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Choices4Wellness
Antioxidants for life!
Tuesday, September 26, 2006
With the more natural look at consuming foods including the whole food greens etc. movement into longevity, I thought a look at the Antioxidants we hear about would be a good topic.What is an antioxidant? Dictionary term: it is a chemical that reduces the rate of particular HYPERLINK "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxidation" o "Oxidation" oxidation reactions in a specific context, where oxidation reactions are HYPERLINK "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chemical_reaction" o "Chemical reaction" chemical reactions that involve the transfer of HYPERLINK "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electron" o "Electron" electrons from a substance to an HYPERLINK "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxidising_agent" o "Oxidising agent" oxidising agent.
At the molecular and cellular levels, antioxidants serve to deactivate certain particles called free radicals. In humans, free radicals usually come in the form of O2, the oxygen molecule. The oxygen molecule wants to be oxidized (remember that stuff from your chemistry class?), and this oxidation process can sometimes be carcinogenic.
The natural by-products of many processes within and among cells are free radicals.They are also created by exposure to various environmental factors, tobacco smoke and radiation.
Free radicals can cause damage to cell walls, certain cell structures, and genetic material within the cells. In the worst case scenario and over a long time period, such damage can become irreversible and lead to disease (e.g., cancer). This is where antioxidants come into play.
Antioxidants play the housekeeper's role, "mopping up" free radicals before they get a chance to do harm in your body. Researchers have shown that antioxidants prevent the carcinogenic effects of oxidation.
Many researchers claim that elderly people, especially those who have reduced their food intake, frequent aspirin users, heavy drinkers, smokers, and people with impaired immune systems benefit from taking antioxidant supplements daily. In terms of heart disease and stroke, taking in higher levels of antioxidants slow or prevent the development of arterial blockages, a complicated process involving the oxidation of cholesterol.
Studies:
Scientists at Johns Hopkins have successfully blocked the advance of retinal degeneration in mice with a form of retinitis pigmentosa (RP) by treating them with vitamin E, ALA (alpha-lipoic acid) and other antioxidant chemicals.
A diet with a high intake of beta carotene, vitamins C and E, and zinc is associated with a substantially reduced risk of age-related macular degeneration in elderly persons, according to a study in the December 28 issue of JAMA.
Eating plenty of leafy greens, broccoli and Brussels sprouts may help ward off the blood cancer non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, research findings suggest.
In a study of more than 800 U.S. adults with and without non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL), researchers found that those who ate the most vegetables had a 42 percent lower risk of the cancer than those with the lowest intakes
Where are antioxidants found?
Antioxidants are abundant in fruits and vegetables, as well as in other foods including nuts, grains and some meats, poultry and fish. The list below describes food sources of common antioxidants.
Beta-carotene is found in many foods that are orange in color, including sweet potatoes, carrots, cantaloupe, squash, apricots, pumpkin, and mangos. Some green leafy vegetables including collard greens, spinach, and kale are also rich in beta-carotene.
Lutein, best known for its association with healthy eyes, is abundant in green, leafy vegetables such as collard greens, spinach, and kale.
Lycopene is a potent antioxidant found in tomatoes, watermelon, guava, papaya, apricots, pink grapefruit, blood oranges, and other foods. Estimates suggest 85 percent of American dietary intake of lycopene comes from tomatoes and tomato products.
Selenium is a mineral, not an antioxidant nutrient. However, it is a component of antioxidant enzymes. Plant foods like rice and wheat are the major dietary sources of selenium in most countries. The amount of selenium in soil, which varies by region, determines the amount of selenium in the foods grown in that soil. Animals that eat grains or plants grown in selenium-rich soil have higher levels of selenium in their muscle. In the United States, meats and bread are common sources of dietary selenium. Brazil nuts also contain large quantities of selenium.
Vitamin A is found in three main forms: retinol (Vitamin A1), 3,4-didehydroretinol (Vitamin A2), and 3-hydroxy-retinol (Vitamin A3). Foods rich in vitamin A include liver, sweet potatoes, carrots, milk, egg yolks and mozzarella cheese.
Vitamin C is also called ascorbic acid, and can be found in high abundance in many fruits and vegetables and is also found in cereals, beef, poultry and fish.
Vitamin E, also known as alpha-tocopherol, is found in almonds, in many oils including wheat germ, safflower, corn and soybean oils, and also found in mangos, nuts, broccoli and other foods.
Researchers at the Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University (Last Updated: 2005-08-17)
Consider ORAC scores of various foods. ORAC refers to the Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity, an analysis that is used to measure the total antioxidant power of foods and other chemical substances. The higher the ORAC score, the greater its antioxidant capacity. This is a laboratory measurement and its relevance to the diet is unclear. Demonstrating that a substance neutralizes free radicals in a test tube and showing that it prevents some disease are quite different matters. ORAC scores for 3.5 oz (100 ml):
Prunes------------------------5,770
Raisins-----------------------2,830
Blueberries------------------2,400
Strawberries----------------1,540
Raspberries-----------------1,220
Plums----------------------------949
Oranges-------------------------750
Grapes---------------------------739
Cherries--------------------------670
Kiwi--------------------------------602
Kale------------------------------1,770
Spinach-------------------------1,260
Brussels Sprouts---------------980
Broccoli florets-------------------890
Beets--------------------------------840
Red Bell Peppers---------------710
Onions------------------------------450
Corn----------------------------------400
Eggplant----------------------------390
Carrots------------------------------210
More recently there have been extremely high ORAC with certain berries
Goji wild harvested – 25,000 ....amazing
Noni 100% organic and pure – 8,000
Mangosteen 17,000
I believe with a balanced meal and taking in the proper amount of antioxidants (5,000 and up ORAC) your health will increase and stay at optimal levels throughout your life!
Go for it see you in a 100 years!!!
Thanks for reading......Greg Foster
Inspiration of the week: How bad you want something is determined by how far and how hard you are willing to push yourself to reach it.
Greg Foster, owner of Choices4Wellness has a long history in the Natural Health industry. Since 1987 Greg's goal has been to own and operate his own store. While working toward his goal, he was a sales associate for Prolab a sports nutrition company. Greg also worked as a personal trainer and helped people achieve their fat loss and fitness goals, while also teaching them that these goals were about a "whole" lifestyle approach and the benefits of supplements and healthy food choices . Always teaching that it's about FAT LOSS not weight loss, Greg is now able to live out his dream of owning a health food store so that he can better meet the needs of his clients. Greg has a personal training room at the store where he has one on one time with his clients. They range from teenagers to couples that want personalized time and attention to achieve fitness goals without the busy atmosphere of a gym, where sometimes your precious work-out time is gobbled up by socializing and waiting your turn on the equipment.. It is during this time that Greg is able to recommend lifestyle choices to enhance your work-out routine & a positive mental attitude. Being a father of 3 boys, ages Trevor 18, Chad 10,and Shane 9 , Greg is sympathetic to living a busy life, and helps to make fitness goals realistic as well. At 41, Greg Foster , has embarked on a journey of entrepreneurial spirit, meshed with a passion to see people lead healthier ,happier lives. Truly, a business combination for success. Kim Iles, the manager of Choices4Wellness, is no stranger to the Natural Health Industry. She formerly founded and owned Alternative Choices from 1993 until its closing in 2004. During those 11years, Kim achieved many levels of business experience. She was on the board of directors for the CHFA (Canadian Health Food Association) as well as developing and franchising her Alternative choices concept. Kim's real passion however is with teaching, providing lectures, and spreading her knowledge of natural health through out Chatham-Kent and beyond. Kim is a mother of a 22 year old daughter , Nicole and a 17 year old son, Jordon . To Choices4Wellness, Kim also brings her knowledge of the water purification side of the business. Kim is a former owner and co-founder of Pure Choice Water Centers. The new store located inside of Choices4Wellness is appropriately named Choices4Water with a slogan "water you can believe in", offering state of the art purification better tasting and at better prices than the old business she left behind. Kim has always been a familiar voice on the radio, as well as in the newspaper, as she believes education and creating awareness is vital to getting people use and accept natural health products to create wellness and a lifestyle that enhances their lives.
