congestion, antioxidants | North Vancouver

Ask Dr Nina!

Why should I take supplemental antioxidants if I eat well?

Dear Wise Supplement,

You will get plenty of antioxidants (these are substances that help decrease oxidation caused by free radicals which cause cellular damage) from good quality fruits and vegetables, especially those with lots of colour such as berries, cherries, pomegranates, yams, kale, spinach, chard,….The issue lies in the fact that the more stress you put your body under the more oxidation and formation of free radicals that will occur. The more you train, the more antioxidants you need! If you run in the city, swim in chlorinated pools, ride through downtown traffic you will undoubtedly be exposed to pollution (think lots of free radicals/oxidants!!) If you are supplementing with some antioxidants you will be helping to protect each and every cell the next time you inhale a lungful of fumes from that car that hasn’t passed Air Care since 1990! Although every person will have a different demand in terms of quantity and best type of antioxidant supplement, the ones I most recommend to athletes are (given in lowest dosing recommended)

CoQ10 (60mg/day), Vitamin C (1000mg 2-3X/day), Vitamin E (400 IU/day), N-acetyl-cysteine (500mg 3X/day) or a good antioxidant blend formula. And yes, drinking lots of good quality green tea and maximum ONE glass red wine/day do count as a food sources of antioxidants!

I often feel like I am constantly coughing, blowing my nose and clearing my throat. Do you think dairy could be causing it?

Dear Mr.Flemming,

Yes! Although there are many triggers that may cause these symptoms, in terms of foods that are most likely to be mucous-producing, dairy is one of the most common! (wheat, refined sugar, citrus and peanuts along with any food sensitivities can also cause these symptoms) I will elaborate on food sensitivities next month but if your body has any reactions at all to dairy(proteins) or to lactose (sugar in dairy) then a common effect will be increased immune system activity at the mucous membranes (of which sinuses and throat are two major surfaces). If immune complexes stimulate mucous to be formed as a protective barrier, the symptoms of phlegm, throat irritation, runny nose, coughing etc. will follow. If you think about it, if you are producing mucous, it probably means it's stressing your body somehow....and that could be getting in the way of your performance!! Some people can tolerate goat milk products better than cow's milk. If you are experiencing any of the above congestion, I suggest trying out a month long elimination of dairy and then see what happens....after all, one month without baked brie, milk chocolate bars, and ice cream can't really be all that bad for you!! Some alternatives are coconut milk, soymilk (Vitasoy, Natura or So Nice), almond milk (Almond Breeze), rice milk (Ryza). Try it – give your system a break from dairy for about a month - it will be nice to be able to breathe clearly again and then it will all be worth it!

Dr Nina Lange, ND (604) 922-4074 www.pacificanaturopathic.com

Please feel free to send your questions to drninalange@yahoo.com for next month's newsletter! 

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