In this fast paced world we live in, people crave instant gratification. We communicate within seconds to each other across the globe, we travel thousands of miles in a few hours, and we always seem to want something more, faster, bigger, now! Well, the body isn’t convinced of this type of thought.
This is especially true when it comes to antioxidants. There are many anti-oxidant supplements on the market, and we think that if we take them on a regimented basis, we are taking the necessary precautions to prevent diseases such as Cancer and Alzheimer’s. But research is showing that these supplements we are taking, may only contain one string of antioxidant substances. There might actually be a more effective way of utilizing this free radical battling compounds.
In a June 2009 article from the Mayo Clinic, Dr. Donald Hensrud, M.D., Endocrinology argues,
“One reason foods appear to be a better choice than supplements is that foods contain an unmatchable array of antioxidant substances. A supplement may contain a single type of antioxidant — or even several types. However, foods contain thousands of types of antioxidants — vitamin A alone has several hundred forms — and it’s not known which of these substances are able to confer benefits. In fact, many researchers theorize that antioxidants in food form chemical networks that then interact with our own cellular and genetic intricacies.”
This is an extremely important finding. We were headed in the right direction, but now we need to be more mature in our approach with these preventative measures. We need to realize that we can’t simply take the latest and greatest supplements, without any research on our behalf, and expect them to perform a miracle. Again, there might be a few of these, but the crucial point here is to do your research.
Now comes the fun part. Instead of muscling down a few horse pills of processed supplements, enjoy making meals and snacks to include those rich in antioxidants. Studies have proven that foods such as kidney beans, black beans, blueberries, apples, sweet potatoes, artichokes, almonds, walnuts and oats are high in antioxidants. And that is just to name a few! You can make a full meal out of those! In addition, coffee, red wine, green tea and even dark chocolate can provide you a delicious beverage or desert, and they are all rich in antioxidants.
If we can slow down a bit, enjoy our healthy meals, including some fun beverages as well, we will be doing a better job in our preventative measures.
