Antioxidants
Category: Nutrient / health enhancer
Antioxidants are substances in our food (including many
vitamins and minerals) that help the body defend against
harmful effects (oxidative stress) caused by free radicals
(by-products of the body’s natural oxidation process).
Free radicals can also come from our environment (cigarette
smoke, pollution, radiowaves, sun rays, x-rays, contamination,
pesticide, food additives .. etc).
Oxidative stress occurs when incomplete free
radical molecules (ie. molecules that are missing an electron)
grab a hydrogen ion from a nearby molecule, which in turn
grabs an ion from another structure, setting off a chain
reaction that leads to tissue damage. It has been shown
that this tissue damage if left unchecked will lead to more
serious diseases (ie. cancer and heart diseases). 80% of
cancer and heart diseases has been attributed to free radical
or oxidative stress damage.
Nature has not left us defenseless against
free radical attack. Antioxidants are substances that will
“sacrifice” their ions to the free radicals
thus defending our bodies against oxidative stress.
Studies have shown that people who eat antioxidant-rich
foods and people who take antioxidant supplements, are less
prone to oxidative stress induced diseases (eg. heart disease,
stoke, cataracts, cancer).
Major antioxidants: vitamin
C, vitamin
E, carotenes,
flavanoids, phytochemicals.
Apple
Category: Fruit
Benefits: lowers blood cholesterol levels,
helps constipation and diarrhea, traditional aid for joint
problems, support general resistance to illness.
>> More: Apples
- detoxifies lead, lowers cholesterol, prevents constipation
Arginine
Arginine is an amino acid and has an important
role to play in wound healing, immunity functions, detoxification
reactions, and the promotion of production of insulin and
growth hormones.
Recent scientific interest has been to arginine's
role in the formation of nitric oxide. Nitric oxide is important
in determining the tone of blood vessels. It exerts a relaxing
effect on blood vessels resulting in imprved blood flow.
Our bodies normally can produce sufficient arginine, but
during instances when our bodies cannot produce enough,
supplementation is required.
Arginine supplementation has been shown to
be beneficial in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases:
angina pectoris, congestive heart failure, high blood pressure,
peripheral vascular insufficiency (decreased blood flow
to the arms or legs).
Arginine supplementation increases nitric
oxide levels, which improves blood flow, reduces blood clot
formation, and improves blood fluidity. The level of improvement
can be quite significant.
A natural source of arginine is nuts.
Arthritis
Category: Ailment
One of the most common health problems, often striking the
elderly. Although cases involving people in their 20s and
30s are not uncommon. Arthritis has many different forms
causing different patterns of pain and swelling in the joints.
Arthritis can be categorized into two main types ...
>> More info on arthritis
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