Antioxidants at Your Fingertips.

Posted By admin on October 21, 2008

For thousands of years our fore-fathers ate natural food consisting of vegetables and fruits. On special occasions, the results of a good hunt for example, they ate meat. And in areas near rivers, lakes and sea, they ate fish.

The main ingredients however were fruits and vegetables -which still are the major sources of antioxidants.

This diet is registered in our genes, which means our bodies need this type of food and in a natural state to be able to absorb the nutrients within.

Today, however, we have changed dramatically what we eat – and our genes are not aware of this, or at least cannot change so quickly.

Modern meals consist of much more carbs, fast food, chemicals and pesticides. “Light” and “diet” food is a particularly worrisome trend.

We have been eating for the last few decades food that comes from production processes that have nothing to do with “organic” or “green” and very little to do with “health”.

Way back there was no white sugar or artificial food, and most importantly, energy supply was of a higher quality.

Part of what has happened is not only that we have been eating food with artificial content, but we have also ingested less amounts of antixidants. The major sources of antioxidants are fruits and vegetables but these appear to have fallen out of style – at least fresh, not processed or canned.

Fish and sea food for example are also great sources of antioxidants but unfortunately fish and other sea animals absorb pollutants and are not so equiped to eliminate these from their bodies.

The World Health Organization has indicated that a person should consume at least 5 daily servings of vegetables and fruits. A serving would be the equivalent fruit or vegetable that fit in the palm of your hand. (Half an apple, for example).

Research suggests that if we follow these guidelines, the risk of cancer and cardiovascular disease is reduced by 30%; there would be a 20% reduction for diabetes type 2, as well as reduction of other diseases such as osteoporosis, and those that are produced by molecular degeneration.

All this is due to the work of antioxidants.

If someone falls ill with one of these illnesses, antioxidants will not heal them directly, but the effectiveness of treatment is enhanced with proper nutrition and an adequate life style.

And we can boost these needs with antioxidant and vitamin supplements.

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