So what’s the big fuss about oxidative stress and how does it relate to inflammation?
Oxidative stress is an imbalance between FREE RADICALS (also known as Reactive Oxygen Species or ROS) and ANTIOXIDANTS in your body.
Oxidative stress can damage cells, proteins, and DNA and is at the core of chronic inflammation.
Chronic inflammation contributes to aging and plays a major role in the development of a range of health conditions, including heart and lung disease, cancer, Alzheimer’s and many more.
The way to combat chronic inflammation is to decrease oxidative stress in your cells.
How is Oxidative Stress Created?
Oxidative Stress: is an abundance of free radicals with too few antioxidants to counteract them.
Free radicals are oxygen-containing molecules with an uneven number of electrons also known as Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS). The uneven number allows them to easily react with other molecules.
Free radicals are natural and necessary to cell function but are dangerous once they are no longer in balance. Antioxidants keep free radicals in check. Antioxidants are molecules in cells that prevent free radicals from taking electrons and causing damage.
Where do Surplus Free Radicals Come From?
Although everyone produces some free radicals naturally in their body, we are also exposed to free radicals in our environment. Sources of toxins can all lead to an overabundance of free radicals in the body.
- Air and water pollution
- Cigarette smoke
- Radiation
- Pesticides & industrial chemicals
- Alcohol
- Processed foods high in trans fats and sugar.
Also, aging, injury, illness, and prolonged stress contributes to excess free radicals and your body’s inability to counteract them.
The Good News – We CAN Counteract Oxidative Stress!
Avoiding toxins and finding external sources of antioxidants is vital in combatting oxidative stress to maintain our long term health. Although it may not be possible to avoid all external sources of free radicals in our lives, there are measures we can take to counteract them!
Antioxidants are natural substances whose job is to clean up free radicals.
What are Sources of Antioxidants?
Most commonly, antioxidants are found in whole foods such as fruits and vegetables, or supplements such as Vitamin C, E, Beta Carotene and phytonutrients.
Antioxidant Sources:
- Healthy diet / antioxidant supplements
- Regular exercise
- Sufficient sleep
- Healthy work/life balance
- Activities/measures to de-stress & calm your nervous system
- PBM Light Therapy.
Light Therapy (PBM) – The Ultimate Antioxidant!
Science has proven that Photobiomodulation Light Therapy is an excellent way to displace oxidative stress, and to increase the activity of antioxidants already present, to ensure a healthy balance in our bodies.
PBM is a safe, easy and highly effective way to combat oxidative stress. Many added benefits of PBM are its other healing mechanisms including:
- Releasing Nitric Oxide to increase circulation
- Increasing cellular energy (ATP)
- Regenerating tissue
- Boosting your immune system.
This is a HUGE step forward in health and wellness for everyone!
PBM has been coined “The Future of Medicine” by scientists in this field.
To find out more, please see our Blog “How PBM Works – The Science Behind the Magic”.
PBM Thor LED light
Luminous Health Solutions Services
At Luminous we provide a relaxing, calm environment to offer you the combined effects of therapeutic light and an opportunity to de-stress. Our skilled practitioners truly care about you and work with you to achieve your health goals. Spending time in our lightbed or with our practitioners not only provides healing light to your body, but also allows your nervous system to calm down so that your body and mind can relax and rejuvenate.
PBM is great for disease prevention and is also widely used for injury healing, pain relief and the treatment of a vast number of health conditions. Please contact us for more information.