When most people think about the nutrients our bodies need they immediately think fats, carbohydrates, proteins and some key vitamins or minerals. There are many other nutrients that our bodies need and they all have a specific purpose in the proper functioning of our body. We may or many not have learned some these things in science class many years ago. I fully admit, until I started down the path of learning more about nutrition, I didn’t really pay attention to all the nutrients in the foods that I ate.
We have all heard the importance of eating 5 – 7 fruits and veggies a day, eating the colors of the rainbow and to switch up and rotate some of our food choices. In reality, how many of us actually eat our recommended 5 – 7 fruits and veggies a day. Do we realize the real health benefits these foods have in nourishing our bodies? It’s not just the vitamins and minerals in these foods that our bodies need, there are so many other benefits. The one key nutrient I want to highlight today are Antioxidants.
Antioxidants offer a number of health benefits and research suggests that antioxidants can indeed be effective in preventing a number of age-related diseases, ranging from cancer to Alzheimer’s.
Antioxidants slow down or even prevent the oxidation of other molecules. When molecules in the body oxidize, they can create free-radicals. It is normal to have these free-radicals in the body, but in excess, they can ruin our cellular structures.
Free radicals create a destructive process in our cells, causing the molecules within the cells to become unstable and then try to attack other healthy cells. In layman’s terms, free-radicals are bullies that start pushing everybody around, and encourage nice cells to become bullies as well. If our cells are weak, it is natural that our organs, tissues and skin of the body will likewise become weakened.
Antioxidants help to STOP this cellular chain reaction of oxidation by neutralizing the free radicals. They act like a shield that protects the cells from becoming damaged.
What is the secret to consuming more antioxidants? Eat more organic fresh fruits, vegetables and nuts. You will not get antioxidants from dairy, meat, or grains. One helpful tip, if you eat chocolate and berries together it triples the amount of antioxidants your body is able to absorb!
This is just one example of some of the information and tips we will talk about in my upcoming Nutrition Renewed program. If you are interested in learning more, checkout my website http://onepowerfulstep.com/events/with the details to my program beginning in October or contact me at jen@onepowerfulstep.com