Is your body getting enough oxygen?
by Adrian Evans
 

Do you feel tired all the time even though you get eight hours of sleep a night? Do your muscles throb every time you complete a workout even though you exercise every day; or do you experience occasional irritability for no apparent reason? If you answered yes to any of these questions, your problem may be a lack of adequate levels of oxygen in the blood.

Our bodies were designed to operate in an environment that existed hundreds of years ago -- when 30 to 40 percent of the air breathed was oxygen. Due in a large part to pollution, today, oxygen levels are about half that – 20 to 22 percent in most North American cities; as low as 15 percent in others.

By living in an oxygen-deficient environment and not feeding our cells the proper oxygen and nutrients needed for cleaning out toxins and wastes, our body fluids and blood can become dirty and toxic. A lack of oxygen to our cells weakens our immune system, which may lead to viral infections, damaged cells, bacterial growths, inflamed joints, serious heart and circulatory problems, toxic buildup in blood and premature aging.

However, if the cells in our bodies are rich in oxygen, mutated cells may be less able to reproduce Other benefits of having adequate levels of oxygen in our systems: increased energy; the ability to maintain healthy cholesterol levels; enhanced brain function; a reduction in stress; the ability to overcome fatigue; and looking and feeling younger.

So what can you do to restore a healthy balance of oxygen in your blood?

1. Do more aerobic exercise (where you repeatedly move large muscles in your arms, legs and hips) such as walking or bicycling. When you're aerobically fit, your body is more efficient at taking in and using oxygen, which can help you live longer and healthier.

2. Eat food-based antioxidants, such as dark-colored berries. They convert toxic free radicals in your body into harmless elements. If left unchecked, free radicals will attach themselves to oxygen molecules which are supposed to be providing the cells with energy, and instead damage them.

3. Eat plenty of green, leafy vegetables such as lettuce, spinach, Swiss chard, and mustard greens. They are a good supply of Vitamin E which is one of the antioxidants that attacks free radicals.