Oxidative stress and environmental illness

[Guest guest]

As you all know, at this time there is no one single thing a person

can do to cure the effects of these CFS, fibromyalgia, PTSD, MCS and

Gulf War Syndrome. The current theory is that all of these syndromes

are the same with slightly different etiologies. I have had CFS for

20 years and became reactive again from an extreme, and I do mean

extreme, exposure to environmental contamination. I know suffer from

CFS, Fibro, PTSD, MCS, diabetes, etc. which are all complications of

the oxidative process. For the past 6 months I have spent most of

my time researching everything I can about all of these syndromes and

their physiological basis. I have worked in public health and my

talents, above all else, is medical research so it was quite normal

that I should take on this task.

Understanding the biological issues as they relate to these syndromes

is the key to getting back to living again. The most important thing

you need to remember is to down regulate the oxidative process and

the development of free radicals by slowing cellular respiration.

When you get stressed, eat a meal, suffer a trauma etc. you body

reacts with the flight/fright reaction by speeding up the heart rate

and metabolism and as a consequence, your cells respire faster and

produce more free radicals. Down-regulating the action of this

process via the adrenals is important to slowing cellular

respiration. There are numerous ways to do this, practice slow

breathing, learn guided imagery, meditate, EFT, yoga etc. All of

these techniques can slow oxidative stress.

The second most important thing one can do is learn as much as you

can about nutrition and how to incorporate antioxidants into your

diet. Diet experts recommend from 5-9 servings of fruits and

vegetables a day and these foods is where your body gets the

antioxidants to neutralize the action of free radicals. It was

recently reported that for every meal, humans need 2.5 servings of

fruits and vegetables a day to provide enough antioxidants to

neutralize the free radicals produced from digesting a meal.

There are several other things that I will list below that your EI

physician has probably told you but maybe not. Of course, I realize

financial issues are always a concern when trying to adapt your

living space to a medical conditions such as these:

1. Filter all the water you are exposed to including your bath water

if possible because contaminants can be absorbed through the skin.

2. Have you physician do an immune food sensitivity test. Find out

what foods are contributing to your body burden and stressing your

detox system.

3. Get rid of all the preservatives in your foods and eat organic.

This is the most important thing to get your symptoms to improve.

Incorporate herbs into your diet as they provide additional

phytonutrients.

4. Get tested for toxic metals. You already know they cause

neurological damage.

Use all eco-friendly products in your home. Stop using all non-

organic hair care, nail care, pet care products, etc.

5. If you have cats, get a Littermaid and give them kitty grass, both

of which help reduce the volatiles from the box. The volatile

species from their urine contribute to our oxidative stress and your

animals

6. Invest in an organic bed or one that you know has not been treated

with flame retardants. This includes the pillows and sheets of

course.

7. Try to stay away from dyes in your clothes and synthetic fibers.

Keep any trash cans etc. outside and make sure there are no

phosphates in your laundry or dish detergent.

8. Vitamin B12 and folate may be recommended from your doctor. There

promote proper cellular function.

9. If you are having skin problems, you may see if your doctor

recommends hyuluronic acid. New research shows it may neutralize free

radicals in the skin.

10. Control your sugar intake. Diabetes is a secondary development

from the long-term inflammatory processes of oxidative stress.

11. When you start feeling better, try to do at least some mild form

of exercise. Even if it just to walk to the mailbox.

In Dr. Pall's book you will find out a lot more about the process of

oxidative stress and the action of free radicals. Dr.Pall is a

biochemist at Washington State University. Some of his comments

include:

1. " These multisystem illnesses are initiated by stressors such

as bacteria, viruses, chemical contaminants. Each of which stimulate

and raise the level of nitric oxide. " Pg. 2.

2. " The symptoms and signs are generated by elevated nitric acid

and consequences of the mechanism include elevated peroxynitrite or

inflammatory cytokines, oxidative stress, and elevated NMDA. Pg 6.

3. " Oxidants may also be expected to influence another

parameter, that of intracellular calcium levels which are stimulated

by oxidative stress. Peroxynitrites are known to deactivate calcium

pumps which would complicate normal muscle acitivity " .Pg. 13.

4. " Superoxide is generated in the mitochondria which generates

usable energy (ATP) and the enzyme that gets rid of this substance is

inactivated by peroxynitrite " . Pg.14.

Please feel free to email me with questions. I though this might help

some of you.

Kim

Health Education Information and Resource Services

kkramer@...