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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1. The Psychiatrist’s Weight Loss Program
(or The Shrink’s Guide to Shrinking)
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
Healthy eating is difficult to achieve because we have so many health factors to consider and food choices to make. We know antioxidants are good for us so we want to eat lots of colorful fruits and vegetables because they contain phytochemicals like carotenoids and flavonoids which neutralize the free radicals that cause the age-related degenerative diseases.
3. The Next Vitamins
For years we assumed it was the vitamins in fruits and vegetables that provided us with a defence against aging and age-related diseases. Recently scientists have theorized that the health benefits due to eating fruits and vegetables may be from other nutrients such as phytochemicals or the combination of phytochemicals and vitamins
4. Regulation of Trans Fats
Should we regulate the amount of trans fats contained in the food we eat?
5. How to Choose a Good Vitamin Supplement
Choosing a good vitamin supplement can be a frustrating ordeal. There are 1000's of supplements to choose from - some are good, but many are total rip-offs.
6. The Acai Palm Berry
The Acai (pronounced ah-SAH-ee) berry is the latest super antioxidant food sweeping the world. This small round fruit is produced by the Acai Palm which is native to Central and South America floodplains and swamps. The fruit is rich in anthocyanin / anthocyanidin phytonutrients which are members of the flavonoid class of antioxidants.
7. How to Buy healthy Vitamin Supplements
Everyone has read the reports and seen the news. Our soil is depleted and lacks the necessary nutrients and minerals that our bodies need. The environment is toxic and wreaks havoc on our health. Free radicals attack our immune system. The only solution seems to be supplementation with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants to compensate for environmental deficiencies.
8. Inflammation and Heart Disease
High cholesterol may not be the only major contributing factor to atherosclerosis. Recent studies have found that inflammation may also be a major contributing factor to coronary artery disease.
9. Garlic and a Healthy Cancer Prevention Diet
Garlic belongs to the Allium family of vegetables which also includes onions, chives, shallots and leeks. Current research has shown that a number of readily available foods such as garlic and onions that make up a healthy diet, actually have a major impact on cancer prevention.
10. Berries, Citrus Fruits and a Healthy Cancer Prevention Diet
Current research has shown that a number of readily available foods such as berries and citrus fruits that make up a healthy diet, actually have a major impact on cancer prevention. These cancer fighting foods seem to have the ability to interfere with the development of cancerous tumors.
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