Sunday, August 10, 2008

Nutritional Health Supplements - Antioxidants are Natures Gifts

Shaklee Online Distributor
David Duncan

Antioxidants are important in a healthy diet and lifestyle. Antioxidants can be found in certain foods, or you can take nutritional health supplements to get them. They are found in fruits and vegetables, nuts, grains, and some meats, poultry, and fish. If you're able to eat a well balanced diet through out the day you should be able to get a really good start on your recommended antioxidant intake.

Antioxidants are substances or nutrients that are naturally present in the food we eat and they can prevent or slow the oxidative damage to our body. When our body cells use oxygen, they naturally produce free radicals (by-products) which can cause damage.

Some of the most powerful antioxidant rich fruits are blueberries, cranberries, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, cherries, prunes, red and black plums and apples. A really good way to consume any of these fruits is to mix up a smoothie either at home or go to one of the popular restaurants that specialize in these drinks.

Flavonoids are frequently occurring and important metabolites in plants. About 6000 different flavonoids are known to be involved in various natural processes. Flavonoids are synthesized in response to developmental and environmental signals and perform many functions in plants.

Flavonoids are phytochemicals and strong antioxidants. Flavonoids are found in a wide variety of foods; different types of flavonoids are found in different foods. For example, natural soy products are usually heavy in isoflavones and genistein; wines and some types of berries have large amounts of anthocyanidins; quercetin is found in the onion family, apples and green tea; and citrus fruits are abundant in flavanones. The nutrients that have antioxidant protective benefits belong to a diverse list of compounds and components.

Antioxidants are believed to help the body's cells resist damage caused by free radicals, formed by normal bodily processes such as breathing polluted air. Cell damage accumulates in our bodies as we get older, so nutritional health supplements and a good diet with extra antioxidant-rich foods can help slow the oxidative damage done to the cells.

Antioxidants act by 'mopping up' free radicals in cells, thereby limiting the damage they can cause. Antioxidant nutrients are known to lower the risk of heart disease. When the body lacks adequate levels of antioxidants, free radical damage ensues, leading to increases in LDL-cholesterol oxidation and plaque formation on arterial walls.

Flavonoids are among the best candidates for creating the protective effect of diets rich in fruits and vegetables with respect to colorectal cancer. This type of cancer is one of the major causes of death in this country. The process of heart disease is thought to be due to free radical damage. Flavonoids, such as the tea catechins found in green tea, are believed to contribute to the low rates of heart disease in Japan. Heart disease is another one of the causes of death in modern society.

Healthcare practitioners commonly recommend taking nutritional health supplements containing high quality natural antioxidants and flavonoids. If you have any concerns about your health, you should always consult with your favorite healthcare professional.

Independent Shaklee Distributor
Website: http://BestNutritionalHealthSupplements.com
Contact: David Duncan
Phone: 1-800-414-2864