Nitric Oxide

Nitric Oxide--the Body's Natural Vasodilator

 Say NO to Disease!

Prevent and reverse disease by generating Nitric Oxide with WHOLE FOODS and a HEALTHY MICROBIOME!

What is Nitric Oxide?

A combination of one molecule of Nitrogen and and one molecule of Oxygen. (NO)

 What Nitric Oxide is not:

Nitrous oxide, “Laughing gas” used at the dentist’s office:  one molecule of Nitrogen and TWO molecules of Oxygen (NO2)

What does Nitric Oxide do?  It’s a chemical messenger that signals:

-Arteries to relax and expand, promoting blood flow

-Immune cells to kill bacteria and cancer

-Communication between brain cells

-Oxygenation of tissues

Nitric Oxide can:

-Prevent high blood pressure

-Keep arteries flexible

-Lower cholesterol

-Limit swelling and pain of arthritis

-Prevent, slow or reverse arterial plaque

-Protect bones from osteoporosis

-Help protect skin from sun damage

-Reduce risk of developing dementia

-Reduce formation of blood clots

-Reverse erectile dysfunction

-Reduce risk of diabetes and complications like kidney disease, blindness and limb amputation

How to help your body make Nitric Oxide:

-Raw greens (particularly kale, swiss chard, arugula, spinach, bok choy, lettuce, cabbage, mustard greens, kohlrabi),

-Dark colored fruit (berries, red wine, grapes), dark chocolate, asparagus, celery, watercress, artichoke, eggplant

-Regular exercise (at least 30 minutes)

-Fish oil and other unsaturated oils

-Refrain from antiseptic mouthwash, as this kills the normal flora in the mouth that are involved in making NO

-Support normal flora in your GI tract and ensure adequate hydrochloric acid in the stomach (avoid acid blockers, rule out H Pylori or other GI infections)

~By Patty Shipley, Naturopath, RN, Herbalist