Cheers to Your Health: Antioxidants at Work

Trying to combat everything that the cold and flu season can throw at us is one of the hardest things for us to endure. Fortunately, it doesn't have to consist of a multitude of medical contraptions and concoctions that has us running to our local pharmacy every other day for preventative measures or to cope with these ailments. Nope, there are an assortment of key nutrients that have been around for eons that will offer us a world of help protecting our bodies while fighting off free radicals. No drugs, witch craft or potions, just good old fashioned vitamins, minerals, caretenoids and polyphenols.

The funny thing about many of these wonder supplements is the fact that we may be receiving the recommended allowance and not know it. Many of us are not aware that it can be that simple to improve our health without spending a fortune in doctor's visits and drugs. Ok, show of hands if you have heard of lycopene, lutein, beta-carotene, selenium, grape seed, oxidation and free radicals(hint: not a good thing just because it says free at the beginning of the word)? I know they are not what you would call household names, but after this article, maybe they should be.

Free radicals are the direct result of oxygen molecules in our body that are electrically charged as a result of natural cellular activity, or other environmental factors such as pollution, radiation and tobacco smoke. These oxygen molecules become "free radicals" as they go through the oxidation process. The best way I can illustrate this process is to cut open an apple and wait a few minutes or so. Notice that the inside of the apple turns from a bright white color to brown? That is a direct result of oxygen being depleted of electrons from highly reactive free radicals. Free radicals can be very damaging to cells while promoting conditions favorable to certain heart diseases, muscular degeneration, cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer's, immune dysfunction and cancers. Antioxidants do not become reactive when they lose an electron and basically neutralize free radicals so that they can't provide any more oxidative damage, like what happens when an apple is exposed to air.

Vitamin C, evident in citrus fruits, peppers and rose hips, Vitamin A from liver, dairy and fish(especially from cold water fish such as cod liver oil and salmon) and Vitamin E found in nuts, oils such as flax, borage, sunflower and olive, cereals and seeds provide a strong dose of essential antioxidants to ward of infections, cold and flu bug and other damaging effects of free radicals. Then some of the less common names associated with antioxidants like lutein pertinent for proper eyesight and found in leafy green vegetables, beta-carotene provided by carrots and pumpkin(gives them their orange color) and lycopene associated with fruits and vegetables but most notably tomatoes and tomato based products like ketchup.

Grape seed extract are also powerful tools that when combined with the above antioxidants, can help to keep you healthy. Alot of studies have been done on grape seed extract and it has been linked to chemo preventive effects, limiting lipid oxidation, decreased inflammation, lower blood pressure and cholesterol among other extraordinary findings. A wholesome glass of grape juice or glass of red wine will offer you the benefits of grape seed into your diet.

By consuming the right amount of foods that are high in these antioxidants as opposed to taking vitamin supplements, you can help to avoid the possibility of over-supplementing. Vitamin A and E are fat soluble, meaning that excesses are stored in our liver where they can become toxic instead of quickly excreted out of our bodies like vitamin C. It has to be stressed that taking vitamin supplements should not be considered as a safe alternative to consuming the recommended daily dosage of natural healthy foods provided in the food pyramid.

Their are an abundance of other powerful antioxidant compounds that will offer strong effective free radical reduction and removal from the body. ALA which is short, for Alpha Linolic Acid, is ideal because it boosts the amount of glutathione that helps the body to rid toxins. Free radicals in the brain are especially damaging and can lead to Parkinson's, Alzheimers or stroke, among other brain disorders. ALA is the only supplement that is both water and fat soluble to be able to cross over the brain stem barrier and throughout the cells. ALA is able to regenerate/recycle itself to continuously maintain ALA within the body and aid Vitamin C and E to increase you bodies defense mechanisms.

Their are some other unique and impressive supplement that can be employed to increase our bodies ability to ward off free radicals as well. Some of these are Green tea, omega 3-6-9 faulty acids, garlic and dark chocolate. Now don't think that you can consume a large chocolate bar and will be healthy for the next month before repeating that scenario. All of these supplements will assist you when combined with all of the other antioxidants that I mentioned above. Each one will be responsible for handling various parts of the body where free radical damage can result.

Make sure to get you antioxidants the natural way by following the food chain and get the recommended daily dose of fruits, grains,fish, nuts, oils like borage, flax, olive and safflower and veggies. A proper and well balanced diet will help to combat free radicals. Of course you are going to need more than these though so hope you didn't think you were getting off that easy. Exercise, proper diet, limiting stress, avoid primary and secondary smoke and alcohol will also provide instant gratification. Ideal rest time to reach REM mode and get 8-10 hours of intense deep sleep is a must as well!

You are what you eat, so why not eat healthy and be healthy. Also, like anything of value, it will take some doing and won't happen over night nor will it be easy, but nothing comes easy unless you are dedicated, excited and a hard worker to strive to obtain the results that will make you the best you can be.

So, go hit the gym and ride the treadmill, pour a nice glass of grape juice, make a baked salmon dinner and a salad, hen get some much needed rest.

Be sure to check with your doctor to be sure that medications being taken don't become altered as a result of taking these antioxidants. Cheap, worth their weight in gold and key to ensuring you successful in life through ideal healthy!

http://www.goaskalice.columbia.edu/0830.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grape_seed_extract

http://www.ralapure.com/?s=g&p=rala&gclid=CJnL1KvExpcCFQv7agodBw2OTQ