It’s not everyone that wants to plod along and just grow old gracefully.
Quite a lot of people decide that they want to go under the knife to try to get back their youthful look while others opt for a more natural way to keep hold of that healthful glow.
Probably the best natural way that we can all keep hold of our youthful beauty will be in the types of foods that we consume and the hidden miracle ingredients that a lot of them contain.
Those hidden little wonders that I am referring to are called antioxidants.
Chances are you have probably read about them in various pages of your favourite magazine, or medical publication, where they seem to be added to all sorts of products from hand creams to health supplements.
So what are these magical little things called antioxidants, and how can they help to keep you looking younger?
Antioxidants are chemicals capable of disarming harmful free radicals, but to put it more simply they are basically substances that fight the aging process that goes on within your body.
They cannot be produced by our bodies, so in order for us to get the benefit of these power-packed substances we have to consume them.
This shouldn’t be a problem for most people though, because there are a wide variety of foods that contain antioxidants.
Ok let’s quickly nip back to the basics.
The body is continually replenishing its cells.
This is through a process called cellular metabolism, the body produces energy, more cells and repairs any damage.
One by-product of cellular metabolism is unstable molecules called free radicals.
Free radicals are molecules that damage your body; they are unstable because they are missing an electron.
To get another one and become stable, free radicals will steal electrons from other cells.
That theft doesn’t just kill the cell off, it leaves it injured and in turn damages the DNA , which then leads to increased negative outcomes on our health.
The results are visible and invisible changes to our bodies.
The development of diseases like cancer, diabetes, arthritis and neurological deficiencies may begin to affect you as you age, and as free radicals damage our cells.
Also, thinner skin wrinkles and brittle bones are a problem.
Free radicals can enter our body from outside sources as well, such as from cigarette smoke, frying or barbecuing food, exhaust fumes from cars, radiation and even the sun’s UV rays to name a few.
The more free radicals that we are exposed to the greater the damage that can be done to our bodies.
Antioxidants have been shown to be of great help in the free radical problem.
Antioxidant substances combine with free radicals and neutralize them. Once they are neutralized, they can’t do us any more damage.
At the moment scientists have not worked out a recommended daily dose of antioxidants that will correct free radical damage and the diseases that come with age, but they have said that eating foods rich in antioxidants makes a huge difference in how we live.
So Where do We Find These Antioxidants?
Well in actual fact they are more or less all around us. Look no further than your local farmer’s market or produce aisle in the grocery store.
Fruits and vegetables contain the principle sources of antioxidants.
Examples of antioxidants include:
* Vitamin C
* Vitamin A
* Vitamin E
* Lutein
* Lycopene
* Beta-carotene
Selenium is a protective mineral against free radicals and carcinogens. This can be found in foods such as: tuna, cod, herring, chicken, mushrooms, liver, cottage cheese and cabbage.
Having a wide variety of fruits and vegetables included in your diet, plus a few of the foods named above will increase the amount of antioxidants in your system and help to cut down on the incidence of disease.
Eating fruits and vegetables in their natural form as opposed to just their juices brings the benefit of other nutrients that are also found in the foods.
Remember that fruit juice on its own also contains a lot of sugar that your body doesn’t need.
So you see, proper food can do much more than just stave off your hunger.
Natural substances found in our food can cause us to live longer and stay free of disease as we age.
