YJ Education

HEALTH EDUCATION

Antioxidants

Any healthy diet includes a good amount of antioxidants and this is with good reasons.  Many antioxidants help to improve various aspects of human health.  As you will find out, these elements are found in various food sources and help to protect the human body against oxidizing agents that may be fatal in certain cases.  Antioxidants protect against cell damage caused by oxidizing agents.  Who would suspect that the oxygen that keeps us alive to breathe can also be a factor in how we perish. With the right amount of antioxidants in one’s diet, one can prevent against many chronic illnesses and early onset signs of aging.

What Do Oxidants Do?

An important way to understand the meaning of antioxidants is to learn what oxidizing agents do to the human body making it necessary to consume antioxidants.  Oxidants can be introduced into the human body through a number of intentional and unintentional situations such as exposure to the sun, pollution, cigarette smoke, alcoholic beverages, drugs and unwholesome foods.  When free radical cells are formed through these sources, it is very possible that cancerous growths begin to form.

When the oxidizing agents enter the body, they begin to interrupt healthy cells.  These free radical cells then begin to attack the body including the DNA, fats and proteins while simultaneously weakening the immune system and causing premature aging.  Other diseases that come as a result of oxidants are heart disease, arthritis, cataracts and the most common, cancer of all different kinds.  A way to avoid creating free radical cells or oxidants is by counteracting them with antioxidants which can be found in a number of healthy food sources.

Where to Find Antioxidants

In order to prevent oxidizing agents from taking over, antioxidants have the ability to take these agents and to break them down  and leave the body through the waste.  Also, they can help reverse and kill damage done to healthy cells.  You can find antioxidants in a variety of raw fruits and vegetables, nuts, spices, cereals, legumes and seeds which include the following: cherries, blueberries, oranges, plums, black berries, strawberries, pineapple, kiwi, pomegranate, raspberries, acai berries, crowberries, grapes, grapefruit, kale, spinach, parsley, Brussels, cabbage, lemons, beets, ginger, apricots, prunes, pinto beans, soy beans, walnuts, sunflower seeds, pecans, barley, cinnamon, oregano and cloves among many other natural foods.

Including these raw fruits and vegetables into your diet may help to keep you healthy and cancer free.