Antioxidants Your Body Needs
Written by: Brandi Monasco
Antioxidants are important for your body in a variety of ways. Many fruits and vegetables contain natural occurring antioxidants that can prevent and delay types of cell damage that can be
Antioxidants Your Body Needs
Written by: Brandi Monasco
Antioxidants are important for your body in a variety of ways. Many fruits and vegetables contain natural occurring antioxidants that can prevent and delay types of cell damage that can be caused by free-radicals you come into contact with on a daily basis.
Eating fruits and vegetables that are high sources of antioxidants can also help prevent certain diseases and cancers. They also help defend your body from premature aging by ridding it of molecules that can damage healthy cells.
While there are so many different vitamins that your body needs daily, there are a few that contain these amazing antioxidants that can help fight against disease. These vitamins are the recommended nutrients that can help reduce your risk of damage caused by free-radicals.
1. Vitamin C: Vitamin C is a popular vitamin that can help not only fight off illnesses such as colds, but can also help prevent them. What many people are not aware of is that vitamin C is more than just for fighting off colds.
Vitamin C helps produce a type of “glue” between cells called collagen. The collagen helps prevent viruses from piercing the cell walls, which can weaken the cells. If a virus is able to penetrate a cell wall, the virus is able to multiply and spread, causing illness.
Vitamin C is also responsible for lowering levels of histamine, which is what causes the watery and itchy eyes, sneezing and congestion, which are usually the symptoms for both allergies and colds.
Vitamin C Foods:
- Tomato juice
- Mustard greens
2. Vitamin E: Vitamin E is a wonderful vitamin that prevents against heart disease. It helps to improve blood flow to your extremities such as your arms and legs. Because it helps improve blood flow to your extremities, it is wonderful to be used for preventing leg cramps and charley horses as well as for warming your hands and feet.
Vitamin E also helps to lower high blood pressure and speeds up the wound healing process.
Vitamin E Foods:
- Brown rice
- Dark green vegetables
3. Calcium And Magnesium: Calcium and magnesium work together hand-in-hand. Calcium is a natural sleep aid that your body absorbs well and helps you relax. It also helps to regulate your heartbeat as well as provide proper muscle function, blood clotting and bone health.
Magnesium is important for strengthening and regulating your heart muscle. It can also be used to help prevent other types of muscle spasms.
When magnesium is combined with calcium, there are dozens of important jobs that the two vitamins do to help your body. Together they help to regulate the fluid in your cells.
Calcium And Magnesium Foods:
- Collard greens
Do you have any favorite recipes involving any of these whole foods? Please share with us in the comments below!
Source: Mindell, E. L., RPh, PhD, & Hopkins, V., MA. (2003). Bottom Line’s Prescription Alternatives. The McGraw-Hill Companies.
Brandi Monasco is a freelance writer, graphic designer and social media manager from Texas. She graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Communication Arts and has recently found a new love for health and nutrition.
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