What makes antioxidants the perfect defense your body needs against disease, illness and even fatigue?
There’s an overwhelming amount of information out there, from the doctor’s office to the Internet. To make matters worse, most of the information you get contradicts something else you’ve learned!
You need antioxidants – this is just a fact – but what do they offer your body that makes such a difference in your overall health for a lifetime?
How do antioxidants work in the body?
In a nutshell, if your body is a school playground, you have free radicals (the bullies) versus antioxidants (the nice guys). Because free radicals are missing an electron, they can be thought of as hungry molecules in your body. They’re out there searching for another molecule that will give them
what they need to be complete – electrons.
When they become hungry, they start attacking other healthy cells in your body. They act mean, rude and otherwise domineering. Free radicals are the bully of your body. On the other hand, antioxidants are the good guys,
restoring everyone back to becoming friends, no longer primed to fight.
As you can see, antioxidants have an important job in your body. They restore damaged cells and make them like new again. So, the more you can load yourself up with antioxidants, the better prepared you’ll be to prevent diseases like cancer from occurring in the first place.
Try these foods that are rich in the peace-making, feel-good fuel that your body needs, and you’ll lower your risk of cancer.
What color is the food on your plate?
Remembering the rainbow can be one of the easiest tricks to use when it comes to making better food choices. Get in some greens, reds, blues, and oranges to boost your restorative health!
If it’s hard for you to change and adapt to new and healthier eating habits for the sake of living a cancer-free life, consider this startling fact:
Research shows that those who eat mostly a processed meat diet raise their risk for colon cancer by 40 percent.
Focus on eating lean protein, fruits and vegetables, and you’ll lower your risk of developing colon cancer (among others) by 35-40 percent.
If you’re used to eating pizza or casserole every other night, swap the bland palette for some bold and bright meals.
What foods are rich in antioxidants?
Think in terms of color when you want more antioxidants in your life. Fruits and vegetables are rich in gorgeous colors. Kale, blueberries, carrots, tomatoes and spinach are screaming out to be noticed. Whether roasted, sauteed, simmered or pan-fried, you should dish them up, serve them up and eat them up at least once per day.
There have been countless studies done on the correlation between diet and developing cancer, and all agree that the more fruits and vegetables you eat, the lower your risk for cancer will be.
Fruits and vegetables such as blueberries, blackberries and strawberries all contain a good source of antioxidants, as well as fiber to keep your digestive
health in check.
In addition, eat nuts and seeds – walnuts, almonds, cashews, hazelnuts, pecans, sunflower seeds and chia seeds and pecans. These give you another boost of nutrients for cancer disease protection.
Pinto beans, black beans, spinach, quinoa, tomatoes, barley and even cinnamon are all rich in antioxidants.
Start your day off right with a bowl of oatmeal topped with berries and chia seeds. For a snack, grab a handful of almonds, and for lunch, enjoy a spinach salad that includes some lean protein and crunchy pumpkin seeds.
For dinner, make sure to get another generous helping of your favorite greens – broccoli, bell peppers or green beans – by tossing them into a stir fry.
Don’t forget about dessert!
Reward yourself a piece of dark chocolate (or two, or three) paired with an orange, grapefruit or pineapple.
You’re helping your body fight cancer every single day that you indulge in antioxidant-rich foods. That’s reason enough to kick your bad eating habits to the curb.