Fight Oxidative Stress with Antioxidants

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SS3-SS100-2Antioxidants have been receiving a lot of press and hype, but what are antioxidants and how do they benefit you?

Oxidation is a normal process that occurs during normal cell function. But a small portion of cells become damaged during oxidation and become free radicals, which trigger a chain reaction that damages cells and cell DNA. Cells with damaged DNA grow and reproduce abnormally. This production of free radicals is called oxidative stress, which has been linked to the development of a range of diseases, including certain forms of cancer, heart disease, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, cataracts, and macular degeneration. Free radicals may also contribute to the aging process. Free radicals are formed when you exercise, when your body converts food into energy, and from a variety of environmental sources, including cigarette smoke, air pollution, alcohol, and sunlight. Antioxidants help combat oxidative stress by either preventing the chain reaction of free radicals or stopping it after it has started.

Your body naturally produces some antioxidants. Antioxidants are also found in a variety of foods. Fruits and vegetables that have bright colors are especially high in antioxidants, particularly fruits that are in the blue -purple-red-orange color range. Following are some of the foods with the highest antioxidant capacity per serving size:

• Fruits: cranberries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries
• Vegetables: beans, artichokes, Russet potatoes
• Nuts: pecans, walnuts, hazelnuts

Different antioxidants benefit different parts of the body, making it important to include variety of antioxidant-rich foods in your diet to get the full range of benefits they offer.

While antioxidant supplements should not be used as a replacement for a healthy diet, they can be beneficial when used in conjunction with a healthy, antioxidant-rich diet. NutraSense offers several antioxidant supplements, including SelenoSense, a top-quality organic selenium. Selenium is an important antioxidant in the battle against free radicals and an essential mineral. However, the body cannot produce selenium on its own. SelenoSense is made with eXselen, an all-natural, organic selenomethionine, which rapidly metabolizes within the body to yield high retention. NutraSense also carried Co-Q10 and Reservatrol, two other popular and beneficial antioxidant supplements.