The Magic of Antioxidants Benefits

The main antioxidants benefits is the protection of the body against the destructive effects of free radicals.

And as Dr. Packer eludes to below, there is a clear evidence pointing out how to prevent and reverse these negative effects...

"There is now compelling evidence that a considerable part of the deterioration in health we experience in the second half of life may not originate in inevitable irreversible, gene mutations or failures, but rather involve cumulative free radical damage and shifts in the activation threshold of genes, potentially preventable and reversible by good diet and antioxidant supplementation.

"For the first time in evolution, humans stand at the threshold of understanding how we may overcome the limitations of the genes we have inherited.

"That the means may not involve the exotic technology of genetic engineering and gene splicing but common natural nutrients our grandparents knew of is truly humbling." - Dr. Lester Packer

Oxygen Molecules - An Enemy?

In the body, oxygen is abundant. The oxygen molecule can become charged due to natural cellular activity or exposure to pollutants like cigarette smoke.

Once the oxygen molecule is charged it becomes a free radical. And it is the free radical form that can do the most damage in the body.

The free radical oxygen molecule becomes highly reactive; and, in order to become more stable, will steal electrons from other molecules thus turning them into free radicals.

Some of these "theft" victims may be your DNA or your cellular membranes. This free radicalization becomes a chain reaction and cellular damage can stack up very quickly.

The Danger of Heavy Metals

If you have heavy metals present, free radical creation is accelerated by several thousand or even millions of times. Any antioxidant's benefits you are seeking is likely gone!

Free radical creation is part of living. However, some of us create free radicals faster than others, especially if you have heavy metal toxicity.

The list below shows the various pathways heavy metals enter our systems. If you have exposure to any of these sorts of external sources, then realizing antioxidants benefits through a supplement or juice is an absolute must for you.

Metals containing products	Toxins (environmental)
Toxins (generated by candida)	Pharmaceutical or recreational drugs
Air pollution	Radiation from sunlight
Alcohol	Smoked or Barbequed foods
UV light	Deep fried foods
Processed foods	Cigarette smoke
Inflammation	Ozone

Internal Free Radical Sources

Acne
The immune system
Stress (a stressful life mass-produces free radicals)
Energy production in the cells
Exercise (especially intense exercise)

As you can see, we are all free radical producers! There’s no getting away from it.

You may say, “So what? If these things are everywhere and I can’t escape them why worry about them?”

It’s when there is an overabundance of free radicals in our system that there’s a cause for concern.

Excessive Free Radicals Lead To or Complicate...

Cancer
Heart disease
Stroke
Diabetes Mellitus
Osteoporosis
Cataracts
Behcet’s Disease
Senility
Multiple Sclerosis
Arteriosclerosis, Atherosclerosis
Cerebrovascular disease
Emphasema
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Ulcers
Crohn’s disease
Aging
Skin damage
Lupus

If you already struggle with these conditions it is vital that you get on an antioxidant supplement of some kind as long as it is in the form of a whole food so you get the maximum benefits of antioxidants.

What Fights Free Radicals? Consuming Antioxidants!

The USDA recommends that we consume at least 5,000 antioxidant units per day to reap the benefits of antioxidants.

However, getting more antioxidants than the daily recommendation is okay (as long as the antioxidant is in some form of whole food).

Those with health concerns should consider taking more than ten or fifteen thousand units per day. One of the benefits of antioxidants as a whole food is that you can't overdose on them.

Antioxidants - The Simple Explanation

Antioxidants benefits are the collective name for supplements, vitamins and foods that protect the body from damaging free radicals.

Supplements like Vitamin A, E, C and selenium, are known to be powerful antioxidants, but natural antioxidants are found abundantly in fruits and vegetables. The more colorful fruits, in particular, are very rich in antioxidants.

The benefits of antioxidants are that they help to solve the problems listed above by mopping up the free radicals in the system. Antioxidants benefitshave extra electrons that they are willing to give to the free radicals, but the antioxidants do not become free radicals in doing so.

They are nature’s perfect clean-up tools. Although it is possible to take an antioxidant supplement, this is not generally recommended.

Supplementation with Vitamin A or E may cause these fat-soluble vitamins to build up in your liver and other systems. Getting your antioxidants from whole foods is ideal! It's the best way to get the full benefit of antioxidants benefits.

Discover healing foods at antioxidant rich foods. Remember when the FDA recommended we eat about 4 servings of fruits and/or veggies a day to maintain good health? (Well, I'm a bit older than you are.)

Now they tell you to eat 9 to 13 servings a day. Why the big jump in numbers? Our soils are depleted and our food has far less nutrients than the good old days.

In fact, it takes 26 peaches to equal the nutritional value of a peach from the '50s!

What do you smell when you walk into the average produce section of a supermarket, or put your nose to a peach or cantaloupe? Did you say nothing? You're right, because you can't smell food that's stale or has little or no nutritional value. You're not getting the full measure of antioxidants benefits.

No wonder people are in such rotten shape; all they're eating are empty calories and bulk with nothing to back it up!

Go here for more antioxidants benefits and facts.

From Antioxidants Benefits to Antioxidants Health Benefits home page