Antioxidant Protection – Part 2

The key is a balance of free radicals and antioxidants inside the body to protect against the free radical damage. Antioxidants can originate from inside the body or as part of our diet. If there isn’t enough antioxidants manufactured for the amount of free radicals produced then it’s time to take in more antioxidant protection.

Antioxidant protection comes from Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, minerals, Zinc, Magnesium, Copper, Carotenoid and flavonoids. So, if the protection comes from vitamins and minerals where does the damage come from? Free radicals can be produced from inside the body when you are under stress, smoke cigarettes, radiation from the sun (tanning), and foods containing heavy metals.

If you feel your diet doesn’t contain enough variety or you have bad eating habits it would be in your best interest to take a good multi-vitamin that contains many of the antioxidant protection vitamins and minerals. Unfortunately, your body doesn’t absorb vitamins the same from supplements as it does from your diet but when your diet isn’t adequate then they have to come from somewhere.

Remember, that with all things, it is easier to prevent an illness or condition than to cure it. Using antioxidants appropriately should help you to prevent diseases such as heart disease, degenerative dementia, and Alzheimer.

So, to prevent free radical damage you should maintain a proper diet as much as possible and take supplements as needed; avoid too much sunlight, cigarette smoking, alcohol and use proven stress management techniques to reduce and manage the stress in your life.

Resources:

Journal of American Academy of Dermatology: Cutaneous Photodamage, oxidative stress, and topical antioxidant protection

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12522365

National Cancer Insitute: Antioxidant and Cancer Prevention

http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/prevention/antioxidants

Circulation: Antioxidant Protection of LDL by Physiological Concentrations of 17B-Estradiol

http://circ.ahajournals.org/content/95/6/1378.full

ScienceDirect: Lipid Peroxidation, Antiosicant protection and Aging

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0925443997000677

Chiro: Sustaining the Brain with Antioxidant Protection

http://www.chiro.org/nutrition/FULL/Sustaining_The_Brain.shtml

The Lancet: Antioxidant Protection