Antioxidants And Health Go Hand In Hand

All the time your mom told you to finish your vegetables instead of sneaking them into the trash, she could have been saving you from complicated health problems. As the world becomes more and more polluted, it’s not just the environment that is suffering. Humans, too, suffer the damage being done to the environment.

Increased exposure to pollution, radiation and tobacco smoke increase the free radicals in the body. Microwaves and cell phones emitting small doses of radiation, just like carbon monoxide emissions, are all part of modern life and there is no escaping it. There is a clear link between antioxidants and health; the verdict seems to be that antioxidants help to prevent degenerative diseases that affect us. Antioxidants and health are correlated in that antioxidants help to fight harmful free radicals.

How Free Radicals Damage Cells

The processes among cells in the body produce free radicals naturally. Their production is increased by exposure to the environmental factors mentioned earlier. Free radicals usually originate from oxygen molecules that are being oxidized. This process sometimes becomes carcinogenic and this is when all the problems start. Once free radicals have had a chance to build up over time they can cause irreversible damage to cell structure and cell walls.

Speeding up the aging process is the least damage that free radicals will do to the body. The worst instances of free radical damage include heart disease, strokes and cancer. All nasty degenerative diseases that can be easily avoided which makes it a shame that not enough are pro active about taking the necessary precautions. Antioxidants and health are a simple solution to many health problems.

Eating Right To Maintain A Balance

Since antioxidants and health go hand in hand, the first step to getting healthy with antioxidants is to eat them. Antioxidants are found in fruit and vegetables which have skins that are red, orange or yellow. Mangoes, capsicums, carrots and so on are rich in antioxidants that are vital in fighting free radicals.

Many people however have taken the easy route out when it comes to antioxidants and health. Citing the lack of time to sit down and eat a balanced meal, they pop supplements instead. Surely supplements will do the trick you think. Taking supplements should not be seen as a substitute to a healthy diet. After all, supplements are meant to supplement a healthy diet, not act as substitutes.

Some supplements have even been known to cause toxicity in the body. Vitamin E and A are fat-soluble and when taken in large doses are stored in the liver. Too much of these antioxidants will lead to liver damage and possible birth defects in babies. As in all things, moderation is the way to go with antioxidants and health.