What is collagen?
Health Nut supplies a range of specialised collagen powder supplements that are of the highest quality that have been clinically proven to work. So, what is collagen?
It is the chief protein in connective tissue. (A protein is a naturally occurring, complex substance that consists of amino acid residues joined by peptide bonds. Proteins are present in all living organisms and include many essential biological compounds such as enzymes, hormones, and antibodies.)
Collagen is one of the main building blocks for our skin, found in our body’s bones, tendons, and ligaments. This protein makes up over 70% of our skin’s support structure!
Naturally occurring collagen produced by your body is called endogenous collagen. Exogenous collagen is synthetic. It comes from an outside source, such as supplements. Exogenous collagen is for medical and cosmetic purposes, including the repair of body tissues.
Why do we lose collagen?
The causes of degradation include the aging process, exposure to ultraviolet radiation, vitamin C deficiency, excess caffeine, dehydration, chronic stress, poor sleep, and malnutrition. Habitual factors that damage natural production include smoking and high sugar consumption. Degradation can lead to connective tissue diseases, such as rheumatic fever, rheumatoid arthritis, and lupus.
With age, the body produces less collagen, the structural integrity of the skin declines, and wrinkles form. We can also see the effects on thinning skin, hair, and weaker nails and feel the effects of collagen loss in joints and ligaments.
It is the substance that holds the body together that forms a scaffold to provide strength and structure.
Vitamin C has an essential role in the synthesis and support of the stability of collagen molecules.
Important facts
- It occurs throughout the body, especially in the skin, bones, and connective tissues.
- Some types of collagen fibrils, gram-for-gram, are stronger than steel.
- Production declines with age and exposure to smoking and UV light.
- It can be used in wound dressings to attract new skin cells to wound sites.
- Cosmetic lotions that claim to increase levels are unlikely to do so, as collagen molecules are too large to be absorbed through the skin. It may, however, add a film-like layer to your skin to reduce water loss and act as a barrier from environmental elements.
If you’re eating a healthy diet and feeding your body all the nutrients it needs, you probably don’t need a supplement. But there’s nothing wrong with taking one.
Hydrolyzed collagen powder usually has no flavor and dissolves easily in beverages, smoothies, soups, and sauces. You can buy yours from our online store or visit one of our suppliers if there is one in your area.
As for skin cream with synthetic collagen, it may work. It will add a film-like layer to your skin to reduce water loss and act as a barrier from environmental elements. Using skin cream is probably not as effective as healthy eating and protecting your skin from excessive sun exposure and sunburns, especially early in life.
Collagen and Rheumatoid Arthritis
Rheumatoid Arthritis is an auto-immune condition that affects up to 1% of the population worldwide and 1.2 million people in the US alone. In recent years, studies have focused on how liquid silica and its relationship to collagen production in the body can help manage the condition and ease symptoms. Let's find out more about the relationship between collagen and rheumatoid arthritis.
What is rheumatoid arthritis?
Rheumatoid Arthritis is an inflammatory disease and is an auto-immune condition. It is an inherited genetic condition that can be triggered in a healthy person by a virus infection, stress, or trauma; the answer as to why it occurs is unknown. Auto-immune conditions happen when the body’s immune system attacks healthy cells by mistake - causing an inflammation response. In the case of those with Rheumatoid Arthritis, the immune system attacks a protein in joints that it mistakes for the enemy, and this causes painful swelling and joint degradation. Over time, this condition can result in bone erosion and joint deformity. There is no cure for Rheumatoid Arthritis, but research does indicate that the correct supplements can help manage pain and slow down the progression of the disease.
Does collagen help ease the pain of rheumatoid arthritis?
There is ongoing debate as to whether a collagen supplement can assist those suffering from Rheumatoid Arthritis – so the scientifically informed jury is still out on that! However, testimonials from those who have Rheumatoid Arthritis and use a daily collagen supplement provide insight into the value that such a supplement can offer. Research points to un-denatured type II collagen found in chicken cartilage yields the best results. However, it is safe to say that most collagen supplements will provide some relief and slow down the progression of the disease; as long as you continue to use the supplement. When you stop using the supplement, the positive outcomes of help – don’t last.
Try a natural supplement!
Alexia Rich is a natural collagen-boosting supplement that can offer the support your body needs to help ease the pain and progression of Rheumatoid Arthritis. It is a liquid supplement that contains Orgono® Silica which is proven to be 400% more bioavailable for easy absorption. Silica is a natural derivative of silicon that facilitates the production of collagen in the body to support and improve bone and joint repair. Orgono® Silica also helps to maintain and effectively replenish your immune system. Alexia Rich helps slow down the body’s immune response in those with auto-immune conditions. It consequently improves inflammation and slows down the degradation of joints and bones. Alexia Rich is also 100% vegan friendly; not been tested on animals and contains no sweeteners or artificial flavours and colours. You can safely use Alexia Rich without concern for the long-term effects that eating large amounts of animal collagen and preservatives have on the body and your health.
*Please note that a collagen supplement as part of your treatment plan for Rheumatoid Arthritis should include consultation with your caregiver. The use of any supplements alongside chronic medication needs discussion with a doctor.
For support and more information on Rheumatoid Arthritis - please visit: healthline.com
Collagen and Silica - how do they work together?
Move over calcium and vitamin D; we have two new health best friends on the block. Let’s introduce our favourite dynamic duo to the scene – collagen and silica! To truly understand collagen and silica and how silica is the Bonnie to collagen’s Clyde, let’s dive deeper into the research behind these ingredients.
What is Collagen?
Collagen is one of the most abundant proteins naturally found in the body and provides strength and stability to connective tissues. It's integral for healthy skin, hair, nails, and bones. When it comes to skin, it is responsible for keeping skin youthful-looking, strong, and highly elastic.
What is Silica?
Silica is the third most abundant trace mineral found in the body, after iron and zinc. It creates bonds between protein molecules which helps the skin retain water; for cell repair and renewal. Therefore, it provides strength, flexibility, and resilience for connective tissues, making it imperative for healthy nails, teeth, hair, and skin. Silica also assists calcium and magnesium metabolism for balanced hormones, strong muscles, and a healthy heart.
A Bond Beyond Skin Deep
While collagen provides the framework for our bones, silica strengthens these bonds and makes them more mobile. Silica is required to build and absorb collagen, helping to glue collagen together. In millennial terms, silica is collagen’s hype girl.
In youth, the body naturally produces higher levels and it reflects in wrinkle-free skin and pain-free joints. But, as we age (from as early as our mid-twenties!), both collagen and its biggest supporter, silica, rapidly decline, which can reduce skin elasticity, strength, and elasticity.
Other Symptoms Include:
- Slow-growing and thin hair
- Wrinkles, fine lines, and aged skin
- Brittle nails
- Poorly formed joints
- Osteoporosis
- Calcium deposits in bones, joints, and soft tissues
Several factors influence the rate of decline, including microbiome health, diet, stress, inflammation, sleep, and sun exposure. However, if we do our best to look after ourselves and support production, we can mitigate these risks and maintain the quality of skin, hair, nails, bones, and joints.
Improve Bone Health with Collagen and Silica
When it comes to connective tissue and bone health, collagen and silica are valuable.
Both assist new bone formation by stimulating osteoblasts – our bone-building cells. They also inhibit bone breakdown by inhibiting osteoclasts, our bone-resorbing cells, which try to break down bone tissue and release minerals required for strong bones.
One research study indicated that daily silica consumption improved participants’ bone mineral density, with a group who consumed 40mg recording a bone mineral density of 10% higher than participants who consumed 14mg of silica daily. They have their work cut out for them when it comes to bone health, but we believe they’ll rise to the challenge!
Collagen and Silica for Beauty
While collagen is getting a lot of love in the beauty space, let’s not forget to thank silica, too!
Silica stimulates fibroblasts, which secrete collagen type I – found in abundance in youthful skin. Consuming minerals that support collagen synthesis naturally boosts healthy and glowing skin.
Both are naturally anti-inflammatory, which helps manage and reduce symptoms of inflammatory skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis.
Unfortunately, the mineral content in our food isn’t as potent as it used to be. If you’re thinking about a great-quality, all-natural vegan source silica, why not consider trying Alexia Rich Organic Silica and Health Nutrition's Health Nut Collagen Powder? Both products will make a noticeable difference to your skincare and bone health.
Special thanks to Naturally Healthy
Does nutrition affect mental health?
October is mental awareness month and we would like to share some facts and tips on how to stay mentally healthy, by consuming the correct nutrients. So, does nutrition affect mental health?
Many of us are well aware of the benefits that eating a balanced diet has on our physical health, but do you know how it benefits our mental health? More and more research is coming to light on the impact food has on both our overall mental wellness, as well as specific mental illnesses like depression and anxiety. Here we’ll take a closer look at how food and mood are related, what role our gut health has, and how a nutrition professional can support your nutrition and mental health.
Gut health and mental health
Eating a diet that is well-rounded and nutrient-rich can help to improve mood, increase energy levels and help you think clearer. There are several elements at play here, from the number of carbohydrates you eat to the way deficiencies in vitamins and minerals affect mental health. Let’s start by looking at the importance of carbohydrates in nutrition and mental health.
Carbohydrates and eating regularly
In order for your brain to be able to concentrate and focus, it needs energy (20% of all energy needed by the body is used by the brain). This energy comes from blood glucose, and the glucose in our blood comes from the carbohydrates we eat.
When we don’t have enough energy for the brain, we can feel weak, tired and unable to think clearly. Ensuring you eat regular meals containing some carbohydrates will help with this. Alongside starchy foods like pasta and rice, sources of carbohydrates include:
wholegrains
fruits
vegetables
legumes
When your blood glucose rises and falls rapidly, it can have an impact on your mood, making you feel irritable and low and even triggering symptoms of anxiety. Keeping your blood glucose levels steady throughout the day is key. Try foods that release energy slowly like oats, cereals, nuts, and seeds, and aim to eat smaller portions spaced out throughout the day.
Proteins and fats
Alongside the energy it gets from carbohydrates, your brain needs amino acids to help regulate thoughts and feelings. As protein contains amino acids, it’s important to get enough of this in your diet. Protein is found in lean meat, fish, eggs, nuts and seeds, cheese, soya products, and legumes.
Some people may be under the impression that all fat is bad for us, but this isn’t the case. Fatty acids, like omega-3 and omega-6, are essential for our brains to function well. Healthy fats can be found in nuts, seeds, oily fish, poultry, avocados, dairy products and eggs.
Our focus on low-fat diets may have also inadvertently affected our mental well-being. The brain is around 60% fat and omega 3 fatty acids are important for neurons to communicate effectively.
Vitamins and minerals
When we don’t get enough of certain vitamins and minerals, both our physical and mental health can suffer. The best way to ensure you’re getting enough of the vitamins and minerals you need is to eat a varied and balanced diet, rich in fruit and vegetables. For some, a supplement may be needed for nutrition and mental health, but be sure to check this with your doctor or a nutrition professional.
Here are some examples from the British Dietetic Association of how different vitamin/mineral deficiencies can affect your mood.
Iron: A lack of iron can lead you to feel weak, tired, and lethargic. Foods rich in iron include red meat, poultry, fish, beans and pulses, and fortified cereals.
B vitamins: Not getting enough B1, B3, and B12 can make you feel low, tired, and irritable. Animal protein foods such as meat, fish, eggs, dairy, and fortified cereals are rich in B vitamins.
Folate: When you don’t get enough folate you can be at a higher risk of feeling depressed. Folate can be found in green vegetables, citrus fruits, liver, beans, and fortified foods like marmite.
Selenium: A selenium deficiency may increase the chance of feeling depressed and other negative mood states. Good sources of selenium include Brazil nuts, seeds, wholemeal bread, meat, and fish.
A helpful way to make sure your diet is nutrient-rich is to ensure you’re getting at least five portions of fruit and vegetables every day.
Nutrition and mental health: dehydration anxiety
Hydration and nutrition go hand in hand, but the vast amount of information available can often overwhelm us and cause feelings of anxiety. For some, these feelings can be severe. Dehydration anxiety is a fear that you aren’t drinking adequate amounts of water. You may fear going anywhere without your water bottle. This fear can lead to high consumption of water - more than your body requires - which can lead to illness. The fear stems from not giving your body sufficient hydration to perform at its best. This chronic form of anxiety is closely linked to obsessive-compulsive disorder and orthorexia.
Signs of dehydration anxiety include:
- monitoring your daily intake of the liter
- feeling a sense of dread when you don’t have your water bottle
- worrying about where to get water from, e.g. when shopping or travelling
- experiencing panic attacks when water isn’t immediately available
Nutritional therapy and hydration
The recommended six to eight-glasses-a-day advice (approx two litres) can be used as a general guideline for your water intake, alongside consideration of your individual dietary needs. The specific amount of hydration needed varies from person to person, so it’s important to tune into your whole lifestyle when considering how much water is sufficient hydration for you.
Nutritional therapist Karen Alexander says that it's not only the water you drink, but your diet, gender, age, exercise and lifestyle are also contributing factors to your water needs.
If you are concerned you’re drinking too much water, or too little, it can be helpful to speak to a nutritional therapist who can work through your hydration needs and ensure balanced nutrition and mental health.
Gut health, nutrition, and mental health
The link between our gut health, nutrition, and mental health is becoming clearer. Often dubbed the ‘second brain’, our digestive system produces over 90% of all serotonin (the ‘happy’ hormone) in our body. Our gut can also affect immunity and resilience to stress, which can affect our mood. Having a healthy digestive system, in general, ensures we’re able to absorb vitamins, minerals, and nutrients our brains need to thrive.
When we’re stressed or anxious, we’ll often feel it in our gut. Digestion may speed up or slow down, depending on how we’re feeling. To keep your gut happy, ensure you eat plenty of fiber and get lots of fluid and regular exercise.
Fermented foods can boost the good bacteria in our gut, so try to incorporate these into your diet where possible. Other gut-friendly foods include fruits, vegetables, whole grains and beans, and pulses.
Medication and your diet
It’s worth noting that if you’re taking a certain medication for your mental health, there may be some foods you need to avoid. Be sure to speak to your doctor about any medications you’re taking and ask about any dietary changes you may need to make to support your nutrition and mental health.
How a nutritionist can help with nutrition and mental health
Mental health and wellness require a holistic approach. Eating a balanced diet that contains the nutrients your brain and gut need can complement other therapies and approaches you’re using to manage mental health.
To ensure you’re getting the right foods for your particular circumstances, it can help to seek professional support from a nutritionist. They will be able to talk to you about your needs, take into account your individual requirements and tailor a diet plan to suit you.
You can help support your nutrition and mental health with our range of supplements.
For information on how to support your nutrition and mental health visit the following blog posts:
Including physical activity to boost immunity
There is a direct relationship between your diet, physical activity, and health. Your nutrition is a key player when it comes to physical, mental, and social well-being. And it’s important for preventing disease.
Lifestyle factors may also determine if you’re going to get sick or remain healthy. One of those factors is physical activity.
A sedentary lifestyle is usually associated with an increased risk for chronic disease, loss of movement, and decreased immune health.
For those reasons, physical activity and movement are extremely important during the coronavirus pandemic. With that in mind, I will cover the benefits of physical activity, where your focus should be, how to think about exercising, equipment, how much you should be doing, and much more.
Who is at risk?
Older adults (age 65 and older).
Those with chronic disease (diabetes, heart disease, and lung disease).
Those with compromised immune systems.
Benefits
Physically active individuals usually live longer than those who are inactive or may have a risk of heart disease. Inactivity is an important risk factor like high blood pressure, smoking, or high cholesterol.
These are some benefits of exercise:
Stress and anxiety relief: Stress and anxiety are rising with the current pandemic, and it can lower your immune response. Exercising releases chemicals in your brain, such as serotonin and endorphins which can help improve your mood, reduce the risk of depression and cognitive decline, and delay onset of dementia.
Immune support:
Regular physical activity helps your immune system function.
Weight management:
It shouldn’t come as a surprise that regular physical activity paired with a balanced nutritious diet helps with weight management. Excess weight is associated with higher health risks.
Reduces health risks and prevents diseases:
Reduces blood pressure as well as risks of serious health issues such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke when it’s paired a balanced nutritious diet.
Bone, muscles, balance, and flexibility:
It also improves bone and muscle strength and increases balance and flexibility. This is important for everyone, especially older adults because it can prevent falls and injuries. As for children, it aids with growth and development and sets healthy habits for the future.
For children, physical activity can lessen behavioural issues such as ADHD and help with concentration during schoolwork which is important now that they’re at home all the time.
Steps to start being physically active at home:
Focus on weaknesses
As a rule, you always want to have an intention before starting a workout routine or program. This pinpoints what you’re not good at, and therefore what you are trying to improve.
Go through them and analyze which ones you excel at, which ones you are moderate at, and which ones you lack the most. I would start working on the latter, and progressively move towards the rest. This doesn’t mean when you’re working on one, you’re completely ignoring the rest, but rather is a tool to have a specific intent.
Strength and core strength:
This is the amount of force a muscle can produce against some form of resistance. This resistance can come from external objects or your body weight. Your core is a set of muscles that play a key role in many movement patterns. Improving core strength may improve motion.
Aerobic capacity and endurance:
This is the ability of your heart and lungs to get oxygen to your muscles for their use.
Flexibility, Mobility, and Stability:
Flexibility is the capacity of moving through your full active and passive range of motion. Mobility is moving your joints and muscles properly in an active manner through their range of motion. Stability is maintaining control of the position and movement of your joints. People usually lack mobility and stability in their joints and lose overall movement.
Balance and coordination:
Balance is the ability to stay in control of your body’s movement and coordination is being able to move two or more body parts with control.
Be the scientist of your own body
Be aware and constantly check your body. How well your body is adapting to physical activity changes from person to person. Keeping an eye on your weight, brain function, energy levels, and even your stool will serve as a guide.
Include a partner and the kiddos:
Humans are social creatures, including a partner in exercise makes it more competitive, fun and adds accountability. This is a way to keep you engaged. If you live by yourself, try contacting friends and family via video call, social media, sending each other a pic once you complete your workout, and use other platforms to stay connected.
Physical activity is great way to improve health in children. Scheduling exercise as a family activity and including game breaks in the middle will keep children engaged and attentive.
Set daily and weekly goals:
You can’t improve what you don’t measure. Setting daily and weekly goals will keep you on track and aware of your improvement. Don’t set yourself up for failure though; make sure your goals are SMART:
Be specific:
“10 minutes of PA a day” or “30 reps of an exercise a day.”
Measurable:
Using the stopwatch in your phone to measure 10’ or counting each rep.
Achievable:
Start small. If you have been sedentary for a while, start with 5’ a day. Then move to 10’ and so on.
Relevant:
Exercises have to be meaningful and relevant to your life. I think preventing being affected by coronavirus is pretty relevant.
Time:
You need a time frame for each goal. Daily and weekly goals give you a time frame. You need to complete X amount of reps in a day and X amount in a week.
Balance your sitting time:
A lot of people are spending more time than usual on their home desks or just sitting around during quarantine. Being aware of how much time you’re spending being sedentary can help you maintain a balance. Great tools to help you with this are using a standing desk and setting an alarm as a reminder to stand and move.
How much exercise a week?
I use the World Health Organization (WHO)’s recommendations on the amount of activity people should do.
Infants under the age of 1 year: Should be physically active a few times a day.
Children under 5 years of age: Need moderate to vigorous activity, 180 minutes a day.
Children and adolescents 5-17 years of age: Need at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity, including strength activities, at least 3 days a week.
Adults over age 18: Need at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity throughout the week, or at least 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity throughout the week.
That said, start wherever you can. Some physical activity is better than none.
How to include exercise in your day:
Here are some ideas that have worked with my clients and myself when trying to set up new habits.
Schedule a block during the day for your workout routine:
If it’s not on the schedule, it doesn’t exist.
Every hour on the hour alarm:
Every hour on the hour perform a certain amount of reps of any given exercise.
Pay for stuff with some reps:
Before taking a shower or before watching a movie on NETFLIX, pay for it with a certain amount of reps of any given exercise.
Go outside:
Going outside is a great tool to start implementing physical activity in your life. Of course, stay safe and practice social distancing. Carrying hand sanitizer with you can be helpful as well. I usually use an alcohol-based sanitizer as soon as I walk in the house and then take a shower.
I hope this article provided you with some value during this crazy time. And I hope you can take some of the ideas and concepts I shared and implement them in your life. I’m always happy to answer any questions and engage with people, so don’t hesitate to reach out if you have issues understanding something.
Special thanks to: Antonio Faneite – read further for details at: https://nutrition.org/how-to-stay-fit-and-healthy-during-coronavirus-covid-19-pandemic/
What is Silica, how can it improve your health?
Silicon dioxide (SiO2), also known as silica, is a natural compound made of two of the earth’s most abundant materials: silicon (Si) and oxygen (O2). Silica is a natural compound found all around us in nature. It makes up over a quarter of the planet’s crust and is found in most rocks, clays, and sands.
Where is it found naturally?
Silicon dioxide exists in the form of quartz. It’s found naturally in water, plants, animals, and the earth. The earth’s crust is 59 percent silica. It makes up more than 95 percent of known rocks on the planet. When you sit on a beach, it’s silicon dioxide in the form of sand that gets between your toes.
It’s even found naturally in the tissues of the human body. Though the role it plays is unclear, it’s thought to be an essential nutrient our bodies need.
In short, it’s everywhere – how exactly can it help your health?
Although it’s now known to be a trace element, silica has historically been considered more harmful than helpful to our health. For example, it’s known that when inhaled in its crystalline form, silica can cause lung disease.
There is a lot of evidence that its water-soluble form, which is found in certain plants, rocks, and many other forms is highly beneficial to health.
Food sources include:
- wholegrains
- green beans
- rice
- cucumbers
- tomatoes
- Silica is available in liquid form as tablets and caplets
The benefits of a silica supplement
Improves bone health
More research is needed to understand silica’s role in our body, but it’s thought to support bone formation and maintenance.
Although calcium and vitamin D get most of the attention for bone health, the International Journal of Endocrinology reported that it increases bone mineral density and strength. The researchers think it is needed to trigger the deposit of bone crystals, a procedure known as bone mineralization.
Helps your body make Collagen
Sao Paulo University in Brazil reported that silica helps form the building blocks of collagen, a protein in your skin, blood, cartilage, muscles, and ligaments.
Collagen is needed to keep skin springy and elastic and provide crucial protection and structure to your organs and joints. In one study of women with sun-damaged skin, those who took 10mg of silica daily for 20 weeks had decreased skin roughness and wrinkles.
Helps your heart and immune system
Silica may help protect your heart health by reducing the risk of atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries, while lowering cholesterol, according to a 2018 report by the University of Memphis. The mineral can also support the immune response and help to control inflammation in the body.
How much is safe to take?
The upper safe limit has been reported as 700–1,750 mg a day. As silica is water-soluble, the excess is simply passed out by the body in your urine, meaning it’s unlikely to cause side effects if you take too much.
Silica should be avoided by the following people:
- Children
- Pregnant women – it has not proven safe for them.
- People with kidney disease – may accumulate silica in their bloodstream.
What are the side effects?
Silica is considered safe for healthy people. However, before you take silica, always check with your doctor if you have a long-term condition or are on any medication.
Shop online and order your supply of organic silica today!
Bicarbonate of soda - facts and health benefits
Sodium bicarbonate, commonly known as baking soda, is secreted in the pancreas to help aid in digestion. It helps neutralize the stomach acid that is generated during the digestive process and helps in the breakdown of certain enzymes. Sodium bicarbonate levels in the body must be neither too low nor too high in order for digestion to function normally and for the digestive tract to remain healthy.
Sodium bicarbonate is one of the best medicines in nature.
There are books and websites that talk about hundreds of common and incredibly varied uses. But before we look at some of the ways that we can use sodium bicarbonate, first let’s look at what it is.
Sodium bicarbonate is the monosodium salt of carbonic acid, and it forms sodium and bicarbonate ions. This ion formation increases plasma bicarbonate and buffers excess hydrogen ion concentration, resulting in a raised blood pH.
It turns to carbon dioxide (CO2) when it reaches the stomach acid. You can experiment by squeezing a fresh lemon onto a little bit of baking soda — you will instantly see it bubble and turn to carbon dioxide.
Sodium bicarbonate, or rather carbon dioxide, is the key to oxygen in our body. Oxygen is incredibly dangerous, even deadly, without carbon dioxide. So carbon dioxide is actually not a waste product; doctors like to think of it as metabolic waste, but when we exercise we actually create a lot of carbon dioxide — which is very healthy and beneficial, and that’s the reason why exercise is very healthy.
The more carbon dioxide we have, the more the blood vessels dilate, blood flow increases, and more oxygen is delivered to the different parts of the body. If we do not pay attention to our breathing then we can get rid of too much carbon dioxide. The levels then go down in the blood and the blood vessels constrict, making it more difficult for oxygen to get delivered to all the tissues in in the same concentration.
Carbon dioxide is also very important for the mitochondria. They produce carbon dioxide, thus good carbon dioxide levels are an indication of healthy mitochondria.
So, when we take additional sodium bicarbonate, which then turns to carbon dioxide, we are increasing oxygen delivery almost instantly to the cells. This is a fundamental issue when dealing with any kind of disease.
And sodium bicarbonate is a buffer in the blood to help control our pH levels, which is also crucial to our health. In emergency situations, doctors will even inject sodium bicarbonate intravenously as a life-saving treatment to balance pH levels, if the patient’s blood is becoming too acidic.
Sodium bicarbonate can help to heal the symptoms of acid reflux (GERD) almost instantly, by neutralizing the acid that is flowing upwards. When taking sodium bicarbonate it’s almost immediately noticeable that the pH of the urine changes, and becomes more alkaline.
Sodium bicarbonate can also help the detoxification process from chemical toxicity, heavy metals, and radiation. In cancer treatment, sodium bicarbonate is the perfect medicine, because it increases oxygen and increases carbon dioxide — and cancer cells do not like oxygen.
Taking Sodium bicarbonate has also been shown to help decrease fatigue and increase performance. Some research has even found that a daily dose of baking soda may help reduce the destructive inflammation of autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis.
The only thing you need to be a little cautious of is taking too much sodium bicarbonate, which can increase your salt intake, which for some people can cause problems. Too much sodium bicarbonate will diminish potassium levels.
The easiest way and most beneficial way to take sodium bicarbonate is by putting a teaspoon of baking soda into a glass of water and adding a little freshly squeezed lemon juice.
Scientists use the pH scale to measure the acidity of a solution. The scale goes from 0 and 14, with values below 7 indicating an acidic solution; values above 7 indicating an alkaline (or base) solution; and neutral solutions, such as pure water, have a pH value of 7. Baking soda is an alkaline, or base, substance.
This means that when we dissolve baking soda in water, it forms an alkaline solution. For example, a 0.1 molar solution of baking soda has a pH of around 8.3. Lemon juice contains citric acid and has a pH of around 3. So adding baking soda to lemon juice will raise the pH to produce a more neutral solution. And it tastes better too!
Baking soda can also be highly beneficial for the outside of our body, not just the inside. For example, our skin usually has a weakly acidic pH of about 5.7. Bases, such as baking soda, will increase and balance the pH, which can help with many skin conditions and lead to healthier skin.
It is also beneficial for our teeth, due to its antibacterial properties and its ability to remove plaque without eroding tooth enamel. Brushing your teeth with a little baking soda can help remove surface-level tooth stains.
You can even use Sodium bicarbonate as a deodorant — just a tiny bit of the powder is more effective, and a lot friendlier to your body, than most popular deodorant sticks and sprays.
And Sodium bicarbonate can also be very effective in treating insect bites — applying a baking soda and water paste to the bite area can quickly decrease itching.
These are just a few examples, there are so many more benefits to Sodium bicarbonate. You can do a quick search on YouTube and you’ll find videos showing dozens more useful uses for baking soda.
When buying baking soda, just be sure that you buy the food grade, aluminum free option so that you’re putting the purest form in or on your body. You can purchase this from our online store: https://www.healthnutrition.co.za/collections/nutrition/products/bicarbonate-of-soda
Also cancer cells cannot develop when the body PH level is 7.0, but multiply when its acidic or below 7.0. Tests have also shown that Sodium Bicarbonate actually neutralizes certain pesticides found on fruits and vegetables.
