Age Slower With Antioxidants

by Kathy James on May 19, 2009

It seems that since the beginning of time people have been searching for the subtle fountain of youth. As we age we all want to look and feel younger and retain the young at heart energy that we grew up with. Could it be that the fountain of youth has been with us forever and we just didn’t realize it?

Science has found that the greater part of age-related weakening along with most diseases and other disorders are caused by free radicals. Free radicals are highly unbalanced molecules that have an unpaired electron. They are caused by oxidative processes within our body. Most every physical function requires oxygen but what happens is the oxygen molecule is often compromised by environmental pollutants, cigarette smoke and even digestion and other ordinary processes. When the oxygen molecule loses an electron it will steady itself by pilfering an electron from another molecule. This creates the free radical.

The unpaired oxygen molecule, or free radical is a highly unstable factor. In undue quantities it can produce many problems within our bodies. We cannot escape free radicals totally and we actually don’t want to because our bodies need a few free radicals for several functions but when they emerge in disproportionate quantities they become very injurious to our cells and they play a part to various disorders in including some crucial diseases and decline from aging.

But nature has provided a resolution for us. Antioxidants are physically powerful nutrients that are found in the healthiest foods in nature. Antioxidants come into our bodies and they supply the absent electron to the free radical thereby stabilizing it and preventing further damage. That is why a diet high in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and other healthy foods is a fountain of youth. Foods high in antioxidants soothe free radical damage in our bodies. Antioxidants reduce the sum of free radicals in our bodies and therefore contribute greatly to the vigorous, vivacious youth that we long to maintain.

The prevention of free radical damage by antioxidants is an unending process. In fact even more free radicals are created as the others are being neutralized. Consequently antioxidants must be repetitively replaced inside our bodies. We ought to consume a healthy food intake on a day after day basis. It has been verified that the safest and most effective means to acquire antioxidants is through diet. Ideally, 8 to 10 fruits and vegetables should be consumed day by day but a minimum of 5 is suggested.

The antioxidant capacity of foods is measured by what is called the Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity or ORAC. The ORAC is a figure that corresponds with the antioxidants within that food. The highest ORAC scores belong to foods such as spinach, oranges and most berries, including blueberries, cranberries and the acai berry. The acai berry actually has one of the highest ORAC’s ever found on Earth.

The best way to expand your antioxidant intake is to consume a array of foods. One food or even one single nutrient will not give you the equivalent results as many. The potency of antioxidants actually comes through the synergy of the different nutrients functioning in concert. The nutrients counterpart each other and each becomes stronger and more useful as they work in concert jointly than any would be alone.

Nature has provided us the vague fountain of youth that we have been looking for. The funny thing is that we had it all along we just didn’t appreciate it. If you want to stave off the effects of aging make sure that you consume a considerable assortment of wholesome antioxidants in your diet.

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