To start the conversation, our bodies can produce naturally occurring anti-oxidants that fight the free radicals in our system. What is a free radical? They are naturally occurring molecules in our bodies that are created by environmental toxins, the foods we eat, and our own metabolism. These free radicals work against us by producing oxidative stress.

Oxidative stress is the like rusting of a nail when we leave it out in the rain. It rusts until there is nothing left. Without oxidative stress, the nail would remain intact and the same as it it were new. The same thing happens in our bodies, we are exposed to toxins everywhere and our bodies are subject to the free radicals that produce oxidative stress. We cannot hide from this stress but we can find ways to enhance the levels of anti-oxidants to fight the free radicals. Nothing has changed here. Read the rest of this entry

Benefits of Antioxidants

Let us briefly look into the benefits of antioxidants before we address antioxidant foods.

First, what are antioxidants?

Antioxidants neutralize free radicals and stop them from impairing our cells. Free radicals are highly reactive chemical substances that can cause cellular damage if left unchecked, leading to premature aging and disease.

In fact, many health experts believe that one of the most prominent causes of destructive diseases is the damage of free radicals. Deadly diseases like the cardiovascular disease which can grow about to cause heart attacks and cancer and even are killing people in the western world, are a pert of this effect. More surprisingly, some experts have hypothesized the aging process as a result of the free radical damage. Read the rest of this entry