Antioxidants
for Health – how do they keep your healthy?
Untitled Document
What is the effect of antioxidants on your health? All the
time your mom told you to finish your vegetables instead of sneaking
them into the trash, she could have been saving you from complicated
health problems. As the world becomes more and more polluted, it’s
not just the environment that is suffering. Humans, too, suffer
the damage being done to the environment.
We need antioxidants to protect our health
Increased exposure to pollution, radiation and tobacco smoke increase
the free radicals in the body. Microwaves and cell phones emitting
small doses of radiation, just like carbon monoxide emissions, are
all part of modern life and there is no escaping it. There is a
clear link between antioxidants and health; the verdict seems to
be that antioxidants help to prevent degenerative diseases that
affect us. Antioxidants and health are correlated in that antioxidants
help to fight harmful free radicals.
Effect of free radicals
The processes among cells in the body produce free radicals naturally.
Their production is increased by exposure to the environmental factors
mentioned earlier. Free radicals usually originate from oxygen molecules
that are being oxidized. This process sometimes becomes carcinogenic
and this is when all the problems start. Once free radicals have
had a chance to build up over time they can cause irreversible damage
to cell structure and cell walls.
ANTIOXIDANTS IN NATURAL FOODS
The best way to absorb antioxidant into the body appears to be
from fruits and vegetables. Particularly fruit and vegetables with
reddish hues. Fruits from the citrus family for example are rich
as everyone knows in vitamin C. However beans and sweet potatoes
... (read more) |
Antioxidants and cancer
Speeding up the aging process is the least damage that free radicals
will do to the body. The worst instances of free radical damage
include heart disease, strokes and cancer. All nasty degenerative
diseases that can be easily avoided which makes it a shame that
not enough are pro active about taking the necessary precautions.
Antioxidants and health are a simple solution to many health problems.
Getting enough antioxidants in your diet
Since antioxidants and health go hand in hand, the first step to
getting healthy with antioxidants is to eat them. Antioxidants are
found in fruit and vegetables which have skins that are red, orange
or yellow. Mangoes, capsicums, carrots and so on are rich in antioxidants
that are vital in fighting free radicals.
Antioxidant supplements
Many people however have taken the easy route out when it comes
to antioxidants and health. Citing the lack of time to sit down
and eat a balanced meal, they pop supplements instead. Surely supplements
will do the trick you think. Taking supplements should not be seen
as a substitute to a healthy diet. After all, supplements are meant
to supplement a healthy diet, not act as substitutes.
Some supplements have even been known to cause toxicity in the
body. Vitamin E and A are fat-soluble and when taken in large doses
are stored in the liver. Too much of these antioxidants will lead
to liver damage and possible birth defects in babies. As in all
things, moderation is the way to go with antioxidants and health.
 
We all have heard about antioxidant dietary supplements. Antioxidant
supplement is a catch phrase that is used freely without any real
clear meaning and may often be thought of as being a cancer fighter
even though it must be... (read more)
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