Antioxidant Nutrition Plan

Certain vitamins and minerals play an important role in protecting the body against damaging particles known as free radicals. Free radicals are unstable oxygen molecules which form in the body whenever we are exposed to pollution, sunlight, stress, ageing, heart disease and cancer. Also if we eat too much of the carbohydrates that turn into sugar in the body we are further exposed to free radical damage.

The good news is that we can disarm these free radicals if we have enough anti- oxidants in our diet. Antioxidants are able to gobble up unstable oxygen molecules and turn them into relatively stable and harmless compounds which can be eliminated from the body.

Antioxidants come in two types, natural and artificial. Natural anti oxidants occur naturally in the foods that we eat. These are vitamins A, C, E, some of the B complex, zinc, selenium, glutathione and the sulphur based amino acids. The artificial antioxidants are man-made chemicals such as food preservatives BHT and BHA.

Antioxidants work together in multiple interactions that make them efficient in protecting the body from free radical damage.

In addition to their ability to protect from oxidation destruction, antioxidants also help to improve immune function, act as anti inflammatory agents and help with the prevention of serious diseases such as cancer and heart disease.

The simple rule is to eat a wide variety of fruit and vegetables of different colours. Many of the antioxidants present give these foods their natural colour and are found in plants because they are needed to protect them from constant exposure to strong sunlight.

Vitamin C is one of the most powerful antioxidants and works together with vitamin E to help combat the effects of pollution, sunlight and smoking. It is found in citrus fruits fruits, brocoli, kiki fruits, red and green peppers, mango, papaya, fresh berries and currants. Vitamin C helps keep muscles firm and helps the skin from wrinkling and sagging. It offers cells and body tissues protection against viruses. It also helps against the destructive effects of alcohol and smoking as it helps to protect the body from acetaldehyde, a toxic substance found in high amounts in people who drink a lot of alcohol or smoke many cigarettes.

An intake of vitamin C significantly reduces the risk of strokes. People with high levels of this vitamin in their blood seem to be protected against all types of stroke, including the most common which is caused by blood clots.

The 20 year old Japanese research project reported in the journal Stroke, showed a clear relationship between the risk of stroke and the level of vitamin C in the bloodstream and the frequency with which fruit and vegetables are eaten.

The protection is known to work even when the person has other problems such as high blood pressure and the fact that they are smokers or drink heavily.

As well as eating more fruit and vegetables researchers believe that taking vitamin C as a supplement will also have protective measures.

Vitamin E ----has been linked with healthy skin but it can be difficult to be found in foods because we eat less seeds and nuts than we should. It works in synergy with vitamin C to help mop up free radicals throughout the body and is found in nuts, pumpkin and sunflower seeds, olive oil, dried fruits particularly apricots, wholegrain cereals, wheat germ and spinach. Vitamin E plays a vtal role in protecting the heart from damage. It causes dilation of the blood vessels so that more blood gets through and is an effective inhibitor of clots. A deficiency of this vitamin will lower oxygen levels and increase the formation of free radicals. This is very important for athletes as a shortage of vitamin E can result in a 40% reduction in endurance capacity. As a supplement for ageing vitamin E can bring about a disappearance of wrinkles. It can also increase strength and stamina, improve sleep patterns and has even turned grey hair back to normal. Vitamin E also protects vitamin A from being used up. It protects the B vitamins and vitamin C from oxidation in the digestive tract and it also enhances the action of the anti oxidant activity of both selenium and the amino acid cysteine. Vitamin E has also been shown to help to prevent diabetes.

Carotenoids in plants help to protect the stems and leaves from sunlight. There are five different types of carotenoids, the best known is beta carotene, which gives many foods its orange colour. Recent studies at Guys hospital have shown that lycopene found in tomatoes is the most powerful carotenoid. Carotenoids are also found in spinach, carrots, papayas, tangerines, mangoes, brocoli and melon. Beta carotene circulates in the blood and appears to be important in protecting the calls and tissues of the body from free radical damage.

Minerals are also important in helping protect us against free radicals. Selenium, is a trace mineral in oily fish, nuts and seeds. Selenium can help to preserve the elasticity of the skin by preventing oxidation if polyunsaturated fatty acids. It also helps to protect from cancer and premature ageing. It works closely with vitamin E. It is an important mineral in the prevention of allergies. Clinical ecologists report that supplements of 400mcg a day can help to clear up symptoms in approximately 60% of people suffering from chemical allergies.

Zinc is another antioxidant mineral found in most meats, fish, eggs nuts and seeds. Manganese is another free radical scavenger and can be found in leafy green vegetables and whole grain foods.

All the enzymes involved in free radical protection from damage demand the trace elements or B vitamins as co-enzymes.

Fatty acids. Found in oily fish such as sardines and salmon have been shown to reduce inflammation in the skin by suppressing substances called prostaglandins and free radicals which form in the skin when it is burnt by the sun. Fatty acids appear to minimise the damage caused by over exposure to the sun.

Flavenoids are powerful antioxidants found in purple and blue fruits such as grapes. It is thought that the powerful antioxidant action of these nutrients might help explain the low rate of heart disease found in countries like France where red wine is drunk.

Eating fresh fruit is more effective than vitamin pills. Eg apples are packed with antioxidant power and have anti carcinogenic effects. A fresh apple according to scientists from Cornell university has as much antioxidant potency as 1500 mg of vitamin c. Apple extracts were also found to inhibit the growth of bowel and liver cancer cells in a lab. 100 mg of the apple contained only 5.7 mg of vit c in the form of ascorbic acid. Almost all the antioxidant activity was due to plant chemicals rather than the vitamin.

In general try to eat foods that are as wholesome and as least processed as possible. Try to eat foods in their whole form as in brown bread and brown rice.

Try to avoid foods that are loaded with colours and preservatives and synthetic flavours.

The safest way to cook foods is by steaming, grilling or roasting. Try to avoid fried foods as frying increases the carcinogenic properties of food. If you do a stir fry use olive oil as this is the most stable when heated.

Make sure that you don’t over eat as over eating especially of refined carbohydrates can undermine your antioxidant status.

Try to avoid consuming too much protein. It is a myth that a diet that is high in protein is good for you as it puts a strain on the liver and kidneys and leaches out important minerals such as calcium, zinc, iron, and magnesium from the body. The by products of protein metabolism can be toxic to the body and encourage free radical damage to the cells. Eating too much protein can also lead to over acidity of the tissues which contributes to degenerative disorders, such as heart disease and cancer. On an anti oxidant diet the recommended dosage of protein is between 30-50mg. Avoid meats such as pork as it is a meat that is too drenched in antibiotic residue and it is also the most acidic forming in the body. Reduce intake of too much red meat. If you do it once or twice a week make sure that the meat is low in fat. There is plenty of protein to be found in vegetarian sources, ie lentils and rice, jacket potatoes and beans.

A healthy breakfast is one that includes an unrefined grain such as porridge with if you like a banana and some dried fruits.

In the warm weather you can have an all fruit breakfast.

For lunch make sure that you include a wide variety of vegetables with a little protein and a refined carbohydrate.

Example. A bowl of homemade vegetable soup with some wholemeal pitta bread and a small amount of soft cheese.

Or a turkey and salad sandwich.

For dinner again make sure you eat a variety of either raw or steamed vegetables with some grilled protein such as chicken breast or fish, with either brown rice or brown pasta or jacket potato.

For desert have a fruit based dish such a fruit salad or some natural yoghurt and fruit.

For snacks try to have some fresh fruit or dried fruit.

Try to make sure you drink plenty of water and fruit and vegetable juices. These juices are loaded with antioxidants and help the body to detoxify.

While it is important to eat fruit and vegetables to help protect against the sun it is also necessary to use sun cream. You should also avoid exposure when the sun is at its strongest.

How Vitamin C can cut the risk of strokes.

An intake of vitamin C significantly reduces the risk of strokes. People with high levels of this vitamin in their blood seem to be protected against all types of stroke, including the most common which is caused by blood clots.

The 20-year-old Japanese research project reported in the journal Stroke, showed a clear relationship between the risk of stroke and the level of vitamin C in the bloodstream and the frequency with which fruit and vegetables are eaten.

The protection is known to work even when the person has other problems such as high blood pressure and the fact that they are smokers or drink heavily.

As well as eating more fruit and vegetables researchers believe that taking vitamin C as a supplement will also have protective measures.

Increasing the amount of fruit and vegetables in the diet increases the amount of vitamin C in the blood.

Good Site: centerforantiaging.com

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The simple rule is to eat a wide variety of fruit and vegetables of different colors. Many antioxidants give plants their natural color to protect them from constant exposure to strong sunlight.

Vitamin C—Is one of the most powerful antioxidants and works together with vitamin E to help combat the effects of pollution, sunlight and smoking. It is found in citrus fruits fruits, broccoli, kiwi fruits, red and green peppers, mango, papaya, fresh berries and currants. Vitamin C helps keep muscles firm and helps the skin from wrinkling and sagging. It offers cells and body tissues protection against viruses. It also helps against the destructive effects of alcohol and smoking as it helps to protect the body from acetaldehyde, a toxic substance found in high amounts in people who drink a lot of alcohol or smoke many cigarettes.

An intake of vitamin C significantly reduces the risk of strokes. People with high levels of this vitamin in their blood seem to be protected against all types of stroke, including the most common which is caused by blood clots.

A 20-year Japanese research project reported in the journal Stroke showed a clear relationship between the risk of stroke and the level of vitamin C in the bloodstream and the frequency with which fruit and vegetables are eaten.

The protection is known to work even when a person has other problems such as high blood pressure or smoking or drinking.

As well as eating more fruit and vegetables researchers believe that taking vitamin C as a supplement will also have protective measures.

Minerals are also important in helping protect us against free radicals. Selenium, is a trace mineral in oily fish, nuts and seeds. Selenium can help to preserve the elasticity of the skin by preventing oxidation if polyunsaturated fatty acids. It also helps to protect from cancer and premature ageing. It works closely with vitamin E. It is an important mineral in the prevention of allergies. Clinical ecologists report that supplements of 400mcg a day can help to clear up symptoms in approximately 60% of people suffering from chemical allergies.

Vitamin E has been linked with healthy skin but it can be difficult to be found in foods because we eat less seeds and nuts than we should. It works in synergy with vitamin C to help mop up free radicals throughout the body and is found in nuts, pumpkin and sunflower seeds, olive oil, dried fruits particularly apricots, wholegrain cereals, wheat germ and spinach. Vitamin E plays a vital role in protecting the heart from damage. It causes dilation of the blood vessels so that more blood gets through and is an effective inhibitor of clots. A deficiency of this vitamin will lower oxygen levels and increase the formation of free radicals. This is very important for athletes as a shortage of vitamin E can result in a 40% reduction in endurance capacity. As a supplement for ageing vitamin E can bring about a disappearance of wrinkles. It can also increase strength and stamina, improve sleep patterns and has even turned grey hair back to normal. Vitamin E also protects vitamin A from being used up. It protects the B vitamins and vitamin C from oxidation in the digestive tract and it also enhances the action of the anti oxidant activity of both selenium and the amino acid cysteine. Vitamin E has also been shown to help to prevent diabetes.

The importance of antioxidants in opening the cells and initiating detoxification...
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As we begin the process of opening up the cells we are in fact beginning to increase the oxidation rate within the cells Once the cell begins to oxidise more efficiently it starts to move onto a higher level of functioning. It is important to be aware that in the process of detoxification free radicals are produced as oxygen is introduced into the cells. These free radicals need to be moped up by anti oxidants. Therefore prior to starting any detoxification programme one’s anti oxidant status needs to be accessed.

This would involve looking at one's diet and looking at the amount of antioxidant foods that one consumes each day. If you do not have sufficient levels of minerals to cope with a cleansing regime then you are going to run into problems.

A healing crisis occurs on any cleansing programme when the body no longer has enough antioxidants to mope up and neutralise the toxins that are being released. A healing crisis is exactly what it says it is. A crisis. Once our antioxidant stores are depleted then our body responds in a variety of ways. One can experience headaches , nausea, spots, aches and pains, feelings of profound fatigue, and depression. For once the anti oxidant stores are depleted the organs of elimination are put under tremendous strain as the toxins are eliminated.

This is one of the reasons why I never recommend water fasting or prolonged fasts. Our constitutions today are not strong enough to cope with prolonged periods of fasting which would tend to undermine rather than enhance our health. What I do recommend is doing a semi-fast on fruits and vegetables for short periods of time as these foods are loaded with sufficient anti oxidants to avert too difficult a healing crisis.

If the body enters a healing crisis then this is a sign to slow down the detoxification process and begin the process of building up ones anti oxidant stores. After a healing crisis the body will have reduced its toxic load and once the body has replenished its antioxidant stores it will begin to feel better than ever.

DAILY

Try to eat foods in their whole form as in brown bread and brown rice.

In general try to avoid commercial processed (reconstructed) foods.

Try to avoid foods that are loaded with artificial colours and preservatives and synthetic flavours.

The safest way to cook foods is by steaming, grilling or roasting. Try to avoid fried foods as frying increases the carcinogenic properties of food. If you do a stir fry use olive oil as this is the most stable when heated.

Make sure that you don't over eat as over eating especially of refined carbohydrates can undermine your antioxidant status.

Try to avoid consuming too much protein. It is a myth that a diet that is high in protein is good for you as it puts a strain on the liver and kidneys and leaches out important minerals such as calcium, zinc, iron, and magnesium from the body. The by products of protein metabolism can be toxic to the body and encourage free radical damage to the cells. Eating too much protein can also lead to over acidity of the tissues which contributes to degenerative disorders, such as heart disease and cancer. On an anti oxidant diet the recommended dosage of protein is between 30-50mg. Avoid meats such as pork as it is a meat with too much antibiotic residue, and it is also the most acid forming in the body. Reduce intake of too much red meat. If you eat once or twice a week make sure that the meat is low in fat. There is plenty of protein to be found in vegetarian sources, i.e., lentils and rice, jacket potatoes and beans.

A healthy breakfast is one that includes an unrefined grain such as porridge with if you like a banana and some dried fruits.

In the warm weather you can have an all-fruit breakfast.

For lunch make sure that you include a wide variety of vegetables with a little protein and a refined carbohydrate.

Example. A bowl of homemade vegetable soup with some wholemeal pita bread and a small amount of soft cheese.

Or a turkey and salad sandwich.

For dinner again make sure you eat a variety of either raw or steamed vegetables with some grilled protein such as chicken breast or fish, with either brown rice or brown pasta or jacket potato.

For desert have a fruit based dish such a fruit salad or some natural yogurt and fruit.

For snacks try to have some fresh fruit or dried fruit.

Try to make sure you drink plenty of water and fruit and vegetable juices. These juices are loaded with antioxidants and help the body to detoxify.

Zinc—is another antioxidant mineral found in most meats, fish, eggs nuts and seeds. Manganese—is another free-radical scavenger and can be found in leafy green vegetables and whole grain foods.

Fatty Acids—found in oily fish such as sardines and salmon have been shown to reduce inflammation in the skin by suppressing substances called prostaglandins and free radicals which form in the skin when it is burnt by the sun. Fatty acids appear to minimize the damage caused by over exposure to the sun.

Selenium—is a trace mineral in oily fish, nuts and seeds. Selenium can help to preserve the elasticity of the skin by preventing oxidation if polyunsaturated fatty acids. It also helps to protect from cancer and premature ageing. It works closely with vitamin E. It is an important mineral in the prevention of allergies. Clinical ecologists report that supplements of 400mcg a day can help to clear up symptoms in approximately 60% of people suffering from chemical allergies.

Flavenoids—are powerful antioxidants found in purple and blue fruits such as grapes. It is thought that the powerful antioxidant action of these nutrients might help explain the low rate of heart disease found in countries like France where red wine is drunk.

Carotenoids—in plants help to protect the stems and leaves from sunlight. There are five different types of carotenoids, the best known is beta carotene, which gives many foods its orange colour. Recent studies at Guys hospital have shown that lycopene found in tomatoes is the most powerful carotenoid. Carotenoids are also found in spinach, carrots, papayas, tangerines, mangoes, brocoli and melon. Beta carotene circulates in the blood and appears to be important in protecting the calls and tissues of the body from free radical damage.

Good Site: centerforantiaging.com

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From: Martha Subject: Vegetarianism

"I would advise vegetarians to do their homework."

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Rehydration Therapy