Are Your Relationships Making You Fat?

Are you constantly surrounded by temptation? Can’t say no to those fattening lunch dates, or those home-baked pies from your mother-in-law or to the huge box of chocolates from your partner? The diet is hard enough without high-calorie foods being pushed in your direction. How can you stick to your resolve?

WebMD experts offer five simple strategies to help you stick to a healthy eating plan (even when you're surrounded by non-dieting friends and loved ones).

1. Make a Statement. It’s up to the dieter to make his or her feelings known. Directly ask your loved ones not to give you food as gifts or eat in front of you. No matter how strong you are, you can't stare fattening foods in the face every day without your willpower breaking down.

2. Keep Temptation Out of Sight. Even if your loved ones agree to eat their fattening goodies when you're not around, ask them to keep it in a cabinet where you don't normally go for your diet foods - you'll be less tempted to eat it.

3. Learn the Art of Substitution. Give yourself a taste treat of your own by preparing a less-caloric dessert that captures some of the essence of what your family members are wolfing down. Be creative and you'll find that watching others eat the goodies won't be so hard.

4. Share the Health. Make the foods that everyone craves in a more healthful and calorie-conscious way. Use no-fat yogurt in place of mayonnaise, use skim milk instead of whole milk, make lasagna with low-fat cheese. Creating a low-calorie shopping list will also help. Choose baked chips instead of fried, popcorn instead of cheese doodles, diet soda instead of regular, you will be helping everyone.

5. Be Reassuring. Even when they say you look good the way you are, reassure your partner that your weight loss goals are driven by health, not vanity, and that losing those extra pounds will help ensure a better future for both of you. Explain the serious health risks involved in being overweight.

No- you’re not weak-willed. You’re human. Just don’t let those around you get the best of you. Follow these five easy steps and you won’t fall off the weight loss wagon.


Tags: nutrition, diet, weight loss, weight loss and relationships, fat and relationships, fat loss

Are You Sick and Overweight? Your Diet Could Be the Problem

Every five years or so there seems to be a new fad diet that becomes the craze. Low-carbohydrate diets currently hold that spot. The popularity of fad diets is their ability to assist the individual with quick weight loss. Some people who want to lose weight are so desperate that they will try anything. Many of these diets do result in weight loss. The problem is that they may cause rebound affects in the form of more weight gain or worse, cause you to develop a health issue or to become vitamin deficient.

The problems that can occur when you are on a fad diet can range from mild to severe. Mild symptoms include diarrhea, nausea, and headaches. Severe symptoms that you may develop from a fad diet include heart disease, high blood pressure, and high triglycerides. What further complicates the issue is that most people will not know they have a problem until the condition progresses to a dangerous level. This is one of the reasons any diet modifications should first be discussed with a medical doctor.

Of course, the best method for weight loss is to lessen the number of calories consumed and increase the number of calories burned so that no more than two pounds per week are lost. This method takes time and people who want to lose a significant amount of weight may become impatient. There may be the possibility that your weight gain is associated with some health condition. There is good news for people in this situation.

The reason many people aren't successful on fad diets is because the diets are typically not good sources of long-term nutrition. Your body will crave the nutrients that it is missing. Unless you are on a restrictive diet advised by your doctor, it is best to avoid diets that limit a particular food group. A diet that consists of fruits, vegetables, dairy products, grain, as well as fats is the best way to lose weight. These foods are low in calories and are also beneficial in keeping your body healthy. A multivitamin that contains high amounts of chromium and calcium may assist you with losing weight. These two elements help your body metabolize fat, which is necessary for weight loss. As with fad diets, you should consult with your doctor before taking a multivitamin with high doses of these elements.

To check out the supplement we take daily and highly recommend, be sure to check out http://www.nutritional-supplement-guides.com/what-we-use.html

Tags: nutrition, multi vitamins

Are You Nutritionally Fit?

A recent survey of nearly 700 Americans showed that 72 percent believe they are healthy eaters, yet government data proves otherwise.

The USDA recently revealed that Americans get plenty of protein and carbohydrates, but often fall short on key nutrients such as magnesium, potassium and vitamins C and E.

"Fifty years ago, we only recognized extreme cases of vitamin deficiencies, like scurvy, which is caused by a lack of vitamin C," said Carroll Reider, MS, RD, Nature Made vitamins director of scientific affairs and education. "Science has advanced. We now know that even small amounts of vitamin deficiencies hurt us much more than people realize."

While most Americans appear well fed, a key question is: Are you nutritionally fit? To assess your nutritional condition, Reider posed the following questions:

Do you shun the sun? People who wear sunscreen, live in northern climates or have darker skin may not receive optimal levels of vitamin D, which is made following exposure to sunlight. Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium and may also promote ovarian, breast, prostate, heart and colon health. Reider suggests 1,000 IU of vitamin D daily for people who spend most of their time indoors and those who don't synthesize vitamin D easily, such as darker- skinned individuals and the elderly. Vitamin D food sources include milk and fatty types of fish; however, it is hard to achieve optimal intake through food alone. It is also available in supplement form.

Do your meals lack color? Does dinner typically consist of meat, starch and the same green vegetable? For optimal health, add more colors to your diet. Vegetables such as steamed carrots, peppers and red cabbage add vibrant hues to the dinner plate while citrus wedges brighten the standard bed of greens. Eating a variety of fruits and vegetables maximizes nutrient intake and provides antioxidants, which help fight free radicals that may cause premature aging. "A multivitamin formulated for your age and gender is also a good way to compensate for dietary imbalances," Reider said.

Is fish a regular dish? The American Heart Association recommends two servings of fish per week. Reider suggests salmon and tuna, which are rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Some studies suggest omega-3 fatty acids may promote heart health. Other sources include walnuts, flaxseed or vitamins.


Tags: Are You Nutritionally Fit?

Are You Lactose Intolerant?

Do you know anyone who can't consume milk or milk-based products? The condition is not uncommon and these people are classified as lactose intolerant.

Lactose is the main carbohydrate or sugar found in milk, and in varying quantities in dairy products made from milk including yoghurt, ice cream, soft cheeses and butter. Lactose (milk sugar) intolerance results from an inability to digest lactose in the small intestine.

Back in the cave-days, the only time a person would ever ingest lactose would be when they were infants getting milk from their mothers. During their adult lives milk was never consumed. Only with the invention of agriculture has milk become readily available to adults. Lactose is unique in that only in milk does it exist as a free form, unattached to other molecules.

What causes lactose intolerance?

Lactose is digested in the small intestine by an enzyme called lactase. This enzyme allows the body to break down the lactose into two simple sugars, glucose and galactose. These are quickly absorbed by the intestine and provide energy for the body. The level of the lactase enzyme varies between individuals, as does the severity of the symptoms caused by lactose intolerance.

What are the symptoms of lactose intolerance?

Symptoms range from milk abdominal discomfort, bloating and excessive wind to sever abdominal cramps and diarrhoea.

Substitutes for lactose-containing foods

Lactose intolerance generally isn't serious and can be controlled by some simple changes in your diet. The dietary changes for lactose intolerance should include the exclusion of those foods highest in lactose. There is now a wide range of fresh soy milks, yoghurts and ice creams which are lactose free and calcium enriched. Many dairy foods actually have little or no lactose so you can continue to enjoy them.

The power of soy protein

Soy-based products are on the rise for very healthy reasons. The humble soybean boasts some extraordinary benefits. Lactose-free, soy protein is a "complete protein" which contains all 9 essential amino acids in the right balance to meet your body's needs. Soy protein is the only plant protein that is complete. This makes it a great substitute for many meats, allowing you to eliminate more saturated fat and cholesterol from your diet.

While soybeans have much to offer from a protein perspective, it is because they contain so many nutrients, such as isoflavones, that they are now the centre of so much attention. Soy protein enhances the body's ability to retain and better absorb calcium into the bones. Soy isoflavones help by slowing bone loss and inhibiting bone breakdown.

The power of soy protein

There are an abundance of wonderful soy recipes that enable you to get all the benefits of soy....without the traditional soy flavour. Further information available at the link below.

Tags: protein, weight, loss, weightloss, lose, diet, diets, lactose, intolerant, soy, lactase, health, healthy, BMI, body, mass, index, obese, obesity, calorie, calories, milk, products

Are you eating yourself to death?

My immediate answer is YES, you are eating yourself to death!

I can just hear you all shout "Hold on a second there Richelo! I eat very healthy foods, and I only drink healthy fruit juices. I don't eat sweets, I only buy low fat and low carb products. I eat healthy, and don't need to read the rest of this article!" HOLD ON there a moment! You are not eating as healthy as you think! Let me tell you why.

Never in the history of man have we seen more obesity, diseases, syndromes and what not, than we do right now. Is this all thanks to food? No, BUT, a HUGE part is, and if you will indulge me for a short while, I will try my best to explain to you in an easy to understand manner, why this is so.

We live in an instant gratification and microwave society. If it is not quick, easy and now, it is so yesterday. BUT, at what cost?

I can write a whole book about all the "stuff" they put in processed, or so called fast foods, but, I don't want to bore you to death with all the scientific names and what it does to your body. Let me rather simplify this for you, and say that if it is processed in any way, it is not good for you, and very possibly bad for you!

So, what exactly is processed foods, and why is it so bad for you?

Does it come in a can, sealed box, sealed bag, or is it ready made? If so, it is processed. This is the vast majority of the foods that you get at the grocery store! Have a look the next time you are at the store, and you will see this to be true.

Now on to why it is so bad for you. For this food to last long, have the right color, and not pick up all the bad bacteria associated with keeping food for long, a LONG list of chemicals are added to this food. A lot of these chemicals are known to have very serious negative effects of the human body. To name but a few of these "side" effects: Cancer, High blood pressure, high cholesterol, Numbness, Burning sensation, Tingling, Facial pressure or tightness , Chest pain, Headache, Nausea, Rapid heartbeat , Drowsiness , Weakness and Difficulty breathing for asthmatics .

Now, forget all the "stuff" being added. What about nutritional value? Because of all the processing, there is little, if any, real nutrients left in any any of these foods! Not only that, BUT, the salt levels are WAY above what a human being should be consuming!

What about all these healthy bran cereals? Are they processed? YES. They contain more sugar than anything else! You poor blood sugar levels does not know what to do with all the extra insulin that it gets with just about any fast or processed food!

So, what then is safe and healthy?

Anything that is fresh, not processed, and preferably organic. Plain and simple! YES, that means that nice cup of coffee you are enjoying while reading this is not very good for you!

Have a look at your grocery store. The vast majority of the fresh, non processed foods are around the perimeter of the store, and not in the isles! This makes shopping so much easier!

"BUT, it takes so long to prepare!" The most common complaint I hear! Well, if you plan it properly, you can make all your fresh food in less time than it takes to get all your fast food during the day! Read that again! My wife and I prepare all our meals, for the 2 of us, and our 2 children, in 30 minutes in the morning! All fresh, all healthy, and all ready to eat for the rest of the day!

How much, and how often should you eat? This is also very simple. You should be eating every 2.5 to 3 hours. Before you start screaming at me for telling you to eat so much, remember also that these meals should be much smaller portions of your regular 3 meals a day. This will equate to around 6 meals a day.

What will you be eating? Also quite simple. Protein, Carbohydrates and Fat. YES, fat! You need to eat lean meat, skinless chicken or fish for protein. If you are vegan, there are loads of alternatives. For carbohydrates, you will have fruit and vegetables. For fat, you will have fish, fish oil capsules or flaxseed oil.

That's IT! Sounds boring? Believe me when I tell you that it is not!

To read many more articles like this one, and to learn more about healthy eating and exercising, please visit my web site at http://www.allaboutfitnessonline.com/. While at the site, also take the time to subscribe to our newsletter, which is published bi-weekly, and includes many more articles just like this one.


Tags: lose weight, weight loss, diet, obesity, womens health, nutrition, weight watcher, diet pill, health and fitness, weight loss diet, heart disease, fast food restaurant, food pyramid, calorie counter

Are The Foods You Eat Putting Your Health at Risk?

Food (and water) is the absolute first thing you need in order to ensure life. Without it you would wither away and die. You need food for its nutrition and for its sustenance. But are the foods you consume today supplying you with good solid nutrition, or are many of them slowly robbing you of your health and taking years from your life?

Here are some things to consider:

THE HAZARDS OF EATING MEAT
Eating meat (particularly pork and red meat such as beef) in of itself is unhealthy especially when eaten in too large of quantities. Certain meats, such as beef, can take up to 72 hours to digest completely. Therefore, if you eat meat two or three times a day, you could still be digesting the food you had for breakfast the other day while you are again consuming another round of it.

This explains why many autopsies reveal from 5 to as much as 40 pounds of undigested meat still in the systems of many people! Now, imagine how unhealthy it becomes if the animal where the meat came from was treated with antibiotics and other artificial health sustainers? These chemicals stay in the meat fibers; and no amount of washing, cooking, or boiling will get rid of them. Do you really want that in your food?

Hence, many people today are immune to antibiotics for humans. They ingest the antibiotics from animals, and the extra strong antibiotics kill both the good and bad bacteria in the human body. The more you eat chemically treated meat, the more you weaken your body’s defense mechanisms. This hazard is aggravated further when the meats are processed with artificial flavors and preservatives.

PRECAUTIONS WHEN CONSUMING FISH
Many “fresh” fish in the market today are loaded with preservatives to lock in their “freshness.” Some use formalin, a chemical used in embalming human corpses, to preserve newly caught fish. A few wicked sellers may wash marketed fish with food coloring or textile color to give these fish a “fresh” look. To ensure your safety and enjoy the nutritious benefits of fish, buy them from trusted sources only.

PRECAUTIONS WHEN CONSUMING BREAD
Many white breads are hard to digest. Their hard residues stay long and may form blockades in the intestines. Moreover, eating white bread actually rapidly elevates blood sugar levels in your body. Whole wheat bread is a healthier food alternative to white bread as it supplies better nutrition, but many of the whole wheat breads today still have preservatives because they are commercially produced. Make sure it is made with “whole wheat flour” and not “enriched whole wheat flour”. Always check the ingredients just to be sure.

CHEMICALS IN FOOD
Aside from having their nutrition values greatly reduced, a lot of food today is treated with harmful chemicals. Washing, cooking, and boiling for long hours may lessen the chemicals in your food, but these harmful substances may not be fully eliminated. Peeling the skin off some fruits will not ensure safety either.

Imagine swallowing and accumulating all those fertilizers and pesticides in your body. Do you still wonder why we have so many deadly diseases today that were unheard of in the days of our ancestors?

Insects know better. They will not touch crops with pesticides. That is why you will find these crops sold in the market without any sign of insect bites. People buy them because they look clean and delicious. They don’t know that these outward appearances conceal inner hazards of the food they are buying. Some people think it is a good option to eat fruits and vegetables that show a few nibbles from insects.

PROCESSED FOOD
After having your veggies and fruits treated with fertilizers and pesticides (and these are given to farm animals as part of feeds), they also undergo artificial processing to prolong their “freshness.” They are treated with preservatives, which mean more chemicals. Some instant noodles are treated with chemical wax, which may be cancer causing. Do you know that these noodles are banned in some countries?

Because processed food terribly lacks real nutrition, their sellers sometimes put synthetic vitamins in them and pass them off as “plus factors” for good health when actually; these synthetic vitamins often do little to nothing for you or in some cases can even harm your health.

If you want to live a long, happy, and healthy life, always be on the lookout for the presence of preservatives in your food. Look at the labels and find out if some of the ingredients can be harmful to your health.


Tags: food

Apricots Are Loading With Nutritional Goodies

Alexander fell in love with this incredible fruit in Asia, where he spent more and more Savage. After his return to Europe for their military expeditions, he brought with him a couple.

The Romans gave the name of the apricot - the Latin word for "beginning" - as the apricot is the first fruit of the season of maturity. The name stuck and the apricot, Europe, America, and all arrangements for Australia.

The Albaricoque is a fantastic result - about ingenioh beta-carotene, iron, fiber, vitamin C and various B vitamins If a dried apricot, their nutrients more concentrated, dried apricots a great snack.

Whether fresh or dried apricots to eat in the fight against the effects of aging, protect your hearing to prevent cancer, prevent heart disease.

4 apricots is healthy

Fight against cancer.

If you have a basic cooperation indigestion tomato sea - the wichtigsten fürnte of lycopene - that's good news for you. Apricots, particularly walnuts, are a further source of lycopene, the carotenoid surprise that may help prevent prostate, breast and other cancers. While the apricots are also a good source of lycopene - about 30 are the same as dried tomatoes - Münchingen during the day, the lycopene faster than you think.

The albaricoques are a good fontei Carotinoide and the most famous of all - beta-carotene. This powerful antioxidant reduces the risk of some cancers and intestinal primeraOmach. To achieve such benefits, experts recommend a minimum of 5 milligrams per day of beta-carotene. This corresponds to about six fresh apricots.

Stop cardiovascular disease.

Eat dried apricots as a snack can of iron, potassium, beta carotene, magnesium and copper. These elements noceImportante ritifs help the prITZUNG the blood and Herzkrankheiten prevent. Moreover, only five dried apricots can be up to 3 grams of fiber, the cholesterol-sweeps from the system before they have the ability to block the arteries.

Until cataract.

What you eat can affect your vision. Dr. Robert G. Cumming, Principal Investigator of the Blue Mountains Eye Study, said: "Our étudeou confermal'importanza of vitamin A for the prevention of cataract." Cumming hinzugefügtzu: "Our general conclusion ist, that a balanced diet is to the health of your eyes. "

Since apricots are a good source of beta-carotene, which your body turns into vitamin A, and many other nutrientess, which could be exactly what you want.

It combines a long life.

Believe it or not, some say that the apricots are the secret life dellaLa at the age of 120 Entertaining the idea of Hunza, a tribe, dermüssen in the mountains of the Himalayas in Asia. Gecommon health problems like cancer, heart disease, hypertension and high cholesterol, do not exist in Hunza. Researchers and questioning whether apricots, an important part of their diet, are partially responsible. Hunza apricots temporadad cost to eat a dry food for the rest of his long and cold winter.

  Even if he does not eat apricots to live longer, new research suggests that the unzureichendeObst can you helfen, a better life. Vitamin B dried apricots can help protect against Alzheimer's disease and age associated with mental health problems, such as memory loss.

Dispensa pointer

From June to August, the best distribution of fresh apricots in your supermarket in California and Washington State. Guardiacon your eyes peeled for more sabrosos cluster. They use a nice bright orange peel and look and feel "Dunder fat. Avoid apricots with anem tinge of yellow or greenish and are difficult to reduce, or bruises.

Like its cousin, the peach, apricot attack in May in the kitchen at room temperature. The smell and feel when ripe, wrap in a paper bag and store in the refrigerator. They stay fresh longer giornis.

During the winter months, their desire sÉPONDRE Apricot Fruit from South America, or apricot preserves the use of Kraftstoffenri, jams, spreads, and seasonings.
Tags: apricots, apricot, dried, fresh, carotene, beta carotene, dried apricots, heart disease

Apples - Crunch Your Way to Healthy Nutrition

There's no easier way to add a dose of nutrition to your day than by crunching on a tasty apple. You probably first experienced its delightful flavor as a baby, when applesauce introduced you to real food. And now, whether it's a Granny Smith, a McIntosh, or a Red Delicious, you think of apples as old friends. Grown throughout the world, apples are high in fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. They're fat-free, cholesterol-free, and low in sodium. In short, eating apples is a smart part of a healthy lifestyle.

6 ways apples keep you healthy

Regulates your day.

You don't have to worry about staying regular anymore. Whether your problem is visiting the bathroom too often or not often enough, apples can help.

A British researcher, Dr. D.P Burkitt, believes one of the easiest ways to prevent all sorts of illnesses, is to avoid constipation. He calls the diseases caused by chronic constipation "pressure diseases." Appendicitis, diverticular diseases, hemorrhoids, hiatal hernias, and even varicose veins can all be caused by straining to pass small, hard stools.

Just one apple with its skin contains 4 to 5 grams of fiber - the most important nutrient in keeping your bowels working like a well-oiled machine. Keeping yourself regular without relying on harmful laxatives could be as easy as replacing that afternoon snack of potato chips or cookies with a crisp, delicious apple. And think of the calories you'll save. The average apple has about 80 calories while a serving of chips weighs in at 150 calories and you'll get about 200 from just a few cookies.

But that's not all apples can do. They're also good for diarrhea, thanks to an ingredient called pectin. This carbohydrate has a congealing effect in your intestines that helps firm things up and return you to normal. Applesauce is actually the best apple product for diarrhea, since it's made without the high.-fiber skin. But watch out for extra sugar. Some brands of applesauce dump a truckload of sweeteners into an otherwise healthy food, and too much refined sugar could make your diarrhea worse.

Keeps your body young.

By now you know antioxidants can protect you from many of the diseases that seem to be a part of aging. In fact, so many people are taking supplements for antioxidant protection that it's become a multibillion-dollar industry. But the evidence is mounting that whole foods can do more for you than pills.

When scientists compared a 1,500-milligram vitamin C supplement to one small apple, the results were astounding - the antioxidant values were equal. That means a fresh apple has more than 15 times the antioxidant power of the recommended daily dose of vitamin C. And that's just for starters. The researchers also found an ordinary apple was able to stop the growth of colon and liver cancer cells in test tubes. Unpeeled apples were especially effective. The question you need to ask yourself: Why waste money on flavorless supplements when you can get better antioxidant firepower from a sweet, crunchy fruit?
Cuts your risk of heart disease. Sometimes it's hard to remember which food is good for which part of your body. The next time you pick up an apple, examine it carefully. It's shaped a bit like a heart - and that should help you remember apples are good for your heart.

It's the magnesium and potassium in apples that help regulate your blood pressure and keep your heart beating steadily, and it's the flavonoid quercetin, a naturally occurring antioxidant, that protects your artery walls from damage and keeps your blood flowing smoothly.

In fact adding flavonoid-rich foods like apples to your diet has been scientifically confirmed to lower your risk of heart disease. There's proof of this in a study of Japanese women who ate foods high in quercetin. They were less likely to get coronary heart disease than other women and they had lower levels of total and LDL, or bad, cholesterol.

Strikes at the heart of strokes.

Apples are even a smart choice for helping avoid strokes. Scientists aren't sure which ingredient in this multi-talented fruit to credit, but the connection is clear - people who regularly eat apples are less likely to have strokes than people who don't.

Protects your joints.

In areas of the world where fruits and vegetables make up a large part of the diet, very few people get arthritis. Compare this to modernized countries where fruits and vegetables have been replaced with fast, processed food and you'll find up to 70 percent of the population suffers from some form of arthritis. Just a coincidence? Not according to nutrition experts. They link this trend in part to boron, a trace mineral many plants, including apples, absorb from the soil.

If you eat like most people, you'll get about 1 to 2 milligrams (mg) of boron a day, mostly from non-citrus fruits, leafy vegetables, and nuts. Experts believe, however, you need anywhere from 3 to 10 mg a day to affect your risk of arthritis. To boost your boron intake to this level, you'd have to eat more than nine apples a day.

This is probably an unreasonable amount for most people, but don't despair. Pair an apple with other boron-rich foods like a few tablespoons of peanut butter and a large handful of raisins, and you'll not only have a delicious afternoon snack, but you'll make your joint-saving quota of boron at the same time.
Helps you breathe deeply. Your lungs are assaulted every day by cigarette smoke, air pollution, pollen, and other air-borne nasties.

On top of that perhaps you suffer from asthma, emphysema, or similar lung condition. If all you want to do is take a deep breath, then grab an apple.
A five-year study of more than 2,500 men from Wales found those who ate five or more apples per week were able to fill their lungs with more air than men who didn't eat apples. Experts believe you might be getting some special protection from the antioxidant quercetin. Unfortunately, eating apples can't reverse a lung condition you already have, but you just might add a new line of defense against further damage.

Pantry pointers

Buy apples that are unbruised, firm, and have good color. Take them out of their plastic bag and store them in your refrigerator - loose in the produce bin or in a paper bag is best. And since they will absorb odors, keep them away from strong-smelling foods like garlic and onions.


Tags: apples, nutrition, health, healthy

Antioxidants Naturally Found in Foods

Why do we need to eat foods that are found to be naturally high in antioxidants?
What are antioxidants?
Which foods do we need to eat, in order to naturally fight free radicals?

Scientists have found that the body forms unstable oxygen molecules, called free radicals; every cell produces tens of thousands of them each day. A free radical is basically an atom with an odd number of electrons in its outer ring. Since electrons have a very strong tendency to exist in a paired rather than an unpaired state, free radicals indiscriminately pick up electrons from other atoms, which in turn convert those other atoms into secondary free radicals, thus setting up a chain reaction, which can cause substantial biological damage. This, in short, is bad. There are also many kinds of free radicals, which we are exposed to everyday, for example, pollution, radiation, cigarette smoke and herbicides.

Antioxidants are thought to neutralise and stabilise these free radicals.

So, which antioxidants are naturally found in which foods?

We have:

Vitamin E: a fat-soluble vitamin found in vegetable oils, nuts, green leafy vegetables, and fortified cereals. Some of the foods containing the highest amounts of vitamin E are wheat germ oil, almonds, sunflower seeds, sunflower oil, hazelnuts, peanuts, spinach, broccoli, kiwi and mango.
Vitamin E is an antioxidant vitamin involved in the metabolism of all cells. It protects vitamin A and essential fatty acids from oxidation in the body cells and prevents breakdown of body tissues.

Vitamin C: Ascorbic acid is a water-soluble vitamin present in citrus fruits and juices, cabbage, green peppers, broccoli, spinach, tomato, kale, guava, cantaloupe, kiwi, papaya, and strawberries.
It is important in forming collagen, a protein that gives structure to bones, cartilage, muscle, and blood vessels. Vitamin C also aids in the absorption of iron, and helps maintain capillaries, bones, and teeth.

Beta-carotene: Beta-carotene is a precursor to vitamin A. It is present in liver, egg yolk, milk, butter, spinach, carrots, squash, broccoli, yams, tomato, cantaloupe, peaches, and grains.
Studies have been done on beta-carotene's effectiveness for heart disease, cancer, chronic fatigue syndrome, Alzheimer's disease, fibromyalgia, male infertility, and psoriasis.

Coenzyme Q10: CoQ10 boosts energy, enhances the immune system, and acts as an antioxidant. A growing body of research suggests that coenzyme Q10 may help prevent or treat some of the following conditions: heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, and others. Primary dietary sources of CoQ10 include oily fish, organ meats such as liver, spinach, broccoli, peanuts, wheat germ and whole grains.

Selenium: Selenium is a trace mineral that is essential to good health but required only in small amounts. It helps synthesize antibodies; helps synthesize co-enzyme Q10and helps transport ions across cell membranes. The best sources of selenium are Brazil nuts, wheat germ, molasses, sunflower seeds, whole wheat bread and dairy foods.

You should note that there are many other antioxidants naturally found in foods.
You should also note that the best way to take antioxidants is naturally, through fresh, vibrant food.
One more thing; sometimes less is more. Some of these antioxidants are only needed in small amounts, so check into whether you need to take more or not, before you start overdosing on antioxidants!

Tags: antioxidants, naturally, found, foods, health

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 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 serving 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 every day dietary routine.

Taking vitamins or supplements daily that contain antioxidants are a good way to maintain cellular health.

Copyright (2005) www.acai-berry-fruit-juice.com

Tags: antioxidants, free radicals, nutrition

Antioxidants: Eat All Your Colors!

Antioxidants are all the rage today. And, justifiably so. Antioxidants help neutralize free radicals which cause cell damage, which ultimately can lead to diseases of the heart and cancer. It seems everywhere you go its blueberry this and blueberry that. You have your choice of wild blueberry juice, blueberry-pomegranate juice, blueberry-cranberry juice and so on and so on.

Now, don’t get me wrong. I love blueberries. But, in our rush to embrace the latest antioxidant food craze (blueberries, cranberries, pomegranates) we’re ignoring some very high-antioxidant foods that are probably sitting ignored in our cupboards.

“What?” You ask, “What could possibly be higher in antioxidants than my beloved wild blueberry?” Well, how about the small red bean? That’s right, I said “bean.” The small red bean actually has more antioxidants per serving size than the wild blueberry. And the red kidney bean and pinto bean have more antioxidants per serving size than a serving of cultivated blueberries.

What other foods are high in antioxidants? For starters, there are artichoke hearts, blackberries, prunes, pecans, spinach, kale, russet potatoes and plums. And, no, that’s not a mistake. Russet potatoes are on the list of foods high in antioxidants.

The truth is, there are many common foods high in antioxidants and you should not just restrict yourself to one particular food source. Why? Well, have you ever heard the expression, “eat your colors?” That refers to the fact that foods are in different color “families” containing different types of antioxidants which have different benefits. For example, the yellow-orange color family of peaches and nectarines help our immune systems. The purple-red color family of foods (pomegranates, plums, berries) helps reduce inflammation. It’s important to eat foods from all color groups to reap the full benefits of antioxidants.

The good news is that you can eat healthy foods high in antioxidants (by eating them raw, cooking them, or juicing them yourself) without having to pay a high price for the “flavor of the month” antioxidant juices being peddled in the supermarkets.

So, give your blueberries some company at the dinner table. Invite some beans, spinach, potatoes and artichoke hearts and enjoy your antioxidants!


Tags: antioxidants, blueberries, blueberry, healthy foods, blue foods

Antioxidant

An antioxidant is a chemical that reduces the rate of particular oxidation reactions in a specific context, where oxidation reactions are chemical reactions that involve the transfer of electrons from a substance to an oxidising agent.

Antioxidants are particularly important in the context of organic chemistry and biology: all living cells contain complex systems of antioxidant chemicals and/or enzymes to prevent chemical damage to the cells' components by oxidation. The importance and complexity of antioxidants in biology is reflected in a medical literature of more than 142,000 scholarly articles.

A diet containing antioxidants from plants are required for good health since plants are an important source of organic antioxidant chemicals. Antioxidants are widely used as ingredients in dietary supplements that are used for health purposes such as preventing cancer and heart disease. However, while many studies have suggested benefits for antioxidant supplements, several large clinical trials have failed to clearly demonstrate a benefit for the formulations tested, and excess supplementation may be harmful.

Antioxidants are chemicals that reduce oxidative damage to cells and biochemicals. Researchers have found high correlation between oxidative damage and the occurrence of disease. For example, LDL oxidation is associated with cardiovascular disease. The process leading to atherogenesis, artherosclerosis, and cardiovascular disease is complex, involving multiple chemical pathways and networks, but the precursor is LDL oxidation by free radicals, resulting in inflammation and formation of plaques.

Research suggests that consumption of antioxidant-rich foods reduces damage to cells and biochemicals from free radicals. This may slow down, prevent, or even reverse certain diseases that result from cellular damage, and perhaps even slow down the natural aging process.

Since the discovery of vitamins, it has been recognized that antioxidants in the diet are essential for healthful lives. More recently, a large body of evidence has accumulated that suggests supplementation of the diet with various kinds of antioxidants can improve health and extend life.

Many nutraceutical and health food companies now sell forms of antioxidants as dietary supplement. These supplements may include specific antioxidant chemicals, like resveratrol (from grape seeds), combinations of antioxidants, like the "ACES" products that contain beta carotene (provitamin A), vitamin C, vitamin E and Selenium, or specialty herbs that are known to contain antioxidants such as green tea and jiaogulan.

Disclaimer
The information presented here should not be interpreted as medical advice. If you need more information about Antioxidants, please consult your physician or a qualified specialist.

Permission is granted to reprint this article as long as no changes are made, and the entire resource box is included.


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