Taking proper care of your body and health is a lot like being a football coach diagramming X’s and O’s, strategizing to do what it will take to outmaneuver the opponent and win the game. When it comes to our health, sometimes we are on offense and sometimes we are on defense. The goal 100 percent of the time is to emerge victorious.
On one side of the ball we try to remain proactive in treating our bodies with great care, eating right and getting proper exercise. On the other side of the ball, we should remain vigilant while bolstering our defenses (think immunity) in guarding against enemy quarterbacks disguised as viruses and other toxins trying to assault our health.
This where antioxidants, among other health inducers/protectors come into play. Antioxidants, which are found in a wide variety of foods and are also available over the counter in supplemental form, help protect your cells from damage caused by free radicals. Among other things, they also support your cardiovascular system, enhance immunity function, and reduce unwanted inflammation. But mention “antioxidant” in a conversation, and the talk always comes back around to “free radicals” and “oxidative stress.”
What Are Free Radicals, and What Exactly Is Oxidative Stress?
Free radicals are oxygen-laden substances released throughout our bodies in response to sources such as stressful situations or high-intensity workouts. Cigarette smoke and other environmental pollutants might also be to blame. In brief, free radicals can damage your cells leading to an onset of disease or other types of maladies.
Oxidative stress is caused by an excess of free radicals being produced in your body and can also cause havoc affecting components such as your body’s DNA, lipids, and proteins, perhaps resulting in longer-term health conditions. Such chronic afflictions can include diabetes, heart disease, and stroke.
Antioxidants neutralize free radicals, which actually are unstable molecules defective because they have an unpaired electron, putting them in constant mode of seeking out electrons they can steal from other, healthy molecules, thus damaging cell membranes in the process. By giving up some of their electrons to free radicals, antioxidants effectively act as a natural “off switch.” This neutralization function is accomplished without antioxidants incurring damage to themselves despite the loss of their own electrons.
5 Natural Remedies Abundant in Antioxidants
Following are five supplements known to be bountiful sources of antioxidants. Certainly there are others, but this list should give you a good start if you are looking to add an antioxidant to your daily regimen:
Alpha-lipoic acid. Also known simply as “ALA,” this potent antioxidant is fat-soluble as well as water-soluble, making it more adaptable to function in more areas of your body. It contributes to the healthy function of your mitochondria (parts of your cells that produce most of your body’s energy) and help guards against oxidative stress.
Astaxanthin. Also known as xanthophyll carotenoid, this robust antioxidant is sometimes called the “king of antioxidants” because of its unique structure that protects both the inner and outer walls of cell membranes as well as the space in the middle. It is reportedly thousands of times more powerful times than either Vitamin C or resveratrol.
Vitamin C. Also known as ascorbic acid, this popular immunity booster is an ace at scrounging for free radicals. In doing so, it can provide a first line of defense in aqueous areas of your body such as blood and intracellular fluid.
Vitamin E. This lipid-soluble antioxidant’s main role in your body is safeguarding your cell membranes from a condition known as lipid peroxidation, a process that can ultimately lead to the death of cells.
Resveratrol. This nutrient can commonly be found in grapes and its form of antioxidant has been associated with healthy aging, possibly helping to extend lifespans while also supporting heart and brain health. Note, however, that resveratrol metabolizes quickly in the body, so be on the lookout for supplements that are composed of trans-resveratrol which is a more active form of this effective natural remedy.
As you can see here, antioxidants almost are adept in neutralizing free radicals while between them carrying out a wide array of health-related missions. Before adding any of these or other antioxidants to your pantry or medicine cabinet, be sure to discuss their usage specific to your own needs and health conditions with your personal physician or other licensed healthcare professional.