Thursday, July 30th, 2009

What You Should Know About Antioxidants and Aging

by Travis Van Slooten

Many of us would give a lot to turn back the clock and go back to our youth. The truth is, not all people age gracefully, and the older we get, the more it will reflect on our skin and bodies. No one has yet been able to discover the Fountain of Youth but there is one thing that can help slow down the aging process – antioxidants.

Here is the main information about antioxidants and aging: there are a lot of benefits that can be obtained from antioxidants found in food or in high quality supplements. These benefits include the delay of the aging process and prevention against diseases. The aging process slows down aging in the cells, tissues, organs and skin.

Antioxidants are naturally found in certain fruits and veggies. They have been proven to protect the human cells in the body from oxidative damage. They also provide a stronger resistance in the immune system for protection against flu, infections and viruses. Many of those consuming antioxidant-rich foods are those that have cancer. Another benefit is the reduction of cholesterol problems and heart disease. The risk of getting glaucoma and macular degeneration is nearly prevented. Of course, over all the body sees aging slowed down in every aspect.

Free radicals, which are the substances that cause damage to our cells, are caused by our mere breathing, eating, and all other activities that we do on a daily basis. They can also increase the more we get exposed to the pollutants in the environment. While free radicals in lower levels are not harmful to us, when they start to increase their damaging potential grows too. They can cause illnesses and poor health. Antioxidants are the best defenses against free radicals in the body. Some of the common antioxidants found in food sources are Vitamins A, C, and E, and the minerals zinc, beta-carotene, selenium, and all of the phytonutrient carotenoids.

These antioxidants combat the oxidative damage brought about by free radicals in our cells and tissues. The more antioxidants present in the body, the better our chances for keeping our bodies healthy and diseases away.

Even if you already know what to eat, the problem is that people just don’t consume enough natural foods to actually get the amount of antioxidants they need. It is vital that you choose a high quality supplement that contains all of the daily vital antioxidants you need in order to get them to the cells and other parts of the body so that the aging process is slowed down.

The following fruits and vegetables are known to be abundant in antioxidants: broccoli, spinach, greens, Brussels sprouts, beets, red peppers, carrots, tomatoes, berries. oranges, pink grapefruit, apricots, plums, peaches, papaya, and red grapes.

Try to get as many of these foods in your diet as you can. If you find it difficult to do, then you should seriously consider taking high-quality antioxidant supplements.

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