- Pacific
(NaturalNews) Fall has arrived and with the crisp weather
comes a cornucopia of delightful fruits and vegetables that not only taste great but are
excellent health boosters, as well! Fruits and vegetables are packed with powerful
antioxidants that can lower your risk of heart disease, cancer, diabetes-related damage
and even slow down the body's natural aging process. So grab an apple and read on…
What exactly are antioxidants and why do we need them? Antioxidants are nature's way of
fighting off potentially dangerous molecules in the body. Such molecules come in the form
of synthetic chemicals such as pesticides, plastics, and chlorine byproducts and are
called free radicals. Free radicals are unstable molecules that essentially feed off of
otherwise healthy molecules in order to survive. Every day tens of thousands of free
radicals are generated within the body, causing cell damage that can lead to chronic and
degenerative diseases if left unchecked.
The body sometimes creates its own free radicals in order to destroy viruses or bacteria.
To balance out these unruly molecules, the body also creates antioxidants, which have the
sole purpose of neutralizing free radicals. The body is only designed to create a certain
amount of antioxidants on its own however, and as we are faced with an ever-growing number
of environmental toxins, the body is less capable of fighting off the unwanted harmful
invaders.
Fruits and vegetables provide the body with an added source of antioxidants that is needed
to properly wage war against free radicals. Without the necessary intake of healthy fruits
and vegetables, free radicals can spread and eventually lead to stroke, heart attack,
arthritis, vision problems, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease and various types of
cancer.
The benefits of getting your daily dose of fruits and vegetables are numerous! The
antioxidant, Vitamin E, is wonderful for your heart. Vitamin E has the ability to
essentially "mop up" the LDL ("bad") cholesterol in your arteries,
allowing for the necessary elasticity and blood pressure levels to keep your heart pumping
safely. Cholesterol, if left untreated, builds up as plaque on the inside walls of the
arteries, impeding blood flow LDL and forcing the heart to work overtime to continue
functioning. Eventually, plaque buildup can become so severe that it can create a blockage
in the artery, leading to heart attack or stroke. By getting enough Vitamin E in your diet
you can give your body the necessary antioxidants to prevent your LDL cholesterol levels
from getting out of control.
Antioxidants can protect you against diabetes related damage. Free radicals thrive in the
altered metabolic states of diabetics. But with the necessary antioxidants that fruits and
vegetables can provide, free radicals can be neutralized, protecting your kidneys, blood
vessels, eyes and heart from harmful damage.
Free radicals cause cancer cells to grow. Many studies have linked cancer, including those
of the stomach, prostate, colon, breast, bladder, esophagus and pancreas, to free
radicals. Eating your fruits and vegetables may not prevent cancer altogether, but can
give your body the fighting chance that it needs. Antioxidants can neutralize cancer cells
before they develop into a mass. A recent study at Harvard University found that men who
ate the most tomato based foods (rich in antioxidants) had a 35% lower risk of developing
prostate cancer than those who ate the least amount of tomato based foods.
Antioxidants slow the effects of aging! Free radicals damage the cells within our body
that are vital to a youthful appearance and good health. Eating fruits and vegetables can
slow down the loss of muscle elasticity that leads to wrinkles, boost your immunity making
you less susceptible to illness, and put the breaks on memory failure, as free radicals
injure the brain cells necessary for retaining information. Antioxidants are available in
supplement form but are the most powerful when found in whole foods. The best practice is
to combine a "greens" supplement (containing vitamins, minerals and antioxidants
found in produce) with the recommended 5 to 9 servings of fruits and vegetables each day.
Leafy vegetables, like spinach and collard greens, and orange colored fruits and
vegetables such as mangos, oranges, cantaloupe, sweet potatoes and carrots are all
excellent sources of the antioxidant beta-carotene. Fruits and vegetables containing
lycopene, such as tomatoes, watermelon, guava, papaya, apricots and pink grapefruit, are
also packed with antioxidants.
It is important that when you are purchasing fruits and vegetables for yourself and your
family that you shop in the organic section. The produce available in most stores no
longer contains the level of nutrients that it did 100 years ago. Because of pesticides
and the diminished mineral levels in soils used today, eating non-organic produce will not
provide you with the antioxidants (or vitamins and minerals) that your body needs. On
average, organic produce contains nearly 30% more nutrients than non-organic and is grown
without using harsh chemicals that can lead to further free radical exposure. Autumn is a
great time to start a new healthy habit that your family will love, and eating 5 to 9
servings a day of scrumptious organic fruits and vegetables really can keep the doctor
away.
"The two enemies of the people are criminals and government, so let us tie the second down with the chains of the Constitution so the second will not become the legalized version of the first." Thomas Jefferson
Knowledge is the key to good health!