Thursday, February 11, 2010

Powerful Antioxidants-May Help you Staying Young

Everyone wants to grow old gracefully, to look as young as you can for as long as you can. Some are turning to get that youthful look while others seek a more natural way to maintain that healthful smooth glowing skin. There are many other options for you to help maintain your youthful skin besides the drastic surgical alternative.

Changing the foods you eat or adding better food to your diet is one way to help your skin stay younger longer. Foods high in antioxidants are good choices. This hidden “miracle” is called antioxidants. You've heard of them you know you should be . But what are antioxidants and what can they do to keep you looking your best?

Antioxidants are substances that help to slow down or prevent damage done by free radicals. This can also slow down the aging process. A variety of foods contain antioxidants.

Free radicals are unstable molecules that damage your body. Free radicals are unstable because when they are formed they are missing an electron. So they are constantly searching for that missing electron. They actually steal the missing electron from the nearest stable molecule making it unstable. Some free radicals are formed naturally during metabolism. Your own immune system cells will sometimes purposefully create them to neutralize viruses and bacteria. Cigarette smoke, radiation, chemicals, and other environmental factors can be the cause of free radicals as well.

The results of free radicals in the body may show up as the development of diseases like cancer, diabetes, arthritis and neurological deficiencies,as well as thinner skin, wrinkles and brittle bones. Free radical damage accumulates with age. The more free radicals we encounter, the greater the damage that can be done.

Antioxidant substances combine with free radicals and neutralize them. Once they are neutralized, they can no longer do any damage. As of yet there are no set recommendations of antioxidants to correct free radical damage and the diseases that come with age, but we do know that eating foods rich in antioxidants or taking vitamins known to contain antioxidants can make a huge difference in how we live and how we age.

Where do you find antioxidants? They are all around us. Fruits and vegetables contain the principle sources of antioxidants. Antioxidants are also found in nuts, legumes, cold water fish, seafood and red meat.

Examples of antioxidants include:

Vitamin C
Vitamin A
Vitamin E
Lutein
Lycopene
Beta-carotene

These days it is not always easy to eat properly and get all the antioxidants you need, Herbalife offers some incredible products both internal and external to help slow the aging process.

Herbalife Rose GuardHerbalife Rose Guard Rose Guard supports your body’s natural defense against environmental toxins. Provides antioxidant support throughout the day. Contains astragalus, traditionally used to support healthy liver function. Helps recycle the antioxidant activity of Vitamin E. Schizandra Plus is another fantastic product that provides general antioxidant support against free radicals. Supports the body’s natural defense against oxidative stress. Supports immunity and cellular health.

For more information please visit my Herbalife site.

Friday, January 15, 2010

Antioxidants

What are antioxidants and how do they work?

Antioxidants are substances that may protect your cells against the effects of free radicals. Free radicals are unstable molecules produced when your body breaks down the food you eat, or by by substances you are exposed to within the environment . Chemicals, tobacco and other toxins are examples of envirionment contributors. Free radicals can damage cells, and may play a role in heart disease, cancer and other diseases.

It is important to take in antioxidants such as Vitamin A, C, E, Beta-Carotene, Zinc to name a few. According to the American Heart Association, up to 30 % of Americans are taking antioxidant supplements.