What Are Antioxidants?

All Antioxidants, including the best antioxidants are molecule which are capable of preventing the oxidation, or the chemical reaction which transfers electrons or hydrogen from a substance to an oxidizing agent, of other molecules.

The prefix “anti” means against, in opposition of, or corrective in nature.

Antioxidants, or anti-oxidation agents, are also known to reduce the effect of dangerous disease causing oxidants by binding together with these defective molecules, decreasing their destructive power. Antioxidants can also help repair damages which are already attained by cells.

Why They Are Important?

Inside of the human body, there are millions of different functions and processes which occurs at the same time, and all requiring the use of oxygen.

However, although oxygen is known to be a valuable life enhancing component, oxygen may also be responsible for many harmful side effects which may cause cell damage and even chronic diseases, unless you are consuming the best antioxidants.

Oxidants, which are commonly known as “free radicals,” are also introduced into the body through external sources such as the exposure to the sun or the air. Free radicals may even enter the body through stress, as well as things that most people consume like alcoholic beverages, unhealthy foods, and the smoking of cigarettes.

In the same method that oxidation creates rust, thereby creating a breakdown on the surface of external objects, oxidation inside of the body also causes the breakdown of cells. When these Free radicals are produced by this breakdown, they may attack healthy cells, including DNA, together with proteins and fats. This chain of reaction is known to weaken the immunological functions as well as speeding up the aging process. Studies have shown that free radical attack may also be linked to several diseases such as cataracts, various forms of cancer, and heart disease, including arthritis and several other chronic conditions. But with the use of the best antioxidants, these free radical attacks may be prevented.

Different Types of Antioxidants.

There are two types of antioxidants. Water soluble antioxidants and Lipid soluble antioxidants.

Water Soluble Antioxidants

Water soluble antioxidants are known as hydrophilic antioxidants. These antioxidants are able to assist the body in the process of cell cytosol. In-fact what these antioxidants do is that of removing harmful free radicals and pollutants from the body. Here is a list of the most common Water Soluble Antioxidants:

1: Ascorbic Acid.

2: Gluathione.

3: Lipoic Acid.

4: Uric Acid

While the above best antioxidants concentration in the human serum and liver vary extensively, some of these antioxidants are certainly more powerful. All food which contains any 4 of the above antioxidants, especially Gluathione, in large quantities is definitely beneficial to scavenge harmful oxidants from the human body, thus preventing diseases.

Lipid Soluble Antioxidants

Unlike water soluble antioxidants, the lipid soluble antioxidants do not actively seek and destroy rogue cells in the human body. These are the antioxidants which are known to have a much more passive role in protecting the human body.

These antioxidants work by clinging on to damaged cells, and supplying valuable nutrients which support the enhancement and health of that particular cell. In this way, these best antioxidants are able to promote the health of cells on a cellular level, by working together with the cells themselves.

Here are a few examples of Lipid Soluble Antioxidants::

1: Carotenes.

2: Ubiquinol.

Just like water soluble antioxidants, these can be found in a few foods – mainly fruits like, blueberries or spinach, and broccoli, and are known to be the best antioxidants.

There are all kinds of foodstuffs that can be extremely detrimental for your digestive system. These include foods containing a lot of fat, fast foods, processed food items, and many other. Eating the wrong way can result in constipation, heartburn, feeling bloated, and additional digestion related symptoms.

Improving food digestion stokes the metabolism and enables your system to free itself of toxins and wastes. The most essential factors in digestive health are a healthy diet and appropriate food combinations.

The fiber found in complex carbs, fruits, and vegetables is essential for good digestion. Without it, the digestive system does not convert the food you eat to a beneficial form. You no longer take in nutrients efficiently which weakens the immune system.

Fiber helps to move waste through the body quickly, increases the bulk of feces, and purifies the system. Relying on refined foods impairs food digestion, which can cause chronic fatigue, bloating, gas, IBS, diverticulosis, ulcers, Chron’s condition, constipation, allergies, heartburn, chronic conditions, weight gain, brittle hair and nails, and more.

Ingesting lots of fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole grain keeps your intestines in a good shape which in turn helps your system to absorb all important nutrients easier.

Other foodstuffs that are useful for your food digestion are those that include “good” bacteria. These microorganisms increase the production of molecules that are valuable in soaking up important nutrients.

This kind of foods are called probiotic food items and they include yogurt, sauerkraut, cottage cheese along with lots of others. On the other hand, foods that help to feed the “good” bacteria already in your system are called prebiotic foods. These include, for instance, oatmeal, bananas, and honey.

People who drink a sufficient quantity of water usually tend to have healthier digestive systems. This is since water serves as a lubricant to help waste move through the system more rapidly. It additionally dissolves vitamins and minerals so that they are simpler to soak up.

Foods with high amounts of oils and saturated fats have the opposite effect. They will significantly weaken the digestion of foods in your system.

It also matters which kinds of food items you consume together. Certain combinations can be very undesirable while others are actually beneficial. There are some diet programs, such as great taste no pain system, that can help you to find the right combinations.

The whole system of appropriate food combination, doesn’t imply getting rid of every appetizing meal from your diet. Instead, appropriate digestion is obtained by classifying foods into groups according to how the body breaks them down.

Foods that rely on alkaline digestion enzymes for absorption and elimination shouldn’t be paired with foods that need strong acids, like hydrochloric acid, for digestion. All foods can be consumed, just not in the same dinner.

Eating a healthy and balanced diet and the appropriate combination of food items can strengthen food digestion and eliminate numerous unpleasant, chronic problems. There is no need to depend on medication, surgery, or even supplements.

In conclusion, your diet is the most essential element in digestive health and wellness. Just some easy lifestyle modifications can be extremely beneficial in lifting your mood and well-being.

“It is truly one of the most beautiful compensations of this life that no man can sincerely try to help another without helping himself.” – William Shakespeare

A few years ago I attended a writing and speaking workshop in Cancun. (I know, I know, a tough place to play, err, I mean, stay.) On a free afternoon, I went to a marina where I put my hand in a pool to touch a stingray, a turtle and a shark! Not just any shark, the guide explained, but a nurse shark.

Nurse?! I silently fumed. Why would they name a vicious, man-eating creature “nurse?”

The guide must have felt my feathers ruffling as he explained. “Most sharks take water in through their gills to move and propel themselves. Nurse sharks are one of the few species that do not require this and therefore they can lie sluggishly on the bottom of the ocean. When sharks and other ocean-living creatures are injured or ill, they descend to the bottom to die. The nurse shark swims under them and lifts them up to the surface where they can breathe and live again.”

By now I was beaming with pride for my “fellow nurse” sharks and my buttons popped when he pointed to the dolphins in an adjacent tank. He told how one of the three did not adapt well during the transition from the ocean to the tank. In spite of all efforts from the expert staff, the dolphin sank repeatedly to the bottom. The nurse shark swam under it and lifted it over and over again until it recovered and swam playfully with the others.

“Isn’t that just like a nurse,” I said as I affectionately pet my new fish-friend.

Nurses “lift” patients and families every day. And we can do that more for our colleagues. By “lifting” each other, we can help one another stay positive and work efficiently.

Most nurses did not choose this career because of great hours and working conditions. As trite as it may sound, most of us entered the profession of caring to help people in their toughest times. I often say that nursing is a calling. That’s why we sign on and stay on.

We can help each other stay in this honorable profession longer (and happier!) which will not only ease the nursing shortage, but improve the care for patients – and isn’t that what we’re all about?