Why increasing your Anti-oxidant intake can help lengthen your life and promote health.
If you follow me on social media @amodifiedlife, you may have come across a reel I posted yesterday introducing the topic of anti-oxidants. I am currently completing an online nutrition certificate program with eCornell. I LOVE learning new information, especially when it comes to health and wellness.
In my current course, I am learning about prevention of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. This is when you collect blockages in the arteries carrying blood away from the heart and through the body. These blockages will eventually cause a heart attack. As you know, this is usually not a good health outcome.
So, what are anti-oxidants and what are their purpose?
To know what anti-oxidants are, we first need to know what an oxidant is. More specifically, oxidation is a process when an atom, molecule or ion loses one or more of it’s electrons during a chemical reaction.
After an atom, molecule or ion loses one of more of its electrons, it becomes ‘unstable’. It is further known as a free radical. The free radical then attempts or does steal an electron from the molecules within the cells of your body. This process causes damage to the body.
Anti-oxidants help in this process by joining with the free radical before the free radical can steal cells from your body. This prevents damage to the body.
When you have an over abundance of free radicals, this can cause something called ‘oxidative stress’. Think of a serial killer on the loose (sorry, I know that’s dark). The anti-oxidant is the Detective who stops the serial killer (free radical) from causing any further damage. If anti-oxidants are not successful in preventing oxidative stress, the body will experience cellular damage in the DNA level.
There are many signs of oxidative stress in people with chronic health conditions. Think of someone with skin cancer. This individual spent too much time being exposed to UV rays which caused sun spots/cancer. A diabetic with uncontrolled blood glucose experiences oxidative stress when they start to experience neuropathy, circulatory issues/poor wound healing and heart disease. This is the same for elevated cholesterol causing heart attacks and stroke.
Cancers, autoimmune diseases, neuro-degenerative diseases and even aging skin (wrinkles and sun spots) are results of oxidative stress from free radicals.
Examples of environment causes of free radicals include; cigarette smoke, pollutants, pesticides, solvents, cleaning products, ozone and UV rays.
How can we prevent increased exposure to free radicals? Obviously, no smoking, limiting alcohol intake, limiting time in the sun (also wearing sunscreen), completing stress relief activities, maintaining a healthy weight, avoiding pollution, maintaining control/prevention of chronic diseases.
How can we incorporate anti-oxidants into our lives?
Some examples include:
Vitamin C: Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, blueberries, cauliflower, cantaloupe, grapefruit, leafy greens, kale, strawberries, sweet potatoes, bell peppers, tomatoes and citrus fruits.
Vitamin E: Almonds, avocado, sunflower seeds, oatmeal and legumes (beans, lentils, split peas), peanuts, red pepper and leafy greens.
Beta carotene: Apricots, cantaloupe, mangos, carrots, grapefruit and bell peppers, asparagus, beets, kale, mangoes, orange, peaches, pink grapefruit, pumpkin, squash, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, tangerines and watermelon.
Selenium: Eggs, tuna, salmon, brown rice, onions, poultry, shellfish and beef — limited to no more than one to two servings per week.
Zinc: Beef, poultry, oysters, shrimp, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, chickpeas, lentils, cashews and fortified cereals.
Phenolic compounds: Apples, wine (in moderation), onions, tea, cocoa, berries, grapes, peanuts and some spices, including oregano, thyme and rosemary.
Cleveland Clinic (2022). Why You Should Care About Free Radicals. Retrieved from https://health.clevelandclinic.org/free-radicals
Some people take supplements as well to assist, however supplements are exactly that, to be used when you cannot obtain what you need from the diet.
Let me know if you have any questions.
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xoxo,
Alison Jimenez
