's motd Sun Aug 22, 2010 - Antioxidants

[Guest guest]

THE

ANTIOXIDANTS

Sunday, 22 August 2010

You've probably heard about them a

lot on television and radio besides seeing claims for

them on many of the foods you buy these days. I'm

talking about antioxidants. They've been in

the news a lot lately and are really beneficial to

these bodies of ours. And what are antioxidants?

Well, pretty much what the name

implies...anti...or against oxidation. See,

antioxidants slow down the oxidation process in our

bodies, which is the breakdown of our body's cells.

Another way to put it is that antioxidants actually

help slow down the aging process by aiding

in preventing those conditions that come with it. And

let's face it.

Isn't that what we all want...to slow down the process of looking and

feeling old? We all want to live long and healthy

lives and those good-for-you antioxidants can

help you do just that.

You know, it's amazing to me the things so many people

do to their bodies to speed up the aging

process. (Now why would they want to do a thing like

that?) I'm talking about things we know

aren't good for their bodies, like smoking, drinking

too much and yes...eating too much. I mean,

really, why not work hard to put things in our bodies

that will help us live longer? Well, that's

where the antioxidants come in.

Now, you could go to the vitamins

store and pick up supplements that say they'll give

your body plenty of antioxidants. But I say that's

not the way you want to get them. The best way to get

those antioxidants is through the foods you eat.

I've got a few good examples of antioxidants and

the foods that will provide them for you, too.

Like...

Vitamin A. You'll find it in squash,

broccoli, yams, collard greens and other bright

colored vegetables.

Vitamin C. Those citrus fruits, like oranges

and limes are full of antioxidants. You'll also find

lots of Vitamin C in strawberries, tomatoes and

blueberries, (don't you just love 'em?) And by the

way, can you see why I've been telling you for all of

these years how important those fruits and vegetables

are to your food plan?

Vitamin E. You'll find it in nuts and

seeds, but be careful with the portion sizes here,

okay? Vitamin E is also found in green leafy

vegetables and whole grains.

Selenium is another antioxidant found in fish,

shellfish, chicken, red meat and, are you ready for

this one? Garlic! (Hey, now I can see why those

vampires live so long!)

Now, like I told you eartlier,

antioxidants can play an important preventive roll in

a number of chronic diseases that affect us as we get

older. I'm talking about those diseases, in

particular, that show up a lot in our golden years

such as Alzheimer's, arthritis, heart disease,

strokes, cancer and even cataracts.

Now of all of the foods I just told you about, I have

to tell you, most of them can be found in my kitchen everyday.

Are they in yours? If not, make it a point the next

time you're grocery shopping to pick up some of those

antioxidant rich foods and keep them on hand in your

kitchen!

Hey, I want us all to live longer, healthier,

happier lives. And those antioxidant rich foods can

help make sure we do!

Love,