Antioxidants - Your Body's Garbage Collector

Are you making the mistake of not eating enough antioxidants in your diet? I mean really, what is the harm? What, that is, aside from early aging, heart disease, cancer, and a host of other illnesses.
As someone who is concerned about your health, you should be very much aware of the foods you put into your body. But how many of us actually are?
If your health strategy is simply to eat what you want and hope for the best, you may be planting the seeds of your own future illnesses.
Antioxidants help to fight free radicals. But what are free radicals and why are they so harmful to your body? And why does your body need protection against them?
A free radical is a molecule with an unpaired electron. Because it has a free electron, it is highly reactive and very susceptible to oxidation.
Just think of how an exposed apple or potato turns brown when left uncovered. This is caused by oxidation. Well, this is what free radicals are doing to the inside of your body.
Free radicals are not useful as cells to the body. Instead, they steal nutrients from healthy cells - starving them. When healthy cells starve, they deteriorate, and in the process, weaken the body's immune defenses. This is why your body needs to rid itself of them as soon as possible.
Free radicals occur in our bodies every minute of the day. But the environment has an effect also. The more you are in contact with toxic environments such as cigarette smoke, radioactivity, smog, pollution, and so on, the more free radicals your body will absorb.
So how can you slow the free radical onslaught against your body? The key is antioxidants.
Normally, a healthy body full of antioxidants is capable of handling free radicals easily. But if your body is under physical or mental stress, your body's natural defense system may simply not have enough antioxidants available to fight the free radicals.
Antioxidants are believed to help protect the body from free-radical damage by interacting with free radicals in the body and short-circuiting their harmful actions. They're scavengers or garbage collectors. They help to rid your blood vessels and cells of radical cells that would harm you.
Clearly, with all the evidence so far, no reasonable person could ignore the wealth of evidence pointing to the importance of antioxidants.
Although not conclusive, high antioxidants levels have lent to conclusions that they can slow aging, prevent heart attacks and strokes,
The best way to ensure that your body is loaded with enough antioxidants is to eat the recommended five to eight servings of fruits and vegetables a day. Especially, those with high levels of vitamins E, A, and C.
But, really, how many of us do that? The only people I know doing that are hard-core vegetarians.
Therefore, even though, it may not be the best choice, you should seriously consider making nutrient supplements a part of your everyday dietary routine.
Taking vitamins or supplements daily that contain antioxidants is a good way to maintain cellular health.

Muhammad Ejaz

17 September 2020

Antioxidants - Add a Lean, Muscular Body to the List of Benefits!

I’m sure by now you’ve heard all about the amazing health benefits of antioxidant rich foods in your diet. Not only do these free-radical fighting antioxidants help you look and feel younger by slowing down the aging process, but they also help to prevent cancer, heart disease, and loads of other degenerative diseases. But that’s not all. Antioxidants also help you to recover better from exercise...and that means more muscle and less fat on your body in the long run!
The function that antioxidants play in aiding your recovery from exercise is the inhibition of free radicals produced during exercise. Any time you workout, free radicals are produced in the body that damage muscle tissue. Having an adequate supply of antioxidants about an hour or so before your workout can greatly reduce the muscle damage caused by free radicals, hence, improving your muscular recovery from exercise.
Some of the most potent sources of whole food antioxidants are berries (blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, cranberries), cherries, acai fruit, various teas (green tea, white tea, black tea, and red tea - a.k.a. rooibos tea), nuts, seeds, red and black beans, purple potatoes, grapes, red wine, cinnamon, and dark chocolate or cocoa. Don’t be fooled by all of the intense marketing for expensive antioxidant supplement pills...remember whole foods are always better for you (and cheaper) than a pill.
My favorite pre-workout antioxidant-loaded snack is a piece of whole grain toast with almond butter, a small amount of blackberry jam, and topped with a pile of fresh blueberries or sliced strawberries. I wash it down with a glass of iced green tea or rooibos tea sweetened with just a small bit (about a teaspoon) of raw honey. This is literally a quintuple-whammy of potent anti-oxidants! The almond butter, blackberry, blueberries, raw honey, and the green or rooibos tea are all loaded with different varieties of muscle protecting, youth promoting antioxidants. I throw down this snack about an hour before my training. Give it a try for yourself, or be creative and come up with your own antioxidant-rich pre-workout snack based on your tastes.
Remember, your body is continually bombarded every day by free radicals (creating oxidative stress) from exercise, air pollution, smoke, sun exposure, junk food, exposure to chemicals, etc. To reap the full benefits of antioxidants, try to make sure that every meal and snack you eat has at least one or two sources of antioxidant rich foods. This will give you a continuous supply of antioxidants throughout every day to prevent damage from the free radicals you are constantly exposed to.
Antioxidants are just one piece to the puzzle of a healthy diet that will give you the lean, muscular, youthful, and disease-free body that everyone wants. To discover the secrets behind all of the other pieces to the diet puzzle that create a lean body (macronutrient profile, glycemic response, hormonal response, glycogen storage, muscle protein synthesis, the role of leptin, the insulin process, etc.), visit http://truthaboutabs.com
ZZZZZZ

Muhammad Ejaz

17 September 2020

Antioxidants - Real Life Savers

Copyright 2006 Donovan Baldwin

To understand the value and importance of antioxidants, you must first understand the destructive results of free radicals.

Free radicals occur naturally as a result of normal, daily reactions within your body. Essentially, when a molecule is a free radical, it is an unstable molecule that contains a free electron that is seeking a connection. These molecules seek to complete this unstable existence by latching on to tissues such as blood vessel linings or cell membranes, creating a chronic state of inflammation within the body. This ongoing inflammation eventually results in damage to various tissues of the body. Antioxidants bind to the free radicals, thus preventing the damage they would normally cause.

The damage caused by free radicals has been linked to heart disease, cancer, arthritis, and many other conditions and illnesses. Free radical damage is also believed to contribute to many other degenerative aspects of aging, such as wrinkles, hardening of arteries, and some of the loss of mental acuity that sometimes occurs with age.

Antioxidants are available in many different forms and substances. Vitamins such as vitamin C, vitamin E, and beta carotene (a form of vitamin A) are antioxidants in addition to their other benefits to your health and well-being. Selenium and zinc are two minerals that are also antioxidants.

Other compounds; cysteine, glutamic acid, and glutathione, for example, are also antioxidants, as are natural and herbal products such as ginkgo, hawthorn, rosemary, green tea extract, and grape seed extract.

Vitamin A, in the form of beta carotene, is water-soluble and can be found in vegetables such as spinach. Vitamin A is important for skin health, helps growth in children, and protects against night blindness in addition to other benefits.

Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid) is crucial to the body's ability to produce collagen, an important protein that keeps skin damage minimal. Collagen can delay the development of wrinkles and saggy skin by helping the skin hold onto its elasticity. Vitamin C also expedites the body's ability to repair tissues so wounds heal more quickly. It is also important in the body's ability to absorb and use several other nutrients.

Vitamin E (Alpha-Tocopherol), like vitamin C, is not produced or stored in the body, so it must be constantly replenished through diet or supplementation. It encourages the proper development of muscles. It can help boost the effectiveness of the immune system, primarily by making it more resistant to bacterial and viral infections. Working with other nutrients, vitamin E can help prevent the development of cataracts.

Selenium is a trace mineral, that is, the body does not need a large quantity for health. However, even in small quantities, in addition to its role as an antioxidant, selenium helps keep cell membranes healthy, helps the thyroid gland and pancreas function properly, and can help prevent dandruff in some people. A link between low selenium levels and HIV/AIDs victims is being explored.

Zinc is also a trace mineral. Zinc helps in the healing of wounds, helps maintain the senses of taste and smell, aids in normal growth, helps the reproductive system develop properly, and helps in the transport of Vitamin A from the liver.

Cysteine is found in poultry, oats, wheat germ, egg yolks, garlic and onions, and broccoli. It can protect against toxicity from smoking or pollution.

Glutamic Acid may reduce cravings for sugar and alcohol. It aids gastrointestinal healing and helps neurological and mental disorders. It is found in animal and vegetable proteins. Pregnant women and children should probably not take supplements of glutamic acid.

Glutathione protects against damage from chemicals, smoke, and other toxins. It is valuable against cancer, skin problems, and cataracts.

Grape Seed Extract is often sold as a supplement for its antioxidant qualities. While the extract is often made from seeds taken from grapes made into juice, for example, you can actually get the same benefits by enduring the taste and crunching the seeds in grapes you can buy in the produce department of your local grocery.

Green Tea and Green Tea Extract can both provide antioxidant benefits, but green tea extract may be easier to deal with, say, when traveling or on a visit, than trying to brew a cup or pot of green tea. Green tea extract may also provide a more standard and dependable dose than the cup of tea you just brewed.

Muhammad Ejaz

17 September 2020

Antioxidants and Sexual Health

Nowadays, the health benefits of antioxidants are being trumpeted on t.v. commercials and other marketing materials on radio and in print. From newspapers to television sets, the antioxidant craze is here and its hear to stay. It is believed that antioxidants may help prevent the development of cancer, slow down the aging process, prevent chronic diseases, and many more. Recent medical studies suggest that antioxidants may also bring improvements in male sexual health. Dietary antioxidants are the human body's main protection against free radical attacks. These free radicals are compounds that may damage other healthy cells in the body. Environmental factors like pollution, cigarette smoke, and many more may carry free radicals. Fortunately, there are a number of vitamins and minerals that can help a person maintain if not reclaim health and an overall sense of well-being. The essential nutrients that are deemed important for our daily sustenance include the following:

Vitamin C

Vitamins C, also called ascorbic acid, is one of the versatile antioxidants known to man. It may strengthen the tiny vessels that carry oxygen and other nutrients that are sent to all parts of the body. Recent studies suggest that sub-fertility in men is caused by sperm clumping which impairs sperm motility and preventing them to swim can improve with Vitamin C intake. Supplements of 500 milligrams of this vitamin may reduce sperm clumping by over 23 percent in just one week. Sperm count, motility, and lifespan may also be improved because of Vitamin C supplementation.

Vitamin E

Vitamin E is a fat-soluble antioxidant vitamin that may penetrate cell membranes and protect them from free radical attacks. It is important for men to obtain adequate amounts of this vitamin because it plays a role in promoting sperm motility. Vitamin E is also beneficial on the flexibility of the sperm walls. Daily supplementation of about 100 milligrams of Vitamin E is beneficial for overall sperm health and motility. This kind of vitamin is non-toxic and might be safe at 1,000 milligrams per day.

Zinc

Zinc is important for cell division and the production of healthy sperm. It is probably the most essential mineral for male sexual health. Testosterone metabolism, testicle growth, sperm production, and motility are some of the health benefits of proper zinc supplementation. The body does not naturally produce zinc that is why it is important to take adequate amounts of this mineral. Men need a minimum of 15 milligrams of zinc in their daily diet.

In addition to taking the right supplements, individuals should avoid alcohol and cigarettes. Alcohol may hamper testosterone production and hasten the conversion of estrogen in the liver. This may lead to lowered sperm count and decreased sex drive. Alcohol may also hamper the absorption of many vitamins and minerals. Recent medical studies suggest that refraining from alcohol may improve sperm quality. Cigarette smoking, on the other hand, generates enormous amounts of free radicals that make smokers vulnerable to sperm damage.

Understanding the health benefits of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals is essential in improving one's sexual function and optimum health. However, it is important to seek the approval of medical specialists before taking supplementation of these antioxidants. Taking these too much or too little of these antioxidants may do more harm than good.

Muhammad Ejaz

17 September 2020

Antioxidants - Your Best Defense Against Disease and Aging

Studies support the benefits of eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables. This is due to their high antioxidant value. Why are antioxidants so important? Because they have a proven track record of fighting free radicals.

Your body is being constantly attacked by very harmful substances known as free radicals or oxygen radicals. Free radicals can destroy your cells, tissues, and organs.
Free radicals are highly unstable molecules that are naturally formed inside our bodies by the process of oxidation. They are normal by-products of everyday functions like digestion and physical activity. Free radicals also come from outside sources, such as smoking, environmental pollution, and synthetic chemicals that are added to our water and food.

We are also all exposed daily to polluted air, ingest oxidized or partially rancid foods, and oxidizing radiations from the sun and various electrical appliances.
Free radicals lack one electron making them chemically unstable. To stabilize themselves, they attack any other substance within reach and steal an electron from it. This process creates a new free radical, which repeats the process, producing a "domino effect." When this reaction is uncontrolled, it can generate millions of free radicals within seconds.
Fortunately, our bodies come equipped with a free radical fighting mechanism. It consists of specialized enzymes that have a "spare" electron that they can give away without turning into free radicals. In order to protect us, the enzymes need help from certain substances known as antioxidants.

The antioxidant value of any food or supplement can be determined by its ORAC rating. ORAC means Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity. According to the University of Michigan, Comprehensive Cancer Center, the measurement of ORAC is a way to measure how many oxygen radicals a specific food can absorb. The more oxygen radicals a food can absorb, the higher its ORAC score. The higher its score... the more that food or supplement will help you fight diseases like cancer and heart disease.
Most experts agree that we should consume 5,000 ORAC units per day to effectively fight free radicals in the body. Sadly, most of us average around 1,200 units per day. Not nearly enough to protect us from the common diseases of aging.

One of the best sources of antioxidants is berries and fruits. Most of us would have a very hard time eating the large amounts necessary to reach 5,000 ORAC units per day. For this reason, high ORAC supplements have been created. They contain berry and fruit extracts with a known ORAC rating. These supplements are inexpensive and provide many health benefits to your entire body and brain. Many people use these supplements as part of an anti-aging program. Keeping your cells from being destroyed goes a long way to staying healthy and young.

Muhammad Ejaz

17 September 2020

Antioxidants Increase Sexual Pleasure

We often read or hear news reports about antioxidants and how they can improve our health, yet we rarely hear about the role they play in the pleasure we obtain from sex and intimacy.

To understand antioxidants and the ways they can enhance genital health, we first need to understand the role that free radicals play in damaging our cells. In essence, free radicals are the toxic byproducts of our metabolism. Free radical production can increase as a result of the foods we eat (as is the case with charbroiled meat) or the air we breathe (as is the case with secondhand smoke).

Using several enzyme-based systems, our body does its best to combat free radicals. When our body's defenses fail, though, free radicals cause individual cells to become damaged or die. If left unchecked, free radicals cause tissue damage, premature aging, and loss of cellular function. In other words, our cells become oxidized, much in the same way that rust forms on iron when it is exposed to air and water.

Antioxidants help to combat free radical damage by shoring up the body's enzyme-based systems. Vitamins C and E are popular antioxidants, as are the polyphenols found in plants and in certain foods and beverages, such as cocoa, red wine, green tea, and ginseng.

Antioxidants can also improve sexual pleasure and intimacy. Women who are perimenopausal, menopausal, or post-menopausal - along with women who use oral contraceptives - can experience genital oxidative stress, which can result in vaginal dryness and a lack of sexual desire. In a sense, antioxidants are an aphrodisiac, in that they preserve the nitric oxide needed to dilate blood vessels in genital tissues, which in turn causes sexual arousal.

Eating or drinking foods and beverages with antioxidant properties is sure to improve your overall feeling of well-being, but antioxidants delivered in the form of a lubricant to sensitive genital skin can have a positive impact on sexual pleasure and intimacy. When organic antioxidants penetrate the skin, they energize nerve endings.

Genital skincare should be an ongoing priority. When looking for an antioxidant to promote genital health, it is important to find one that is water-free and non-oily. Instead, it should be polymer-based and have a non-sticky feeling. In addition, it should be a product that can be used on a daily basis.

Muhammad Ejaz

17 September 2020