Antioxidant Health
In the never-ending pursuit to stay on top of the health game, our daily lives have become consumed with talk of health and wellness. As we contend to balance it all, our health can often be the first affected.
This brings me to a simple inclusion of antioxidants.
Fresh, seasonal, locally grown, organic foods are the best way to consume antioxidants and benefit from their optimum absorption. But when it comes to antioxidant health, are some fresh foods better than others?
What are Antioxidants?
Free radicals are what antioxidant scavengers are after. These free radicals are responsible for damaging, deforming, and pulling electrons away from healthy cells. When a cell loses an electron, it fights to steal another one away, the only place to get one is from a healthy cell, thus the numbers in unhealthy cells grow.
This is how cellular damage begins.
Antioxidants combat free radical damage by destroying damaged cells, while keeping existing healthy cells healthy. Antioxidants in some instances can even provide a damaged cell with a missing electron needed to balance the cell.
Another way free radicals form is through our own metabolic functions (digestion/assimilation), as well as processed/refined foods, environmental pollutants, household chemicals, and physical/emotional/mental stress.
If these gangs of free radicals aren’t stopped, they can prove quite damaging.
Free radicals have been linked to cancer, inflammatory discomforts/disease, suppression of the immune functions, circulatory health, and degenerative aging, cancer, neuromuscular disease and more.
Antioxidant are powerful enemies to free radicals and can be vital to overall health and wellness. Incorporating foods rich in antioxidants offers a real solution to these damaging radicals. A simple way to aid your health is to ensure your incorporating them into your everyday diet.
Foods Rich in Antioxidants
blueberries, cranberries, kidney beans, raw cacao, sprouted Chia, artichokes, black beans, apples, greens, cherries, alkalizing algae, pomegranates, green tea, pecans, oregano, turmeric, clove, grapefruits, olives, and russet potatoes.
A great way to know the antioxidant value of a food is by measuring the ORAC value of that item. A quick google search can help you ascertain the ORAC value of antioxidant rich foods. Remember seasonal foods are at their peak of nutrients so always start seasonally and enjoy every antioxidant rich bite.
Antioxidant-Rich Supplements
Vitamin C, Selenium, Vitamin E, and Vitamin A (whole food brands are best—ask your Verity nutritionist), CoQ10, and Spirulina, chlorella, medicinal mushrooms (just to name a few).
Lifestyle Tips to Promote Antioxidant Production
Get plenty of rest, exercise in the sunshine daily, drink 8-10 glasses of pure water/green juices, eat smaller meals more often, and most importantly learn to deal with stress in a relaxing way. This can include meditation, yoga, walking, and yes—even laughter.
Incorporating these steps into your daily routine will prove you well on your way to Radical change!!