Showing The Need And Power of Antioxidants

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Search for "antioxidants" on the web and you will find no shortage of hits. It seems that these days antioxidants can be found in everything from, supplements and green tea for the health "nuts" or coffee and red wine to soothe the guilty conscious of indulgence. What are antioxidants for exactly? Judging from advertising they can be found in almost everything so what's the big fuss all about?

To understand why we need antioxidants and what constitutes a good source of antioxidants it is helpful to understand a little about the process of oxidation and what this does in the body.

One of the most common causes of free radicals is cellular oxidation. This a completely natural process that occurs in everyone's body and is the process that the human body uses to liberate energy from some proteins, carbohydrates and fats. The resulting byproduct of oxidation is a free radical. This is a molecule missing one electron. Again, the formation of free radicals is a natural part of the bodies burning of foods to release energy. A secondary cause of free radicals is the environment. The fumes from car engines, barbecue smoke, paint fumes, the gas from mercury amalgams or the aluminium in cook ware are all sources of free radicals.

The problem with free radicals is that the missing electron means they are not stable. In an effort to replace this missing molecule the free radical steals the needed electrons from cell membranes and proteins. This causes cellular dysfunction and debris, accelerating the process of ageing and breaking down bodily systems providing a fertile ground for disease to take root.

This is where antioxidants enter the picture. Antioxidants are molecules that contain several easily removable electrons. Without destroying itself, the antioxidant is able to donate an electron to a free radical, thereby neutralising its violent potential and rendering it harmless to the body. By stabilising the free radical, dietary antioxidants help to:

• slow the ageing process;
• speed the healing of wounds and injuries;
• protect the joints and cartilage from arthritis;
• prevent mental deterioration;
• protect against chronic disease.

Some sources have suggested that without antioxidants we would die within hours due to the destruction caused by free radicals. Fortunately our world has been created with abundant sources of antioxidants and many of these are fantastic additions to the diet without the need to resort to coffee, wine or chocolate. Some of the more well known examples include:

• Colourful berries including blueberries and strawberries;
• Watercress and parsley;
• Black cherries;
• Non-irradiated herbs and spices including turmeric, black pepper, ginger, rosemary, basil and coriander, as well as herbal extracts such as ginkgo biloba, milk thistle, full- spectrum grape seed and skin, Japanese green tea and European bilberry;
• Bee pollen;
• All whole, organic, non-salted, raw seeds, nuts, legumes;
• whole grains and peas.

Our specific need for antioxidants is going to be dictated by our lifestyles. If we live a stressful life, are exposed to a large number of environmental toxins, undertake high levels of physical activity or consume lots of processed foods our need for antioxidants will be higher. In many cases it can be beneficial to increase our dietary antioxidant intake by using a high quality, broad spectrum herbal and nutritional supplement. These are usually based on herbal extracts including ginkgo biloba, grape skins, green tea extract, bilberry and lipoic acid.

The effect of boosting our antioxidant intake can be seen in the following live blood examples.

This first photo shows blood affected by oxidative stress caused by free radicals. The "spiky" or "jagged" appearance of the red blood cells shows the damage caused by free radicals. In this case most of the damage was caused by toxic exposure to chemicals in the work place. It also showed raised levels of eosinophils and a particular type of white blood cell that is elevated when exposed to allergens, toxins and parasites.

The following photo is a sample from the same person after three weeks of nutritional support and supplementation. This emphasised a diet with increased levels of dietary antioxidants and supplementation with a high grade antioxidant supplement. As you can see the red blood cell membranes have now assumed a more regular shape without the jagged or spiked edges. Also the integrity of the neutrophils (garbage collectors), the most common type of white blood cell has greatly improved.

Preventing the cellular damage and debris caused by free radicals is a powerful and easy way we can enhance and boost our overall health. There are many fruits and vegetables with high levels of antioxidants that appeal to a wide range of tastes.