I first came across negative ions when I was looking for complementary treatments to support my mother’s cancer journey. To enjoy the health benefits of negative ions for healing and recovery, I exposed my mum to high concentrations of negative ions. Within 1 month of exposing my mum constantly to 100,000-500,000 negative ions per cc of air every day, her cancer markers dropped from 22 to 16.5!
I was very happy to see such results and am a strong believer in negative ion’s health benefits because, during that 1 month, negative ion exposure was the only variable – we only made changes to her diet & lifestyle after that. Continue reading to discover what negative ions are and its health benefits!
What are negative ions?
Negative is positive! Also known as vitamins of the air, negative ions are odourless, tasteless molecules that are found naturally, in abundance in certain environments – typically in places of nature like waterfalls, forests and beaches.
Simply put, negative ions are atoms/molecules with a negative electrical charge. Negative ions are also known as anions.
Everything (solids, liquids, gases) is made up of molecules (which are made of atoms) and atoms consist of positively charged particles at its core called protons. This core is surrounded by rapidly orbiting negatively charged electrons. When there are unequal numbers of electrons and protons, the atoms become either positively or negatively charged. Hence, a negative ion is a molecule or atom that consists of more electrons than protons.
A problem arises when there is imbalance in negative and positive ions…
Both negative and positive ions are essential for normal cellular functions. From the transportation of nutrients, excretion of waste to its role in immunity, negative ions plays a part in many essential processes. A problem arises when there is a significant imbalance amount of negative and positive ions.
Source: negativeionclothes.com
In the environment we live in today, we are constantly exposed to free radicals which are unstable molecules that consist of unpaired electrons. These radicals seek electrons to return back to a stable state (where all electrons are paired), so it ‘steals’ electrons from other molecules. This causes oxidative stress to the body, disrupts cellular functions involving ions and can damage the body’s healthy cells, leading to health issues in the long run.
How does unstable atoms/molecules affect our bodies?
All matter, living or not, are made up of atoms. Atoms form molecules, which combines to form complex compounds like proteins which are important components of our cells. Other important components of our cells such as DNA and Mitochondrion (responsible for energy production) are all made of molecules and atoms.
Cells, as we all know, are the building blocks of life. They come together to form tissues which then form organs. When these organs come together, they form a system – for example the digestive system.
When free radicals ‘steals’ electron from your stable cells, it causes instability and oxidative stress to your cells. As this instability and oxidation accumulates over time, it can cause health issues like cancer eventually.
Effects of free radical-induced oxidative stress [1]:
- Central nervous system diseases (e.g. Alzheimer’s & other dementias)
- Cardiovascular disease due to clogged arteries
- Autoimmune and inflammatory disorders (e.g. rheumatoid arthritis & cancer)
- Diabetes
- Age-related changes in appearance (Loss of skin elasticity, wrinkles, hair loss)
Free radicals are naturally produced in our bodies, causing normal ageing. However, in current times, many lifestyle factors expose us to greater amounts of free radicals, causing premature ageing and damage to our bodies.
Free radical exposure from lifestyle factors [1]:
- Chemicals (e.g. pesticides & air pollution)
- Smoking
- Alcohol
- Fried foods
Negative ions health benefits
Negative ions play a vital role in the immune system, they are required for energy production to power processes required in protecting the body from pathogens. Certain negative ions are also reactive enough to destroy harmful bacteria directly. [2]
A Japanese study showed that water-generated negative ions significantly enhanced the cytotoxic activity of natural killer cells [3] which are known to kill tumour cells [4]. Another study showed that with exposure to negative ions, the percentage of natural killer cells was higher [5]. Hence, negative ions can help support cancer patient’s journey in fighting cancer.
An unhealthy diet can lead to an accumulation of fats, leading to the formation of free radicals, initiating inflammatory reaction within vascular cells and tissues as well as narrows blood vessels causing a decrease in blood supply to different parts of the body.
Replenishing the body with electrons or negative ions thus helps to reduce oxidative stress when an electron is donated to the radical. This prevents further damage to healthy cells caused by free radicals.
Negative ions help in the stabilization of the heart functions by promoting its muscle activity and maintains blood pH in a weakly alkaline state, assisting smooth blood circulation and enabling gaseous (O2, CO2) and nutrient exchange in and out of the cells. [2]
A study at Columbia University involving 25 people with Seasonal Affective Depression (SAD) showed that high levels of negative ions was just as effective as antidepressants such as Prozac and Zolof (and without side effects from the drugs). [6]
Negative ions also relieve stress and improve mood [6][7], they are thought to aid the production of serotonin (aka happy hormone). [8]
Free radicals can damage DNA, leading to a number of disorders including Alzheimer’s, disease and cancer [2]
When DNA is altered (through mutations), abnormal and uncontrolled growth of cells and tissues can occur. While free radicals and anions are useful in destroying these abnormal cells, the speed of cell growth overtakes the body’s ability to clear these abnormal cells, thus leading to tumours and cancers.
Furthermore, growth of abnormal/mutated cells may give rise to an increased accumulation of free radicals (abnormal levels of free radicals) that begin to damage normal cells. [2]
Negative ions can help to stabilize free radicals lacking an electron, preventing more normal cells from mutating into cancerous cells.
Negative ions are essential in maintaining proper functions of the heart, lungs, blood vessels and nervous system. Studies have proven that a decline in negative ion production with age is one of the major reasons for the development of a number of disorders. [2]
Premature ageing (diseases and changes in appearances) caused by exposure to irregular amount of free radicals can be prevented by the introduction of negative ions or electrons. Prevention is always better than trying to find a cure!
I hope you found this article useful in shedding some light on the science behind what negative ions are and its health benefits. I’ve been incorporating negative ions to my daily life for 6 years now and have seen it help many people who suffer from chronic conditions like eczema, arthritis, stroke, cancer and more.
I have to highlight that in order to reap the health benefits of negative ions to support your chronic condition, you have to consider the amount of negative ions you are exposing yourself to – make sure you get enough amounts of negative ions and consistently!
Before I bought negative ions products for my mum, I did a lot of research on negative ions. If you’re interested in more research findings, feel free to drop me an email at beatrice@eatprayflying.com! Alternatively, you can visit www.negativeionclothes.com to find out more about the benefits of negative ions and how you can use them to achieve your health goals.
Other articles about negative ions, its health benefits and negative ion products:
1. https://eatprayflying.com/how-can-negative-ions-help-with-hypertension-cardiovascular-and-lung-diseases/
2. https://eatprayflying.com/nefful-negative-ion-clothes/
3. https://eatprayflying.com/taking-care-of-your-negative-ion-clothes/
Disclaimer
This post is based on my own experience and personal research. You are advised to seek professional medical advice for your own specific health issues.
Offline Sources:
[2] Anions in Healthy Living By Dr Tan Bin Seng