Free Radicals...you may have heard this term when people discuss Anti-Aging.
So what are they exactly?
Free radicals are what damage cells, cause inflammation, and age our bodies.
Antioxidants may be another term you have heard used around Anti-Aging.
So what are antioxidants?
We all know they are supposed to be good for us and supposed to rage war again aging but how?
We all know they are supposed to be good for us and supposed to rage war again aging but how?
Antioxidants are the super heroes in the fight against aging and readily available in most of the foods we eat. Antioxidants reverse the damage that free radicals do to our cells and decrease inflammation. These are found in what you may have heard called "Super Foods".
Super foods are packed with wonderful health saving antioxidants!
Now you are probably asking..."What foods?"
You may know some if you just take a few minutes to think about it.
What did you come up with?
Apples, oranges, broccoli, spinach, maybe grapes...
Okay, just a few that you may have come up with.
The key is to better understand where you are getting the proverbial "bang for your buck". Which foods give you the most antioxidants and help fight aging. Let's start with what is called the ACE in the fight against aging...Vitamins A, C, and E.
Vitamin A...
Vitamin A is used in the fight against acne and found in topical products like Retin-A. Beware with this one because it is fat soluble and stored in your liver. Too much vitamin A can cause toxicity. As a person ages the daily recommended intake increases so check with your doctor and do not over do when eating foods that are known to have vitamin A.
Vitamin A is used in the fight against acne and found in topical products like Retin-A. Beware with this one because it is fat soluble and stored in your liver. Too much vitamin A can cause toxicity. As a person ages the daily recommended intake increases so check with your doctor and do not over do when eating foods that are known to have vitamin A.Sources of Vitamin A:
Fish oil, eggs, liver are commonly known places to get vitamin A. But did you know that pumpkin, mozzarella cheese, carrots, and spinach are sources as well?
Vitamin C...
Probably the first thing that comes to mind are oranges but did you know that broccoli can give you 80% of your daily vitamin C? NEWBEAUTY magazine Summer-Fall issue states that a 1/2 cup of cooks broccoli gives you this. Can you imagine if you have a 1/2 cup of raw broccoli how much vitamin C you are getting. Remember RAW is better! Other places NEWBEAUTY magazine says you can get vitamin C are: red sweet peppers and potatoes.
What is Vitamin C good for?
It is one of the major building blocks for our bodies connective tissue, supports collagen production, and helps build the immune system.
Vitamin E...
Is great to help protect cells again free radial damage and is even thought to help slow the onset of certain diseases.
Where is Vitamin E found:
Nuts, avocados, soybean-based mayonnaise, asparagus and even ground ginger. A great place to use ginger is in cooked vegetables dishes. It adds a wonderful flavor!
Other Super Foods:
Nut - helps with hydration and moisture to your skin cells
Cucumbers and Celery - reduces inflammation, plumps skin cells, and reduces fine lines
Kiwi fruit - repairs damaged skin cells
Tomatoes & Dark purple grapes - helps to prevent sun damage to the skin
Grape Seed oil - use it when cooking instead of olive or other oil. It does not turn into artery clogging fat when heated like other oils and is quickly becoming known for its anti-aging benefits.
Once again, and it can not be stressed enough, raw foods with a variety of colors are the key to healthy beautiful skin and the fountain of youth that everyone seems to think is in some mystical miracle surgical procedure.
"When you are eating garbage, your skin reflects that." Dermatologist Jeannette Graf
So eat a rainbow of foods everyday (raw is best), stay away from the processed junk, drink plenty of water, walk a mile everyday, get good rest, laugh lots, and love with your whole heart.
"Beautiful skin is a way of life and easy to have!"
XO's
LG
*Resources used for writing this blog: NEWBEAUTY (summer-fall 2009 issue) and Office of Dietary Supplements
