John Arts Abundant Living www.johnarts.co.nz

As an exercise, I did a Google Scholar search for ‘arthritis oxidative stress'. I knew that there have been many research papers on the subject of arthritis and free radical damage, but I was surprised at the sheer volume. I stopped counting at about 300.

Oxidative stress is the term for any situation where free radicals are created faster than antioxidant defences can neutralise them. Antioxidants supply missing electrons, making free radicals stable.

In regards to joint health, antioxidants such as selenium and OPC (from grape seeds) protect cartilage cells from free radical damage.

Free radicals are completely normal. The majority are produced in our cell mitochondria, where most of our energy is made. Just like there are exhaust gases after your engine has burnt petrol, so free radicals are by-products when our cells make energy from food.

If left unchecked by antioxidants they can destroy the molecules that make up cells, and if left to continue, they can destroy tissue, leading to disease.

In arthritis they destroy cells that maintain cartilage; in heart arteries they change cholesterol to its dangerous form; in blood vessels they damage structural proteins and cause hypertension and poor circulation.

Our antioxidant systems are dependent on antioxidants in our diet and those made in our bodies from trace minerals. The average Kiwi diet is low in antioxidants. Our soils are deficient in selenium and other trace minerals, and modern food storage systems reduce food antioxidant levels.

I know of no supplement that has greater overall health benefits as a well formulated multi antioxidant, mineral and vitamin formula to ensure your critical defence systems are protecting you from disease.

My client files are full of people who have improved their health through an antioxidant-dense diet and taking a good supplement. For more information, give me a call on: on 0800 423 559 or email: john@abundant.co.nz. You can read back issues at: www.abundant.co.nz

John Arts is a qualified nutritional medicine practitioner and founder of Abundant Health.