Nutritional and Dietary Supplements

Nutritional and dietary supplements that are rich in antioxidants can be used to augment our diet. Antioxidants are essential to combat the damaging and disease-causing effects of free radicals and oxidation. The best antioxidants are obtained from eating a diet that contains foods that are rich in antioxidants and phytochemicals. Nutritional and dietary supplements can also provide much needed antioxidants and phytochemicals. Phytochemicals are simply nutrients and chemicals that are formed in plants. Many phytochemicals are antioxidants but they but they also have the ability to improve the ability of the body to heal itself. Food and nutritional and dietary supplements that are rich in antioxidants and phytochemicals protect our body against oxidative damage, slow the aging process and should help protect against diseases such as cancer, diabetes, heart disease, strokes, Alzheimer’s disease, and macular degeneration. Plants evolved colorful pigmentation over time to protect themselves against disease, insects and ultra violet radiation. The plants with the most colorful pigmentation seem to be very rich in antioxidants.

The Best Antioxidants

The best antioxidants are the plants with colorful pigments called carotenoids. They seem to be uniquely designed to neutralize free radicals and free-radical chain reactions. Current research studies have shown carotenoids help protect against cancer, heart disease and eye diseases like glaucoma and macular degeneration. You can get carotenoids from nutritional and dietary supplements but the best antioxidants seem to come from natural foods. Foods that have the richest concentration of carotenoids are the most colorful. These colorful foods include vegetables like - carrots, peppers, squash, yams, tomatoes, and leafy greens; and fruits like - apples, blueberries, blackberries, cranberries, raspberries, strawberries, oranges, grapefruit etc.
Note – People taking prescription medicines should avoid grapefruit as it can enhance absorption of many drugs and may cause an overdose.

Green Tea and Flavonoids

Other excellent sources of antioxidants and phytochemicals are flavonoids or bioflavonoids which are found everywhere in fruits, vegetables, green tea, black tea, red wine, chocolate and even coffee. Flavonoids have been reported to have anti-inflammatory, anti-platelet forming and anti-tumor capacities as well as being rich in antioxidants. Recent research has identified red wine and grapes as containing resveratrol which protects against heart disease and protects the LDL cholesterol against oxidation. Common black tea and green tea are rich in flavonoids that have demonstrated heart-protective and cancer-protective effects. Green tea contains catechins which are bioflavonoids which act as super antioxidants. After water, green tea is the most widely consumed beverage in the world. Green tea has been known for years to help lower cholesterol and blood pressure as well as improve digestion and help protect against ulcers. Citrus fruits are another good source of flavonoids. The pulp and zest of the rind is the best antioxidant as opposed to the juice. Isoflavones found in many herbs as well as in soybeans are also thought to provide significant antioxidants as well as reducing the risk of heart attacks.

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Do you have high blood pressure? high cholesterol? Do you suffer from sleep apnea? type 2 diabetes? Has your doctor told you to lose weight to help your arthritis and joint pain? Have you tried to diet and exercise to lose weight, and failed? Then this free Weight Loss Program will probably work for you.

2. Healthy Eating
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3. The Next Vitamins
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