The Glutathione Revolution
The world of antioxidants is a complicated one, with competing claims of efficacy. The basic claim of most antioxidants is that they will help slow down the cascading effect of free radicals, which damage healthy cells by stealing electrons from them. This cycle has been referred to as one which accelerates aging. A pill that can slow down the aging process would obviously pique our interest, but there are many skeptics.
We at Pulse do not endorse any specific antioxidant or method--we just measure them and other interventions. But there is an interesting trend I have observed. Historically, antioxidants such as vitamin A or Vitamin E supply something that the body already obtains through food. In effect, these are dietary supplements that literally could be obtained--and probably obtained better--through good diet. As such, commentators such as Michael Pollan and scientists have suggested that such supplements are not as effective as a good diet. Other scientists counter that it just isn't realistic to rely on diet alone and that the problem is that we don't supplement ENOUGH.
There is a new school that focuses on the body's natural antioxidant sources. Our internal antioxidant production is critical to keeping our bodies in balance. For example, glutathione reductase is an enzyme that is produced by our cells and which creates a chain reaction that increases antioxidant production. New supplements claim that they can actually stimulate our bodies' endogenous antioxidant production. The idea is a small pill that acts like food cannot compete with free radicals in the body--it's like spitting in the ocean. But, a pill that can trigger
We at Pulse look forward to learning more about such antioxidants and other methods to address oxidative stress.
Written by David Urman | Tags: free radical damage oxidative stress Antioxidants
Importance of Omega-3
The Journal of the American College of Nutrition reports that omega-3 fatty acids lower free radical damage caused by oxidative stress. They may also increase activity of antioxidant enzymes manufactured by the body.
Omega-3 fatty acids are so important to our health, that even the American Heart Association has recommended eating fish two times a week. The best types of fish to eat are cold water, fatty fish such as salmon, tuna and mackerel.
All this talk of omega-3 fatty acids…what exactly are they, you ask?!
Omega-3 fatty acids are not one single nutrient, but a collection of several, including eicosapentaenic acid (EPA), docosahexanoic acid (DHA) and α-linolenic acid (ALA).
These essential fatty acids are molecules that cannot be synthesized by the human body but are vital for normal metabolism. They are found in greatest abundance in fish oils and some plant oils such as flaxseed.
If you are NOT a fish eater, or just prefer other meats, than taking an omega-3 supplement every day works just as well.
To protect your heart, lower triglyceride levels and decrease free radical damage, an omega-3 supplement containing 1.6 grams/day for men and 1.1 grams/day for women is recommended.
*Keep in mind that you don't have to get a daily supply of omega-3's, as long as you maintain a weekly intake of 6 grams to 8 grams, your body will have what it needs.
Written by Michelle Ricker, Registered Dietitian
Chris Marsh Appears on Oregon Bioscience Association Panel
Chris Marsh, our CEO, appeared on a panel today at the CFO seminar series for the Oregon Biosciences Association. The purpose was to share learning on how to create a successful path for Mergers and Acquisition. Essentially, Chris's message was to "start with the end in mind". The focus is to build strong value for the company through the product (and protected IP), market and organizational leadership. In sum, "good companies are bought, not sold" said Chris. In addtion to Chris, the panel included Michael Phillipps, Raymond Cheung and Daniel O'Leary.
Written by Peter Weiss | Tags: revelar oregon bioscience pulse health chris marsh
Breath Testing Comes of Age Article
I am excited. The April edition of Chiropractor Economics is running an article on "Breath testing comes of age: Aldehydes are a vital biomarker in understanding a patient's general health from a biochemical perspective". This was coauthored by Dr. Bhairavi Parikh and Dr. Dan Murphy. The article is strong support for the role of using the breath to diagnose aldehydes and then oxidative stress. The article begins with the history of breath diagnostics and then elaborates upon the role of aldehydes and the importance of their measurement.
Here is a link to it:
http://www.chiroeco.com/news/chiropractic-news.php?id=11107§ion=173
Written by Peter Weiss | Tags: aldehydes revelar oxidative stress breath chiropractor
Antioxidants 101
It is very confusing to know WHAT foods to eat and WHY you should be eating them. We often hear about antioxidants being good for us. Well, let’s start with some basics to explain what antioxidants are, why you need them, and how you can increase them in your diet.
When choosing foods, always error on the side of COLOR. Yellow, red, orange, dark green and blue are your friends. This is referring to natural colors of food, not man-made food coloring. Foods that are more vibrant in color tend to have higher amounts of antioxidants. These antioxidants protect our body from the damage of free radicals. We need this protection due to normal body processes causing cell damage, the air we breathe and our natural aging process.
Here are some helpful hints to:
- improve your health
- decrease cell damage in your body
- reduce your risk of cancer and heart disease
- age gracefully
- improve your Revelar free radical score
Make it your goal to have at least one brightly colored food on your plate at each meal. Add a bowl of berries to your breakfast. Bring some veggies, an apple or grapes in your packed lunch. Ask for a side spinach salad when eating out for lunch. Have fun with dinner by adding some butternut squash, red peppers, beans, kale, or blackberries for dessert.
Making these small changes in your daily nutrition are a few ways you can make a very big impact on your health.
Written by Michelle Ricker, Registered Dietitian
Welcome to the Revelar Blog
This blog is our forum for many things surrounding the world of Revelar. It provides us an opportunity to share insights into free radical damage, what’s causing it, its measurement through aldehydes and ways that it can be reduced. It will also be our way to share exciting news here at Pulse Health related to Revelar. You will see posts from any number of us here. As CMO, I invite you to share your thoughts on Revelar and join our growing community.
One thing to note is the terms we can use interchangeably. While Aldehydes is consistent as the marker for measurement, what it measures has several different terms. The most common is free radical damage but you will also see the terms oxidative stress, cell damage or tissue damage used. For more details check out our science section.
