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ANTI-OXIDANTS
I’ve
had a lot of feedback, phone calls and questions concerning the
last article (December 2005, Free Radicals) about free radical
damage and some of the problems they can cause so I thought I
would delve a little deeper into this subject. Free radical
damage can wreak havoc with the cells of your body causing all
kinds of problems. Neutralizing this cell damage can go a long
way toward bringing your body back into balance and helping it
heal itself. There are many different opinions about proper
healing but I think most health professionals would agree that
it is better to prevent problems before they arise through
proper diet, exercise, rest, stress reduction, laughter, and a
positive mental attitude. As far as supplementation is
concerned, all supplements are just that, supplements. They are
not intended to take the place of a proper diet, only to
“supplement” and compliment a proper diet.
Proanthocyanidins—also
called "OPCs" for oligomeric procyanidins are a class
of nutrients belonging to the flavanoid family. OPC’s have
antioxidant activity which can neutralize some of the free
radical damage.
HISTORY
OF OPC’s
In
1534, French explorer Jacques Cartier was leading an expedition
up the St. Lawrence River. Trapped by bad weather, Cartier and
his crew were forced to survive on a ration of salted meat and
biscuits. Cartier's crew began to suffer from severe deficiency
of vitamin C and showed symptoms of scurvy. Many crewmembers
died before the surviving members encountered a friendly Native
American who saved most of their lives. He told them to make a
tea from the bark and needles of the pine tree to cure their
malady. They complied and, as a result, Cartier and many
crewmembers survived.
Some
400 years later, Professor Jacques Masquelier of the University
of Bordeaux, France, read a book by Cartier detailing their
expedition. He concluded that pine bark not only contained some
vitamin C, but obviously was a good source of bioflavonoids,
whose effects are similar to those of vitamin C. Further studies
and research revealed that the pine bark contained an array of
proanthocyanidins complexes. These compounds were also found in
a variety of plants, including grape seeds, cranberries, peanut
skin, lemon tree bark and citrus rinds. Masquelier termed the
active ingredients of the pine bark "pycnogenols",
which today are referred to in the scientific community as
oligomeric proanthocyanidins, or OPCs.
HOW
OPC’s WORK
Our
bodies are made up of billions of molecules held together by
electromagnetic forces. These chemical bonds are created with
paired electrons. Free radicals are unstable molecules that have
lost an electron and are unbalanced. Free radicals seek to
replace the lost electron by randomly attacking nearby molecules
and extracting desired electrons. One free radical can damage a
million or more molecules in a chain reaction referred to as
radical propagation, which leads to oxidative stress.
Uncontrolled oxidation can be very destructive.
It
is analogous to effects we see in our environment, such as the
rusting of metal, the rotting of meat, the browning of apples or
the hardening of old rubber. Oxidation in our body by free
radicals is thought to be responsible for premature aging,
wrinkling of skin, hardening of arteries, stiffening of joints,
formation of cataracts, the initiation of cancer and much more.
We are constantly exposed to free radicals via such processes as
antimicrobial activity by white blood cells and the absorption
of chemical additives in our foods. Our ability to fight free
radical damage effectively is compromised by our inadequate
nutritional choices or diets that contain limited amounts of
antioxidants. Antioxidant supplementation may be necessary if
you are unable to reduce your exposure to free radicals, but
wish to counter their effect. OPCs should be taken in
conjunction with foods or dietary supplements rich in vitamin C,
vitamin E, beta-carotene, and selenium, to name a few other
antioxidants.
OPCs
have been used in Europe under medical supervision for over 30
years with no reports of adverse effects. Over one million
people worldwide utilize these valuable bioflavonoids daily.
OPCs have been tested time and time again for safety by
conventional, scientific methods at leading research centers
worldwide including the Pasteur Institute. OPCs have been found
to be non-toxic, non-antigenic, non-teratogenic, non-mutagenic,
and non-carcinogenic.
There
is a lot of new science that is suggesting the importance of
anti-oxidants in your diet to help your body remain in balance.
I encourage you to learn more about this new exciting science by
searching the internet (www.YourNaturalDoctor.com)
or by sponsoring an educational Health Seminar in your area.
Call me for details.
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