or in STYROFOAM, as the chemicals leach from the hot plastic and Styrofoam into the food.

v INSTALL A CARBON MONOXIDE DETECTOR and check levels regularly.

v PERFORM MAINTENANCE CHECKS ON ALL FUEL BURNING APPLIANCES, especially furnaces, and vent fuel burning stoves. Also have wood burning fireplace chimney cleaned often.

v AVOID PVC {polyvinyl chloride} PLASTICS, especially in children’s toys.

v AVOID ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELDS and ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION.

Dr. Cindy Bates