What Are Antioxidants?
What are antioxidants and how do they help you stay healthy?
Antioxidants are compounds or enzymes that prevent oxidation. Oxidation is caused by something called free radicals which are particles that are created by processes within the body as well as exposure to environmental factors such as pollution and even sunlight. Oxidation is bad because it can cause damage to your cells which can eventually led to disease and even cancer.
What are antioxidants role in oxidation? Antioxidants help prevent free radicals from doing damage to your cells by binding to them and turning them into nonthreatening elements. They do this before oxidation occurs so no damage is done to your cells. Damage from free radicals is thought to contribute to cancer, heart disease and aging.
What Are Antioxidants Found In?
Vitamins C, E, Beta Carotene, Gamma Linoleic Acid and selenium are among the vitamins and minerals known to have antioxidants. You can get antioxidants in several ways. The best is from natural organic whole foods that contain the vitamins and minerals. Other ways include supplements and processed foods enriched with antioxidants.
How To Protect Yourself
Eat lots of fresh organic whole foods. Many fruits and vegetables contain vitamin C including citrus fruits and green leafy vegetables. Vitamin E is present in vegetable oils, nuts and green leafy veggies. Carrots are a great source of beta carotene. The powerful herb Evening Primrose is loaded with gamma linoleic acid. Green tea is thought to be a most powerful antioxidant so try incorporating a few cups of tea into your daily routine or replace a coup of coffee with tea!
Of Interest
Learn More About Nutritional Healing and antioxidant foods
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