THE ENZYME OF LIFE
​What a Broken Refrigerator Taught Me About Aging

My refrigerator stopped working last week. I had to find a quick solution so my food wouldn't go bad. As luck would have it, the apartment directly across from me was empty and being renovated, so my building manager said I could use the refrigerator there for the time being.

Living in a one-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment with two other people can make life... how shall I say?... a little too close for comfort with no personal space.

Seeing an opportunity, I've been having my breakfast in this empty apartment since I'm up at 5:30 AM most days for work. While everyone else is sleeping, I can avoid disturbing anyone with clanging pots and pans and do my thing.

One of the best parts about having this extra space is that it faces a beautifully landscaped courtyard with trees whose branches and leaves reach up to all the windows. My apartment faces the street. Nothing special. Nothing pretty. Just another building across the way.

As I ate my scrambled eggs in the empty apartment, I stared out the window and noticed how the leaves on the branches of this tree looked like they were reaching closer and closer to the window, as if they wanted to touch me. A soothing breeze drifted through the space from the open windows, allowing me to enjoy my breakfast at a slower pace than usual. I typically wolf it down. Not at that moment though.

This temporary space where I can house my food is giving me something I haven't felt in a long time. A daily dose of nature in a city mainly composed of concrete and tall buildings.

The amount of stress midlife women experience on a daily basis can be overwhelming and nature has the ability to quiet the mind. If even for a moment, it's bliss you want to hold onto as long as possible and recall as you need.

Last week I wrote about water as a fundamental piece for optimum health and to continue that conversation, I'll go a step further with the topic of "Inflammaging."

INFLAMMAGING

I was very impressed with a lecture I recently listened to from Ph.D. Dr. Beverley Rubik, a leading scientist and scholar internationally known for her pioneering work in frontier science and medicine that goes beyond the mainstream.

One of the things she mentioned in her lecture was an enzyme called Superoxide Dismutase, or SOD for short. SOD has often been referred to as the "Enzyme of Life."

I can't mention SOD without talking about oxygen.

As I sat looking out at the tree outside my temporary breakfast nook, I couldn't help but think about how effortlessly nature manages energy. Those leaves were quietly capturing sunlight through photosynthesis, transforming light into chemical energy while producing the oxygen that sustains life on Earth.

Oxygen, however, is a bit of a double-edged sword.

Without oxygen we cannot produce energy. Every cell in the body relies on oxygen to generate ATP, the energy currency that powers everything from muscle contraction to brain function. Yet the very process that keeps us alive also produces unstable molecules known as free radicals.

These highly reactive molecules can damage proteins, cell membranes, DNA, and even our mitochondria if they accumulate faster than the body can neutralize them.

This is where SOD comes in.

Think of Superoxide Dismutase as one of the body's most important antioxidant defense systems. It acts like a cellular cleanup crew, helping neutralize one of the most damaging free radicals known as the superoxide radical before it can create widespread damage.

When we are young, our bodies produce abundant amounts of SOD. As we age, however, our production of SOD tends to decline while our exposure to oxidative stress continues to increase. This leaves us more vulnerable to cellular damage, inflammation, and the gradual wear and tear associated with aging.

Scientists now have a term for this process: Inflammaging.

Inflammaging refers to the chronic, low-grade inflammation that develops over time and contributes to many of the health challenges associated with aging. Unlike the inflammation that occurs when you sprain an ankle or cut your finger, inflammaging often works quietly in the background for years before symptoms become obvious.

Many researchers believe it plays a role in cardiovascular disease, insulin resistance, cognitive decline, osteoporosis, arthritis, and many other chronic conditions associated with aging.

Of course, aging itself is not the only factor. Diet, sleep quality, stress, environmental toxins, blood sugar regulation, physical activity, and hormone changes all influence the rate at which oxidative stress accumulates.

This is one reason the menopause transition can feel so challenging for some women.

Estrogen is not only a reproductive hormone. It also has antioxidant properties and helps support mitochondrial function. As estrogen levels decline, some women experience an increase in oxidative stress and inflammation. While many women navigate this transition with few issues, others find themselves dealing with fatigue, weight gain, brain fog, joint pain, poor sleep, and a host of other symptoms.

The question then becomes:

How do we support the body's ability to defend itself?

What fascinated me most about Dr. Rubik's lecture was the discussion around electrons.

Free radicals are unstable molecules that are missing an electron. In their search for stability, they steal electrons from healthy cells, proteins, fats, and DNA, creating a cascade of oxidative damage.

SOD serves as one of the body's primary defense systems against this process.

This brings us back to water.

Last week I wrote about the importance of hydration, coherent water, and cellular health. One of the concepts Dr. Rubik discussed was the role of electron-rich water and its potential impact on oxidative stress.

Another characteristic Dr. Rubik highlights is the importance of water carrying a negative electrical charge. In simple terms, a negative charge indicates an abundance of available electrons. Since free radicals are unstable molecules seeking electrons, a more electron-rich environment may help reduce oxidative stress and support cellular function.

This is one reason researchers have become increasingly interested in electrolyzed and hydrogen-rich water, which often exhibit a negative oxidation-reduction potential (ORP), a measure of electron availability. The theory is straightforward: the more electrons available to neutralize free radicals, the less oxidative damage occurs throughout the body.

Electrolyzed hydrogen-rich water has been studied for its ability to reduce oxidative stress and improve metabolic health. In one multicenter, double-blind randomized controlled trial, researchers observed improvements in markers associated with oxidative stress and insulin resistance. Other studies involving individuals with Type 2 diabetes demonstrated reductions in inflammation and oxidative stress markers, along with improvements in quality-of-life measures and metabolic health indicators. While these studies are relatively small and additional research is needed, the findings are compelling and suggest that water may play a much larger role in cellular health than we once believed.

At its core, aging may be viewed as a gradual loss of energy, resilience, antioxidant capacity, and electrical charge.

The tree outside my window offered a beautiful reminder of the opposite process.

Every day it captures sunlight, moves water from its roots to its leaves, exchanges gases with the atmosphere, and continually renews itself through the flow of energy.

What many people don't realize is that plants also generate reactive oxygen species during normal metabolism. Like us, they rely on antioxidant defense systems—including Superoxide Dismutase—to maintain balance.

Nature figured out long ago that life depends on managing oxidation.

Perhaps healthy aging is simply learning to do the same.

1. Getting outside in the morning sunlight.

2. Drinking clean mineral-rich water.

3. Eating antioxidant-rich foods.

4. Strength training.

5. Walking.

6. Sleeping deeply.

7. Managing stress.

8. Spending more time in nature.

None of these interventions are particularly glamorous.

Yet together they help support the body's innate ability to manage oxidative stress, preserve metabolic health, and maintain the resilience we need to thrive in midlife and beyond.

As I finish my breakfast each morning in this temporary apartment, I find myself grateful for a broken refrigerator.

Sometimes life's inconveniences offer a different view out the window.

And sometimes that view reminds us that nature may still be our greatest teacher.

References

Ogawa S, Ohsaki Y, Shimizu M, et al. Electrolyzed Hydrogen-Rich Water for Oxidative Stress Suppression and Improvement of Insulin Resistance: A Multicenter Prospective Double-Blind Randomized Controlled Trial. Diabetology International. 2022;13(1):209-219.

​https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35059257/​

Rias YA, Kurniawan AL, Chang CW, et al. Synergistic Effects of Regular Walking and Alkaline Electrolyzed Water on Decreasing Inflammation and Oxidative Stress and Increasing Quality of Life in Individuals with Type 2 Diabetes: A Community-Based Randomized Controlled Trial. Antioxidants. 2020;9(10):946.

​https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3921/9/10/946​

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Many blessings to you for abundant health, happiness and wellbeing ~

Strong and Beautiful in Midlife!

Sharon

Kuhle Body is a project of Vidya Ministerium, a faith based, private membership association. Services are available to members only. Membership is free and we are always accepting new members. You can opt out at any time. For more information, please read our PMA Declaration.​