An antioxidant is basically something that reverses the effects of oxidation. Although oxygen is a vital nutrient needed by every cell in the body every second of the day, it is also chemically reactive and highly dangerous. In normal biochemical reactions oxygen can become unstable and capable of oxidizing neighboring molecules. This can lead to cellular damage which in turn triggers cancer, inflammation, arterial damage and aging. Any chemical that is capable of disarming these free radicals is termed an antioxidant.

The main antioxidants include vitamins A, C and E, beta carotene, selenium, glutathione and bioflavanoids. These vitamins and minerals tend to work synergistically in the body and are best taken as an antioxidant supplement for the best result.

The balance between your intake of antioxidants and your free radical damage can be crucial. You can make some significant changes to your dietary habits to reduce the oxidation as well as eating natural foods with high antioxidant properties.

A diet high in fruit and vegetables is very important as this will provide plenty of vitamin C and beta carotene. Vitamin C is water soluble and acts as a roaming scavenger and occurs in high concentrations in the brain, lungs and adrenal glands. Vitamins A and E are fat soluble and provide the main antioxidant protection within the cell wall. Vitamin A is found in organ meats, fish, eggs and dairy products, whereas vitamin E is found in nuts, seeds and unrefined vegetable oils.

Glutathione has been termed the body’s master antioxidant and detoxifier. It is manufactured inside the cell from its precursor amino acids, glycine, glutamate and cystine. Natural foods that boost glutathione levels include asparagus, broccoli, avocado and spinach. Raw eggs, garlic and fresh unprocessed meats contain high levels of sulphur containing amino acids that help to maintain optimal glutathione levels

Selenium is a trace mineral and is found mainly in plant foods and also in some meats and seafood. It is required in small amounts to enhance antioxidant activity and prevent cellular damage from free radicals. The selenium content of foods is wholly dependent on the selenium content of the soil in which the plant was grown. Or where the animals where raised. In the UK the soil in Norfolk is know to be rich in selenium whereas in the USA northern Nebraska and the Dakotas have a high level of selenium.

Bioflavanoids belong to the polyphenol family. They are the antioxidants that are found in foods such as fruit, vegetables, soy products, green tea and red wine. They are thought to be responsible for the antioxidant protection of body fluids and they may be able to help to reduce the risk of degenerative diseases such as cancer and heart disease.

Including these antioxidant rich foods in your dietary regime is a wonderful way of ensuring that your body has the protection it needs from the daily attacks that can result in free oxidizing radical damage. Because of the modern ways of living it is virtually impossible to avoid the causes of oxidative damage, but we can take steps to ensure that the damage is limited.

Ref
The Glutathione Report –Priya Shah – July 2004

Patrick Holford’s 100% Health 7DD

Janet L. Matthews
Skype ID: lindajanetmatthews

Oxygen is the basis of all plant and animal life. It is a vital nutrient for our bodies and is used by every cell every second of every day. Oxygen is needed to release the energy in the foods we eat so that we can perform our bodily functions and go about our everyday work. However, oxygen is also chemically reactive and highly dangerous as it can be come unstable and can cause oxidation, which in turn can cause cellular damage. This can lead to a myriad of illnesses such as cancer, inflammation, arterial damage and aging.

In order to counteract the effects of oxidation, it is necessary to utilize substances called anti-oxidants, which can literally disarm the oxidants and render them harmless. The balance of oxidants to antioxidants is crucial if we are to protect our bodies from long term damage and serious illness.

The main antioxidants

Vitamins A.C and E (easily remembered as ACE).

Vitamin A comes in 2 forms, retinol and beta carotene. Retinol is the animal version and whereas beta carotene is found in plants usually re/orange/yellow vegetables such as carrots and tomatoes. Beta carotene is the more powerful antioxidant of the two.

Vitamin C is a water soluble vitamin and can be found in most fruit and vegetables. However it is very easily destroyed by heat and so as it is also water soluble it is best eaten raw.

Vitamin E is fat soluble and is found in seeds including nuts, seeds and their oils. It can also be found in some vegetables like peas broad beans, corn and whole grains all of which are classified as seed foods

Vitamins C and E work synergistically together to protect the tissues and the fluids in the body. Combining all three has been shown to half the risk of cancer and protect against many other degenerative illnesses.

Zinc and Selenium

Zinc and selenium have a very important antioxidant role to play, as they are responsible for activating two very important antioxidant enzymes, glutathione peroxidase, which is selenium dependent and superoxide dismutase, which is dependent on zinc. Seeds and sea-foods are the best all round dietary sources of selenium and zinc.

Anthocyanidins

Anthocyanidins are powerful antioxidants that come from the flavonoid family. They are found in plants that have colors such as purple, red, orange, yellow and green. A diet that is rich in colorful fruits and vegetables is likely to deliver a goodly amount of these important nutrients. Other colors that will provide anthocyanidins are the blacks and deep purples and reds found in grapes, bilberries and cranberries.

Glutathione

Glutathione is the main ingredient of the antioxidant enzyme glutathione peroxidase. It is probably the most important antioxidant offering protection against the harmful effects of carcinogens. It also helps to detoxify the body and helps to protect it from the negative effects of excessive alcohol, tobacco smoke and infections. It can be found in whit meat, tuna, lentils, beans, nuts and seeds.

CoQ 10

CoQ10 is a vital antioxidant in that it helps to improve the cells ability to utilize oxygen. It is able to control the flow of oxygen, improve the production of energy and thereby prevent cellular oxidation. CoQ10 is found in meat, fish, nuts and seeds

Lipoic Acid

Lipoic Acid is a sulphur-containing vitamin-like substance which has very effective antioxidant properties. It is one of the few antioxidants that is both water and fat soluble which enables it to protect a wider range of molecules. It is found in liver and yeast.

Antioxidants have a vital role to play in protecting our bodies. As you can see each antioxidant has its own role to play. However if we wish to protect our bodies from all kinds of oxidation then it is important to ensure that we include all of these antioxidant foods in our diets on a daily basis.

Janet L. Matthews
Skype ID: lindajanetmatthews