We hear a lot about antioxidants and we know that they are supposed to be good for us. But do you know why and how they can help you age well? Let's dig a little deeper into this compound.
I actually don’t like the term anti-aging.
Aging is a natural part of living and changing. What I mean by anti-aging is aging without the aches and pains we so often associate with aging. One reason for these ailments is inflammation in our bodies that cause a whole range of “itis” illnesses such as cognitivitis (Alzheimer’s), carditis (cardiovascular disease), bronchitis (asthma), colitis (intestinal illness) and dermatitis (skin inflammation) to name a few (Sears, W.).
Many of us were probably urged to finish our vegetables or to take a fruit to snack on instead of crackers or chips when we were growing up. Turns out our mothers did know best.
Now we know more about the reason for our mothers' advice. It turns out that the root cause of most inflammation, according to Dr. Sears, is oxidation.
What is Oxidation?
Dr. Sears has a funny and easy way of thinking about oxidation. He likens oxidation in our bodies to that of a car producing exhaust from burning fuel. Our bodies are similar, our engines (our metabolism), produce exhaust that is called oxidants which is a normal process in our bodies. You may know these oxidants by a different name, free radicals. This oxidation and release of free radicals also occurs as a result of environmental triggers such as smoke, ultraviolet light, and air pollution.
Problems arise when there is too much oxidative stress in the body. The oxidative stress causes tissue damage and inflammation. To continue Dr. Sears car analogy our bodies start to rust.
Antioxidants
What is the solution?
Limiting our exposure to environmental triggers is a great start by not smoking for example. But many of these triggers, like environmental pollutants, lie outside of our control.
Our body can make some powerful antioxidants, such as alpha lipoic acid, on its own but most of us can benefit from increasing the amount of antioxidants in our bodies. This will help us to balance and fight off the excess free radicals. The best way to increase our intake of antioxidants is through a diet full of fruits and vegetables and also seafood. Vitamins such as C and E are antioxidants and so are the nutrients that make these foods so colorful. These are antioxidants called phytochemicals (Harvard Health Publishing).
These antioxidants include carotenoids (yellow, orange and red pigments found in fruits, vegetables and the pink in seafood), flavonoids (found in grape skins, especially red grapes), isoflavones (found in legumes and soy), anthocyanins (which makes blueberries blue), quercetin in apples and catechins in green tea (W. Sears & Harvar Health Publishing).
Lifestyle Changes
As we age healthy habits become increasingly important as our body's ability to repair itself diminishes (Sears, W.).
The best way to increase our fruits and vegetables is to make them the main attraction of our meals.
Dr. Sears recommends eating ten fistfuls of fruits and/or vegetables a day. That may sound like a lot but it doesn't have to be hard. Here are three of my favorite ways of increasing my daily intake of fruits and
vegetables:
Make sure you have at least one vegetable or fruit at every meal and for every snack (you are already halfway there!).
Start your dinner with a salad or vegetable soup.
Sneak in extra vegetables where you can for example in your smoothies (I always add a fistful of baby spinach or kale and you can't even taste it), pasta sauces or stews.
It can feel like a chore in the beginning, but don't give up! Try some new veggies, experiment with new recipes and have fun!
In Conclusion
Knowing why eating healthy by increasing my fruits and vegetables was so important made it easier for me to commit to this healthy habit. Knowledge truly is power. If you need any help adding some healthy habits to your lifestyle please don't hesitate to reach out to me at linda@simplynordichealth.com
Source
Harvard Health Publishing (2019). Understanding antioxidants. Available at https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/understanding-antioxidants
Sears, W. (2015). The Inflammation Solution. When Everything Works and Nothing Hurts.
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