Everybody wants to grow old gracefully. Some go under the knife to get a youthful look while others choose a more natural way to maintain a healthy glow. How to come to terms with age can be found in the type of food we eat and the magic ingredient it contains.
This "miracle" called antioxidants. Antioxidants are substances that fight the aging process that occurs in your body. They are not produced by the body so as to obtain benefits from agents full power you have to swallow them. Various foods that contain antioxidants.
Let's go back to the beginning. The body continually recharge the cells. Through a process called cell metabolism, the body produces energy, more cells and repair damage. One by-product of cell metabolism are unstable molecules called free radicals.
Free radicals are molecules that damage your body. They are unstable because they lose electrons. To get to each other and become stable, free radicals will steal electrons from cells. Theft of that damage cells in various ways.
The result is a change in visible and invisible to our bodies. The development of diseases such as cancer, diabetes, arthritis and neurological deficiencies may begin to affect you as you age. In addition, thinner skin wrinkled and brittle bones are a problem. Free radicals enter our bodies from external sources as well: cigarette smoke, radiation and UV rays of the sun. More free radicals we encounter, the greater the damage that can be done.
Antioxidants have been proven to be very helpful in problems of free radicals. combining antioxidants with free radicals and neutralize them. Once they are neutralized, they can no longer do any damage. Scientists have no idea of the recommended daily dose of antioxidants to repair free radical damage and diseases that come with age, but they know that eating foods rich in antioxidants make a big difference in how we live.
Where do you find antioxidants? They are all around us. Look no further than your local farmers market or the produce aisle at the grocery store. Fruits and vegetables contain the principle source of antioxidants.
Examples of antioxidants include:
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin E
- Beta-carotene
- Lutein
- Lycopene
Certain minerals such as zinc and selenium also functions in the body. They are not antioxidants but they boost the immune system to fight free radical damage.
Antioxidants are also found in nuts, beans, cold water fish, seafood and red meat. So, eating foods ranging from fruits, vegetables and foods that are only called to increase the amount of antioxidants in your system and help reduce the incidence of disease. Eating fruits and vegetables in their natural form, not the juice to bring the benefits of other nutrients found in food. Juice also contain much sugar is not needed by your body.