Super Antioxidants

Have you ever felt like wishing you had more energy? That you could get rid of those nagging aches and pains? Have you ever wished to improve your health overall and once and for all?

If you answered yes, then look out, because that answer's now!

Today's medical science has led to several wondrous discoveries about our health and the food we eat. You might be familiar with the saying, "An apple a day keeps the doctor away." And it's true because recent studies show that there are certain substances found in fresh fruits and vegetables that can be very beneficial to our health. Such substances are called super antioxidants.

When you slice an apple and leave it on the table, you will notice that the flesh turns brown after some time. This is caused by oxidation – when the oxygen in the air reacts with the substances found in the apple. Oxidation is a natural process that occurs in the human body as well. Our cells need oxidation in order to undergo metabolism of fats and glucose so they can turn into heat and energy. Oxidation is a vital part of life. But as vital as oxidation is, it can also have some negative effects on the body.

During the process of oxidation, highly unstable substances called free radicals are produced. These free radicals react with other molecules in the cell by stealing their electrons and turning them into free radicals like themselves. When this happens, a chain reaction is created, one that when accumulated could result in massive cell damage.

The Benefits of Super Antioxidants

The job of super antioxidants is to hunt down free radicals but not to eliminate them. No. But to neutralize them so they'll stop their disease-causing rampaging. Literary tools aside, super antioxidants do indeed react against the harmful effects of free radicals by stopping them from reacting with the molecules in the first place.

Some super antioxidants may also act primarily to break off the chain reaction of free radicals. Others act by repairing damages caused by the accumulation of free radicals in tissues. Countless studies have been devoted to determining the extent of the health benefits super antioxidants may have. Super antioxidants have been the subject of various cancer research studies and even research on how to reverse aging. And though for the most part, the findings are inconsistent only as far as super antioxidant supplements are concerned, the old saying still stands: An apple a day does indeed keep the doctor away.


 

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Skin Tone Drinking Water, Coconut Milk, etc.

The best way to have healthy, glowing skin is to start from the inside out. Eliminating caffeine in the form of coffee and soda is one way to start. Caffeine dehydrates the body and skin. And lack of moisture is a sure way to create lines and wrinkles. It's also a diuretic, causing increased urine output, again depleting your body and skin of the moisture it needs. We try to combat this with moisturizers, but the better way is to put the moisture INTO your body, not on it.

Drinking pure water, unprocessed fruit juices or coconut milk will give your body and skin the hydration it needs. The colors in fruit juices are the colors of the earth and these colors will reflect themselves in warm and healthy skin tones.

The overall effects of caffeine on your body will manifest themselves in your skin. Heavy caffeine drinkers can experience osteoporosis, headaches, depression, sleeplessness. These can all be reflected in your skin.

When you replace colas, coffee and teas made with boiling water with water, fruit juices "sun tea" and coconut milk, you'll soon start to feel better and sleep better. Your skin will reflect the good health of all the organs and cells of your body, once you've kicked the caffeine habit.

Another reason for drinking pure water, juices and "sun tea" is that when you boil water, you're releasing oxygen from it. When the body rids itself of toxins, it passes through the skin which is the largest elimination organ. Raw food increases your detoxification rate. Drinking water helps the body rid itself of toxins. Seaweed is high in vitamins and minerals beneficial to the skin and also helps rid the body of toxins.

To achieve a healthy complexion, drink plenty of water and eat plenty of raw food. What goes into your body is reflective in your overall appearance.


 

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Does Cooking For Crowds Scare You?

Are you afraid of cooking for large crowds? With images of huge stockpots boiling over and becoming chained to a hot stove and oven for countless hours on end, it's no wonder that so many people avoid the idea of cooking food for large crowds with more tenacity than they avoid being last in the dinner line.

The good news is that it doesn't have to be the frightening proposition that so many make it out to be. When it comes to cooking for a large crowd, the planning phase is the most important. You absolutely must plan your meals when feeding a large group of people. This goes far beyond the notion of spaghetti or fried chicken as the meals you are planning. You need to know how many servings you will need. While obviously you never know how hungry people will be or who will eat how much when it comes to cooking for a large crowd it is a good idea to always plan for a few extra mouths in case some need a little more than you may think (you might want to double servings for teen and college aged men that will be dining).

You need to know at least a general number of servings to prepare and adjust your recipe in order to accommodate those needs. Some people find it much simpler if they can double or triple recipes rather than scaling them to specific serving sizes. If this works best for you then by all means incorporate this practice when cooking for crowds. One thing you must be aware of is that you will need to include in order to create the meal you are planning.

Having the proper ingredients and the proper amounts of ingredients is more important in bulk recipes than is often necessary in smaller recipes as there is less leeway when it comes to creating the proper consistency. You should keep this in mind when making purchases for your cooking for a large crowd event.

Some people find the best route to take when it comes to cooking for crowds is to keep everything as close to their normal cooking routine as possible. This would mean that instead of cooking one really huge pan of lasagna for a triple sized crowd, they would instead cook three normal sized pans of lasagna. This accomplishes two things really and is something you may wish to keep in mind despite the extra time spent in the kitchen.

First of all, if something goes, wrong only one third of the meal is in shambles rather than the entire dinner. Second, you have a greater possibility of finding consistency issues before the baking begins if you are using measurements and cooking containers that you are familiar with and comfortable using. It is always best to discover errors and omissions sooner rather than later when it comes to cooking as very few ingredients can be properly added after the fact.

While cooking for crowds may send some into dizzying spells with heart palpitations it helps if you take a few deep breaths, sit down, plan your menu, plan your meals, make a list of your ingredients, and cook in a manner that is comfortable for you. If you would rather get it all over with in one fell swoop, then by all means do just that. If you are more comfortable making multiple dishes of family favorites then that is probably going to be the best course of action in order to meet your large crowd cooking needs.

Most importantly you should remember when cooking for crowds is that you might have just earned yourself a well-deserved night off afterwards. Cooking for crowds is time consuming and should be approached when well rested (if that is even possible) for the best results. It is a great feeling to feed a crowd and know they enjoyed your food.


 

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What Are The Natural Antioxidants & How Do They Help?

For years now, man has been dependent on nature for his source of nutrients essential for his health. Plants are where we get most of our foods and our medicines, relying on them almost entirely for developing our bodies to their full potential and at the same time reducing the causes of degenerative diseases.

Recently, scientists have discovered the substance responsible for many of the health benefits we've been receiving from plants. Fruits and vegetables it seemed contain chemical substances that act on specific, harmful molecules inside our bodies to stop them from damaging our cells. Because these substances work on oxygen by-products called free radicals, they have since come to be known as natural antioxidants.

A natural antioxidant protects the body against free radicals. One of the many functions of natural antioxidants is to work against the formation of cellular damage caused by free radicals. Free radicals are highly reactive chemical substances which are produced whenever our body undergoes the process of oxidation, e.g. breathing.

When free radicals are released, they immediately latch unto other molecules, stealing their electrons and in so doing, turning them into unstable molecules like themselves. The result is a rapid chain reaction which when left unattended can lead to various degenerative diseases such as heart disease, stroke, cancer, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, memory loss, etc.

Natural antioxidants are primarily derived from plants. The human body cannot produce its own supply of natural antioxidants; that is why we have to depend solely on our diet to get the amount of antioxidants our body needs.

Groups of well-known natural antioxidants include catechins, coumarins, indoles, and carotenoids. All these are complex compounds found in almost every plant. Carotenoids are the largest group of naturally occurring antioxidants, followed closely by indoles and coumarins. Catechins are the natural antioxidants found in the Camellia sinensis plant where we get our green tea, oolong tea, and black tea.

In the carotenoid group, beta-carotene is the most common natural antioxidant. Another name for beta-carotene is vitamin A, that essential vitamin that helps prevent eye damage. This natural antioxidant supports the immune system, might reduce the skin's risk to sun damage and DNA damage, supports healthy cholesterol levels and increases lung capacity. Some studies show that this natural antioxidant supports a healthy heart.

Catechins on the other hand are great weight loss inducers. But more than that, the natural antioxidants they contain help promote health by boosting the immune system in order to reduce the risk of infection.


 

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Zinc Supplements For Your Body

Zinc supplements provide a much needed mineral that is needed by each and every cell in your body. The body is unable to produce zinc on it's own, which is why we need to makes sure we eat enough food that contains the mineral, drink enough water, or use the proper supplements that will give our cells the zinc they need.

Zinc is very important, as it plays a crucial role with hundreds of processes in the human body. The most prominent functions include support of the immune system, joints, tissues, along with aiding in cell growth. Zinc supplements have also been proven to eliminate sexual dysfunction, boost sexual function, aid in the health of the hair, and help with skin wound healing.

No matter how you look at it, zinc plays an important role in the function of most of our senses, which includes the ability to taste, smell, and also sight. Research has indicated that zinc can counter vision loss in the event of macular degeneration. A deficiency of zinc on the other hand can lead to dulling of the taste buds, along with the ability to detect scent.

Although zinc is an essential vitamin for our bodies, taking too much of it can be a bad thing. Research has proven that taking more than 100 mg daily for an extended period can cause damage in the immune system. Older folks on the other hand, can benefit from taking zinc if they have a deficiency. The supplement can actually help older people bring their intake back up to the levels they should be at.

When taking zinc supplements, you should always remember that zinc can indeed interfere with your absorption of copper. For this reason, a lot of experts recommend that they should be taken together. Anyone who takes a zinc supplement should take it as part of a well balanced diet, to ensure that other vitamins and minerals work together with the zinc.

With most dietary supplements in the U.S. being unregulated, you should always choose a manufacturer who is GMP compliant. Manufacturers that are GMP compliant will always follow the manufacturing standards of zinc, in order to minimize and quite possibly eliminate the risk of contaminants that you could be getting from the supplement.

If you choose your supplement wisely, you shouldn't have to worry about any problems. You can buy zinc supplements at GNC, online, or other nutrition stores. It isn't expensive either, which makes it a welcome edition to your diet. You should always consult with your doctor if you suspect that you have a zinc deficiency, so that he or she can tell you exactly how much zinc you need on a daily basis. This way, if you aren't getting enough in your normal diet – you can get the supplements you need.


 

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