5 Ways Eating More Antioxidants Protects Your Health
By Genevieve Smith
Think of free radicals as a growing riot of poachers in your body. Don’t think about it too hard, but, the more free radicals there are, the more of your cells are converted to free radicals. It’s kind of like a zombie attack. Antioxidants are the poacher-fighting superheroes that save the day for your innocent-citizen cells by donating what the free radicals want, at no cost. In short, antioxidants have the power to neutralize free radicals, with no harm to themselves. But what effect does this micro-cellular drama have on your body? The presence of antioxidants help protect your health in multiple ways, a few of which are listed below.
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They protect your heart - Many studies have found that people with diets abundant in fruits and vegetables, with high antioxidant content, have a low risk of heart disease.
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They keep your DNA safe - Free radicals can cause DNA damage, which may put a cell’s operating instructions out of whack and cause an uncontrollable reproduction of the cells, which can lead to cancerous tumors. Antioxidants not only have the ability to reduce the numbers of DNA-damaging free radicals in your body, but they can also stunt tumor growth in a variety of ways.
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They ward off diabetes complications - Unfortunately, high blood sugar speeds up the creation of free radicals, and this process is associated with the possibilities of kidney failure, nerve damage, and blindness. Antioxidants can help relieve diabetes symptoms, as suggested in some promising studies, and they may also be able to cut the risk of type 2 diabetes altogether, as found in a 23-year Finnish study of 4300 nondiabeteic men and women.
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They defend against Alzheimer’s and dementia - Vitamins C and E seem to do wonders for your brain health by fighting the damage of free radicals found in the brain cells of dementia patients.
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They save your eye health - Antioxidants in the form of beta-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin are especially helpful to your eye health, and are absorbed by the eye muscles to help fight free radicals. Diets higher in these nutrients are associated with prolonged maintenance of sight and a reduction in the cases of cataracts.
You have the power to introduce more antioxidants into your body to fight the good fight. Foods high in Vitamin C and Vitamin E are some of the most potent carriers of your little heroes, thus that rule about eating 5-8 servings of fruits and vegetables per day. From wine to wheat bread, corn to kiwi fruit, tomatoes to tea and more, you have a rich rainbow of colors to choose from to fill out your diet with the defenders of your best, antioxidant-rich health. Bon appetit!
To learn more about your health and wellness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic.