Year: 2017

What are free radicals and can they be controlled through nutrition?
How an atom behaves is determined by the number of electrons found in its outermost shell. When the outermost shell is full, the atom is considered to be stable, which means that it will tend to not engage in chemical reactions. Atoms with missing or an odd (unpaired) number of electrons, making them unstable and highly reactive, are known as free radicals.
These unstable atoms are often formed when oxygen interacts with certain molecules. Once formed, an atom with a missing electron will try to stabilize itself by stealing an electron from a nearby neighbor. This theft leaves the victim short an electron, thereby creating a new free radical, which will, in turn, look for somewhere to steal an electron, creating a huge chain reaction called a free radical cascade. The end result can be extremely damaging to the affected living tissue.
When the body is healthy and receiving proper nourishment, this normal process of cellular activity does not pose a threat, because there will be a sufficient supply of antioxidants to replace the missing electrons and control the free radical cascade. Unfortunately, our modern diet and lifestyle is anything but healthy. The result is a literal bombardment of toxins, as well as other sources that contribute to the generation of free radicals, such as stress, pollution, unhealthy lifestyles, elevated cholesterol levels and high blood sugar levels. Combine any or all of these with poor nutrition and the body is simply unable to compensate. Over time, this leads to oxidative stress and inflammation, which are believed to be major precursors of age-related diseases and cancer.
Symptoms of Free Radical Damage

The damage associated with free radicals has a wide range of symptoms. Some of the more common ones include:

• Fatigue
• Muscle and joint pain
• Sinus issues
• Headaches
• Intestinal issues
• Sleep problems
• Difficulty concentrating
• Food cravings
• Water retention
• Trouble losing weight
• Skin problems, including rashes, eczema, psoriasis, canker sores and acne
• Puffy, dark circles under the eyes
• Premenstrual syndrome
• Bad breath

Antioxidants, which are molecules that can inhibit oxidation, are the body’s natural defense against free radicals. Their job is to scour the systems of the body and neutralize the free radicals before they have the opportunity to do damage to the cells. The body does produce antioxidants, but things like poor diet, pollution, toxins, medications, stress, aging and a list of other factors all deplete its supply, requiring external sources, like fruits and vegetables. Without antioxidants, the damage to the body can be severe, including cancer, heart disease and stroke, as well as all of the horrors of aging, including Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease and senility.
According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information at the National Institutes of Health, antioxidants play three roles in preventing the tissue damage that results from free radicals. These are:

• Suppressing the formation of free radicals
• Scavenging active free radicals to break the chain reaction stage
• Repair by promoting their decomposition

At the Southern California Center for Anti-Aging, we know how important nutrition is to health and well-being. Our bodies have to be well-nourished in order to function well and keep our immune systems at the ready. Once we have diagnosed your particular case through carefully administered lab tests, we prescribe the diet, or combination of diets, that we know will address your issues.
To learn more about free radicals and the role of antioxidants or to discuss any of our services, take advantage of our Free Consultation by clicking here to use our convenient online form.

How do I know if I have PMS or if it is really premenstrual dysphoric disorder?
Most people are familiar with premenstrual syndrome (PMS). Healthcare professionals estimate that roughly 75% of menstruating women experience at least some of the symptoms of PMS, which include cramps, mood swings, tender breasts, food cravings and fatigue. Often fodder for jokes, women who struggle with these issues, month after month, know that they are anything but funny.
Less well-known is the more severe and potentially disabling extension of PMS known as premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). Similar in that both share many of the same physical and emotional symptoms, those associated with PMDD can be so debilitating that they can damage relationships, both personal and work-related. Many factors contribute to PMS, but the main cause is hormonal imbalance, specifically related to changing levels of estrogen and progesterone. What pushes regular PMS symptoms to PMDD levels is currently unknown. It is thought that underlying mood disorders of depression and anxiety are exacerbated by the hormonal changes that kick off the menstrual period.

Symptoms of Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder

Symptoms of PMDD occur during the week leading up to the menstrual period and go away after it starts. If five or more of the following symptoms are present, your doctor may diagnose PMDD:

• Extreme sadness or despair, including thoughts of suicide
• Feelings of tension or anxiety
• Panic attacks
• Mood swings
• Frequent bouts of crying
• Persistent irritability with other people
• Irrational anger at others
• Loss of interest in regular activities and relationships
• Inability to concentrate or focus
• Tiredness or lack of energy
• Food cravings or binge eating
• Trouble sleeping
• Feeling out of control
• Hot flashes
• Physical symptoms, such as bloating, breast tenderness, headaches and joint or muscle pain

The symptoms of regular PMS can often be reduced or eliminated through a combination of diet and lifestyle changes. Some of these include:

• Regular exercise, including at least 30 minutes of aerobic activity daily
• A healthy diet that includes fruits, vegetables and whole grains
• Avoiding excess salt, sugar, caffeine and alcohol, especially while having PMS symptoms
• 8 hours of sleep each night.
• Finding healthy ways to cope with stress, for example, journaling, yoga, massage, meditation or relaxation therapy
• Not smoking

Like PMS, treating PMDD has the goal of preventing or minimizing symptoms. Many of the same methods that are used for treating PMS are also beneficial with regard to PMDD. Antidepressants, specifically selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), may reduce certain symptoms of PMDD by taking the SSRIs all month or only in the interval between ovulation and the start of the menstrual period. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved three SSRIs for the treatment of PMDD:

• Sertraline (Zoloft)
• Fluoxetine (Sarafem)
• Paroxetine HCI (Paxil CR)

Birth control pills, counseling or therapy and stress management may also be helpful. For those seeking other methods of treating symptoms associated with the menstrual cycle, the Southern California center for Anti-aging offers testing and a program to return hormones to a balanced state using bioidentical (never synthetic) hormones.  In addition, a customized nutritional and lifestyle plan can be designed just for you.
At the Southern California Center for Anti-Aging, we strongly believe correcting imbalances and deficiencies in nutrition, along with improving fitness and balancing and restoring hormones with Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy, can offer help with PMS issues, while creating the foundation for a healthier and happier life.
To learn more or to discuss any of our services, take advantage of our Free Consultation by clicking here to use our convenient online form.

Should people with cancer stock up on or avoid antioxidants?   
The general public first started hearing about antioxidants and nutrition in the 1990s. These powerful substances, contained in many fresh fruits and vegetables, were said to be able to protect the cells of the body from unstable molecules known as free radicals. Scientists were looking at the effects of free radicals, which are produced when molecules within the body lose electrons to electrically-charged molecules of oxygen in the blood stream. When this happens, there is the possibility of damage to cellular DNA that, over time, can become permanent and lead to disease.
Researchers were studying a correlation between these free radicals and the development of chronic illnesses, such as heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and cataracts. Some studies showed that people who ate plenty of these fruits and vegetables high in antioxidants were at lower risk for developing these chronic conditions than were those with low intakes of antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables.
Age-related conditions were of particular interest. The process in which free radicals are produced in the body is called oxidation and is one that occurs naturally for everyone. There needs to be a balance, however, because too much oxidative stress is what leads to these chronic illnesses. As we age, the body’s ability to moderate oxidation becomes less effective. This makes the role of a diet rich in free radical-taming antioxidants especially beneficial for combating age-related diseases.
Antioxidants became the super heroes of the supermarket. There will always be those who will never eat enough kale and spinach to satisfy the recommended consumption of antioxidant-containing fruits and vegetables so supplement makers recognized a new market and rushed to fill it. It’s quite possible that the claim that antioxidants can help prevent cancer is the biggest selling point. Unfortunately, further research has uncovered a twist to this story that is of particular importance to anyone diagnosed with cancer.

Should Those with Cancer Stock-Up on Antioxidants or Avoid Them?

It is hard to imagine that leafy green vegetables, like broccoli, kale, spinach, and mustard greens and brightly-colored fruits like blackberries, cranberries and blue berries could be anything but good for us. And, when it comes to preventing cancer, that is true: they are an important part of a healthy, cancer-preventing diet. Unfortunately, when cancer cells have already been identified in the body, that changes. A series of studies over the past several decades show that antioxidants can actually accelerate cancer progression. When the immune system detects precancerous cells, it goes to work to deal with them. Antioxidants can actually suppress the signals that activate this process, allowing the damaged cells to grow.
Confusing? Absolutely. Antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables are key components in some of the healthiest diets in the world. A prime example is the Mediterranean diet, which is recommended by many healthcare professionals for its role in preventing many serious and chronic diseases. No one is recommending we stop eating antioxidant-containing foods. There is a growing awareness, however, of the possible danger to those diagnosed with cancer. Medical research is making new discoveries every day, and the final chapter to this story has yet to be written. As is so often true, it is important to be informed and to have regular check-ups and consultations with healthcare professionals that you trust.
At Southern California Center for Anti-Aging we recommend diets that will help you to lose weight or maintain a healthy weight, rid your body of excessive inflammation, prevent disease and slow the aging process. We also have a variety of dietary supplements, vitamins and minerals available. Your treatment is tailored to remedy defects we find in your lab tests, such as vitamin or mineral deficiencies, presence of excessive fatty acids, oxidative stress markers, inflammatory markers and free radicals.
To learn more about antioxidants or discuss any of our services, take advantage of our Free Consultation by clicking here to use our convenient online form.