We have all heard of antioxidants, but have we heard of the
mother of all antioxidants? One that is the secret to prevent cancer, heart
disease, aging, neurological issues and more? This single antioxidant has been
studied in great depth yet most of us know nothing about it and many doctors have no idea how to address the
epidemic of its deficiency in humans.
We are of course talking about Glutathione (pronounced
“gloota-thigh-own.”) This is a powerful detoxifier and immune booster and is
crucial to a healthy life. Although the body does make some of its own
Glutathione, poor food quality, pollution, toxic environments, stress,
infections and radiation are all depleting out bodies glutathione.
What is Glutathione?
Glutathione is a simple molecule produced naturally in the
body at all times. It’s a combination of three building blocks of protein or
amino acids — cysteine, glycine and glutamine.
The best part of glutathione is that is contains sulfur
chemical groups that work to trap all the bad things like free radicals and
toxins such as mercury and heavy metals in our body then flush them out. This
is especially important in our current world of heavy metal bombardment.
Where Can You Get Glutathione?
The body makes it, but it’s often not enough in our
strenuous environment. Here are some food sources that either contain
glutathione or its precursors to help the body produce more.
- Broccoli
- Brussels sprouts
- Cabbage
- Cauliflower
- Avocados
- Peaches
- Watermelon
- Cinnamon
- Cardamom
- Turmeric (Curcumin)
- Tomatoes
- Peas
- Garlic
- Onions
- Red peppers
You can also increase your exercise as glutathione
production increases when you exercise. Breathing and sweating are also great
ways to get rid of toxins in the body.
Glutathione Protects Against Chronic Illness
What makes glutathione so important and powerful is that it
recycles antioxidants. When your body is dealing with free radicals, it is
essentially passing them from one molecule to another. They might go from
vitamin C to vitamin E to lipoic acid and then to glutathione where they are
cooled off. Antioxidants are recycled at this point and the body can now regenerate
another glutathione molecule to go back at it again.
Glutathione is crucial for helping your immune system fight
chronic illness as it acts as the carrier of toxins out of your body. Like a
fly trap, toxins stick to glutathione and they are carried to the bile into the
stools and out of the body. Glutathione is also powerful enough that it has
been shown to help in the treatment of AIDS greatly. The body is going to get
in touch with oxidants and toxins, the more we can deal with those the better
our body will be at staying strong, this is why glutathione is so important.
9 Final Tips
Dr. Mark Thyman has given 9 tips to increase your
Glutathione levels. Check them out!
1. Consume sulfur-rich foods. The main ones in the diet are
garlic, onions and the cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, kale, collards,
cabbage, cauliflower, watercress, etc.).
2. Try bioactive whey protein. This is great source of
cysteine and the amino acid building blocks for glutathione synthesis. As you
know, I am not a big fan of dairy, but this is an exception — with a few
warnings. The whey protein MUST be bioactive and made from non-denatured
proteins (“denaturing” refers to the breakdown of the normal protein
structure). Choose non-pasteurized and non-industrially produced milk that
contains no pesticides, hormones, or antibiotics. Immunocal is a prescription
bioactive non-denatured whey protein that is even listed in the Physician’s
Desk Reference.
3. Exercise boosts your glutathione levels and thereby helps
boost your immune system, improve detoxification and enhance your body’s own
antioxidant defenses. Start slow and build up to 30 minutes a day of vigorous
aerobic exercise like walking or jogging, or play various sports. Strength
training for 20 minutes 3 times a week is also helpful.
One would think it would be easy just to take glutathione as
a pill, but the body digests protein — so you wouldn’t get the benefits if you
did it this way. However, the production and recycling of glutathione in the
body requires many different nutrients and you CAN take these. Here are the
main supplements that need to be taken consistently to boost glutathione.
Besides taking a multivitamin and fish oil, supporting my glutathione levels
with these supplements is the most important thing I do every day for my
personal health.
4. N-acetyl-cysteine. This has been used for years to help
treat asthma and lung disease and to treat people with life-threatening liver
failure from Tylenol overdose. In fact, I first learned about it in medical
school while working in the emergency room. It is even given to prevent kidney
damage from dyes used during x-ray studies.
5. Alpha lipoic acid. This is a close second to glutathione
in importance in our cells and is involved in energy production, blood sugar
control, brain health and detoxification. The body usually makes it, but given
all the stresses we are under, we often become depleted.
6. Methylation nutrients (folate and vitamins B6 and B12).
These are perhaps the most critical to keep the body producing glutathione.
Methylation and the production and recycling of glutathione are the two most
important biochemical functions in your body. Take folate (especially in the
active form of 5 methyltetrahydrofolate), B6 (in active form of P5P) and B12
(in the active form of methylcobalamin).
7. Selenium. This important mineral helps the body recycle
and produce more glutathione.
8. A family of antioxidants including vitamins C and E (in
the form of mixed tocopherols), work together to recycle glutathione.
9. Milk thistle (silymarin) has long been used in liver
disease and helps boost glutathione levels.
Sources for this article include:
http://drhyman.com/blog/2010/05/12/what-is-glutathione-and-how-do-i-get-more-of-it/
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/04/10/can-you-use-food-to-increase-glutathione-instead-of-supplements.aspx
http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-717-GLUTATHIONE.aspx?activeIngredientId=717&activeIngredientName=GLUTATHIONE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0hufj2AIPxQ
Sources for this article include:
http://drhyman.com/blog/2010/05/12/what-is-glutathione-and-how-do-i-get-more-of-it/
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/04/10/can-you-use-food-to-increase-glutathione-instead-of-supplements.aspx
http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-717-GLUTATHIONE.aspx?activeIngredientId=717&activeIngredientName=GLUTATHIONE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0hufj2AIPxQ
Credits : collective-evolution
