Tag: antioxidants
-
Inflammation
Inflammation can be triggered by microbes, foods, trauma, or toxins, but when the immune system is well-supported, the result is tolerance rather than over-reactivity. Supporting Resolution Ginger and Boswellia can help with inflammation. Dietary fiber (50 grams/day) can help to move toxins out of the body and reduce the amount of toxins that are reabsorbed…
-
Nightshade Sensitivity: The Immune Mechanism, and Interventions
Some people experience joint pain as an inflammatory reaction to nightshades like tomatoes and peppers. Understanding the immune pathway behind that reaction — and what separates a reactive response from a tolerant one — points toward some practical places to intervene. The Immune Pathway Behind Nightshade Sensitivity Nightshade proteins are transported across intestinal microfold cells,…
-
Mitochondrial Dysfunction and Type 2 Diabetes: Mechanisms, Markers, and Interventions
Type 2 diabetes can be assessed from the perspective of mitochondrial dysfunction as not just a side effect, but a factor in its progression. Symptoms like fatigue and difficulty concentrating can be a sign that mitochondria aren’t functioning properly, and that same underlying dysfunction may be feeding the disease process itself. When mitochondria are impaired,…
-
Two Manifestations of Oxidative Stress: Cataracts and Steatotic Liver Disease
The following two examples — one on age-related cataracts, and one on Steatotic Liver Disease (SLD) — both illustrate how cells try to compensate for oxidative stress, and what happens when those compensatory systems eventually fail. Oxidative Stress and Cataract Formation Huang et al. (2022) investigated how biliverdin reductase A protects lens epithelial cells from…
-
Antioxidants Aren’t Simply “More Is Better”
Supplements like quercetin, vitamin C, and vitamin E get a lot of attention as antioxidants, but the research makes a cautionary point: reactive oxygen species aren’t purely villains, and neutralizing them too well can have tradeoffs worth understanding before recommending a dose. Quercetin as a Protective Antioxidant Remigante et al. (2022) studied how quercetin can…
-
Everyday Exposures Stacking Up: Oxidative Stress and Mitochondrial Dysfunction
Many conversations about oxidative stress focus on a single cause — perhaps too much sugar, not enough antioxidants, or too much sun. But in real life, oxidative stress accumulates from many sources. A person might be exposed to vehicle exhaust on their commute, spend hours around chemical fumes at work, and enjoy a drink or…
-
Mediterranean Diet
Because of the prevalence of anxiety during pregnancy, a study was conducted at a hospital in Spain to see if the Mediterranean diet could help prevent this condition (Casas et al., 2023). This study was a randomized controlled trial, where 680 women whose pregnancies were considered to be high risk were randomly assigned to either…
