Although many people have not heard of Glutathione, the question, “What is Glutathione?” brings about one of the most important nutritional requirements of the human body: Glutathione is an antioxidant that is often referred to as the master of all the other antioxidants in the body.
One way to make certain that you body has its proper level of Glutathione is by eating a well balanced diet that contains foods rich in Glutathione and Glutathione precursors – but even then it may be necessary to take Glutathione supplements such as undenatured whey protein. The following are amongst the most important foods to be eating as part of a Glutathione rich diet:
- Take a daily multi-vitamin
- Eat foods high in sulfur, for example:
- Kale
- Onion
- Garlic
- Broccoli
- Cabbage
- Water Cress
- Brussel Sprouts
- Asparagus
- The best dairy products include:
- Ricotta Cheese
- Yogurt
- Unpasteurized Milk
- Undenatured Whey Protein
- Cottage Cheese
- Milk
- Important grains include:
- Oats
- Granola
- Oat Flakes
- Wheat Germ
- The only fruit that is rich in Glutathione is watermelon
- Some supplements that can help include:
- Alpha Lipolic Acid
- Selenium
- Fish Oil
- B12, Folate, and B6
- Milk Thistle
- Exercise – although this is not a supplement it is an activity that is not only useful for keeping up the levels of Glutathione in the body it helps with stress, obesity, heart disease, and other diseases and disorders that can put a person’s health at risk.
Most studies have found that eating foods in their raw state, excluding meat, will typically provide the body with more of the vitamins and nutrients available from the food. It is also believed that organic foods are a healthier choice because they are grown without the aid of pesticides, hormones or harmful fertilizers.
Glutathione is an antioxidant polypeptide that is synthesized naturally in the human body. Normally produced in the liver, it protects nearly every cell and organ in the body from free radical damage by donating a loosely held valance electron from one of its peptide bonds.
Free radicals are highly reactive chemical substances, either ions, molecules, or atoms, that are missing a single valence electron. These substances will react with the body’s structures and oxidize them in much the same way that acid rain will oxidize metal substances. Over time, the oxidation of the body’s cells can lead to a number of health conditions, including liver damage and cancer.
The liver is the primary filtering organ of the body. Any harmful foreign substance, be it alcohol, drugs, or environmental toxins such as dioxins or PCBs, is filtered through the liver to clean the bloodstream and protect the rest of the body’s organs and systems. As a result, the liver bears the brunt of much of the damage people inflict upon themselves, either intentionally or unintentionally.
Additionally, the metabolisms of these harmful substances as well as normal metabolic functions are known to produce free radicals as a by-product. As we age, these free radicals do increasing damage to the delicate tissues of the liver, rendering it less capable of doing its job and eventually damaging the tissues so badly that the liver itself fails. Alternatively, the genetic coding within the liver cells’ DNA can be damaged, resulting in liver cancer.
Glutathione protects the liver by reducing these naturally occurring or ingested free radicals, thereby avoiding much of the cellular damage that would otherwise occur. In this way, glutathione supports the prevention of liver cancer and sclerosis of the liver, making it perhaps one of the most important substances produced within the body.
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