Antioxidants

People often ask what nutritional supplements, if any, they should take.
There's no blanket answer to that question because each one provides unique health benefits and each person's needs are dependent on their particular situation.
However, there ARE some compounds that are SO beneficial and they aren't always plentiful in our diets and/or able to be made by our bodies...so supplementation is essential.
These are the Serious Six.
I'll tell you what they are in just a moment, but first I want to point out that four of the Serious Six are considered by many experts to be key antioxidants.
Most people have heard of antioxidants, but aren't really sure what they are or how they help us.
Here is a crash course on antioxidants, followed by my Serious Six list:
What's an antioxidant?
Antioxidants are vitamins, minerals and other nutrients that are produced by your body or also occur naturally in foods. They work together in your body to prevent damage to your cells caused by free radicals (more on those below).
Foods that are rich in antioxidants include real foods - fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, meats and oils. But most people in developed countries today rely heavily on processed foods, fast food and refined carbohydrates--all of which are mostly or completely lacking in natural antioxidants.
Not wise...
Current estimates show that over 70% of Americans will die from diseases caused or contributed to by deficiencies of certain antioxidants. So antioxidants are not something to take lightly. Your life just may depend on them.
Before seeing how they work, let me introduce you to free radicals.
What's a free radical?
A brief but simple chemistry lesson is needed for this:
Your body is made up of cells. Each cell is comprised of smaller units called molecules, and each molecule is created by one or more tiny atoms.
Atoms are made up of a nucleus (center), protons (positively charged particles in the nucleus) and electrons (negatively charged particles surrounding the atom). The number of protons in an atom determines the number of electrons the atom needs.
Electrons "orbit" around the atom in one or more shells--they look like the rings around Saturn.
Atoms are always trying to fill their rings with the proper number of electrons. Sometimes atoms will "share" an electron to achieve the right number - these are called bonded atoms.
Free radicals are created when a bonded atom splits away from its partner atom and ends up short one electron. The free radical is very unstable and "attacks" other atoms to "steal" the needed electron.
When an "attacked" atom has one of its electrons stolen, it becomes a free radical and attacks another atom. A chain reaction results with atoms attacking each other to get their missing electron.
Chemistry lesson over.
All free radicals are not created equal
Many people believe the presence of any free radicals is bad.
That's not exactly true.
Free radicals do serve valid functions like destroying viruses and bacteria, controlling blood flow through your arteries, keeping your brain sharp and even killing cancer cells.
The real danger is when free radicals get out of control -- that's when Dr. Jekyll turns into Mr. Hyde.
Out of control free radicals can travel through your bloodstream and encourage atherosclerosis, heart attack and cerebral vascular accident (stroke).
They can also cause or contribute to the following conditions:
- Premature aging
- Alzheimer's disease
- Parkinson's disease
- Type II diabetes
- Cataracts
- Arthritis
How antioxidants work
Antioxidants help to control free radicals by surrounding and engulfing them. At this point the antioxidant itself becomes a free radical; however, it is a weak one that is far less likely to do harm to your body.
Plus the engulfed free radical can be turned back into an antioxidant with the help of another antioxidant--so it gets "recycled" back into a good guy.
 
Now without further ado, here are the Serious Six:
1. Vitamin C
Food sources: Citrus fruit, tomatoes, red peppers, broccoli, cranberries, cabbage, potatoes, guava, strawberries, kiwi.
Vitamin C cannot be produced by the human body and therefore must be obtained through food or supplementation. It's a key antioxidant.
Its health benefits include:
* Cancer prevention by protecting DNA from free radical damage
* Strengthens immune function, thereby helping to reduce the length and severity of colds
* Protects sperm from free radical damage
* Fights the development of wrinkles by enhancing the production of collagen in the skin cells
* Works with Vitamin E to prevent atherosclerosis and heart disease
* Cataract prevention
 
2. Vitamin E
Food sources: Wheat germ oil, sunflower seeds, vegetable oils, turnip greens, nuts, nut butters, rice bran oil, barley and avocado.
Like vitamin C, vitamin E is also a key antioxidant and cannot be produced by the human body. It too must be obtained through food or supplements.
Here are some of Vitamin E's health benefits:
* Keeps your skin youthful by protecting against damage from UV radiation and ozone
* Relieves symptoms of arthritis and inflammatory conditions
* Reduces the risk of prostate cancer and can stop the growth of breast cancer cells
* Decreases the risk of heart disease
* Enhances immune function
* Cataract prevention
 
3. Lipoic acid (also known as alpha lipoic acid)
Food sources: Potatoes, spinach and red meat, but is mainly synthesized by your body.
Lipoic acid is very versatile and able to track down free radicals wherever they lurk. It's is also the only antioxidant that can recycle other antioxidants. It helps your cells produce ATP, which is your body's main form of energy.
Some of lipoic acid's impressive benefits are:
* Protects against stroke, heart disease and cataracts
* Strengthens memory and prevents aging of the brain
* Prevents and relieves complications of diabetes
* Shuts down genes that can accelerate aging and cause cancer
* Treats liver diseases such as hepatitis C
 
4. Coenzyme Q10 (also known as CoQ10)
Food sources: Oily fish (such as salmon and tuna), organ meats (such as liver), and whole grains. CoQ10 is also synthesized by your body.
CoQ10 is a key antioxidant involved in the Krebs cycle, which is how your body produces energy. It also recycles vitamin E and offers protection against UV radiation-the leading cause of skin aging and skin cancer.
CoQ10 supplementation is wise for people taking statin drugs, since statins inhibit the synthesis of CoQ10 in your body.
Here are some other ways CoQ10 helps you:
* Helps prevent and treat heart disease
* Rejuvenates brain cells and may aid in the prevention of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases
* Treats gum disease
 
5. Probiotics
Food sources: Yogurt, kefir, buttermilk, sauerkraut, tempeh, pickles and olives.
Trillions of these beneficial bacteria (probiotics) live in your intestinal tract. In addition to making up 80% of your immune system they also:
* Aid in digestion, helping to eliminate digestive problems such as IBS, constipation or diarrhea
* Reduce inflammation
* Help alleviate allergic responses
* Help lower cholesterol
But there are also harmful bacteria in your gut that weaken the intestinal wall, cause digestive problems and lead to countless other illnesses. Therefore, a proper balance of beneficial bacteria over harmful (at least 85% good and 15% or less bad) is essential to good health.
But the foods most peoples eat today feed the harmful bacteria, which then overcome the helpful ones. Other factors such as smoking, environmental toxins, lack of sleep, stress and drinking chlorinated water also lead to harmful bacteria overgrowth. Therefore, supplementation is important.
A medical grade multi-strain probiotic supplement such as Super Shield can help you achieve the crucial intestinal flora balance.

6. Omega-3 essential fatty acids
Food sources: Oily fish, tofu, flaxseeds, soybeans, walnuts
The critical Omega-3 fatty acids used by your body are eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).
EPA and DHA are a MAJOR structural component of cell membranes where they help control cell signaling, immune response, inflammation, hormone production and other metabolic functions.
Other health benefits of EPA and DHA Omega-3 fatty acids include:
* Promote arterial flexibility and elasticity
* Reduce dangerous LDL cholesterol while increasing healthy HDL levels
* Lower triglycerides
* Support healthy blood pressure and protect against blood clots
* Optimize brain health and mental clarity, memory and concentration.
* Prevent degenerative joint conditions
* Promote nervous system health and reduce the severity of disorders like depression, ADHD, bipolar disorder and OCD
* Fight chronic inflammation
Due to our highly processed diets and the lack of naturally occurring Omega-3 EFAs in our food supply, most people have a serious Omega-3 deficiency that eating more fish isn't likely to correct. Therefore, supplementation is important.


So there you have the Serious Six.
Now, there are MANY more supplements out there that I haven't mentioned that serve very valid functions, and if you're taking them and getting positive results, great!
However, the Serious Six are some heavy hitters that are most likely to help get YOU on a track to serious great health now and into your golden years.
To your health,