Have you ever wondered what oxidants are and why you hear so much about being “anti”?
Oxidation is a normal process of energy production in the body. However, oxidation produces free radicals (this just means they are missing an electron in their outer shell). These highly unstable molecules “attack” other molecules attempting to “steal” electrons in order to gain stability.
Free radicals damage other cells and DNA, creating more free radicals in the process and a chain reaction of oxidative damage.
Normally oxidation is kept in check by the anti-oxidants you get in your diet. But when oxidative stress is high or the body’s level of antioxidants is low, damage occurs. Oxidative damage is strongly correlated to inflammation and heart disease.
HEART DISEASE is an INFLAMMATORY PROCESS
Scientists now emphasize that heart disease is actually an inflammatory condition within the blood vessels. Inflammation and oxidative stress work together damaging arteries and impairing cardiac function. Oxidation Several antioxidant nutrients minimize this inflammatory process.
ANTIOXIDANTS
Good food sources of antioxidants are those with deep or bright color like dark, leafy greens and berries. To increase your antioxidant consumption, a good rule of thumb is to eat the rainbow. Choose a variety of colors of fruits and vegetables such as red tomatoes, orange peppers, yellow squash, green kale, blueberries and purple eggplant. Grass fed meats, eggs, and dairy can also be good sources.
Antioxidants are your body’s best defense against sunlight damage, chemical oxidation, and insect damage. The color is a result of their defense against these threats. Some of the best studied polyphenol-rich foods are green tea; blueberries; extra-virgin olive oil; red wine; citrus fruits; hibiscus tea; dark chocolate; turmeric; and other herbs and spices.
Oxidation is not all bad – each one of your cells produce energy by using oxidation, so taking an OVER abundance of anti-oxidants, especially an isolated nutrient like ascorbic acid, may be detrimental.
I my practice in Los Altos, CA I recommend a test that looks at the intracellular levels of 35 different vitamins, minerals and antioxidants so can be sure that your levels are optimized.
One of the best ways to understand the underlying nutritional cause of your symptoms is to know which foods and nutrients you have trouble digesting and those you are deficient in.
Click here to take Dr. Rose’s Nutritional Profile Quiz and get an overview of what your nutritional imbalances could be. You’ll get your results immediately.
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