Many holistic alternative health practitioners believe that the many toxins in today’s environment, added to our poor diets tip the oxidant/antioxidant balance against us. Oxidation creates free radicals which in turn create cell damage-our natural aging process-but we can retard this process with antioxidant supplements and a better diet. These measures allow us to tip the balance back in our favor, in effect slowing the ravages of our aging process.

The Cause

Our environment is a dangerous place; radiation, air pollution, first and second-hand smoke, anesthetics, fried and char-broiled foods, all these and more produce a large amount of free radicals. Free radicals are implicated in diseases and conditions like, heart disease, arthritis, lupus, cancer and other autoimmune diseases, plus in robbing us, over time, of the nutrients we need to keep our bodies working properly.

The Cure

Creating and utilizing antioxidant atoms and molecules quench free radicals and thwart the continuing process of oxidation. The body makes some antioxidants in the proteins it produces but many others are delivered to us from the food we eat and supplements we ingest. The most important of these and the foods where you can find them are:

Carotene

Broccoli, cantaloupe, carrots (and juice), fresh or dried apricots, mangoes and persimmons, leafy greens (spinach, kale, mustard, collard, swiss chard), pumpkin, winter squash, sweet potatoes, and tomato products.

Vitamin C

Blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, citrus fruits and juices (oranges and grapefruits), cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, kohlrabi cabbage), leafy greens (mustard, turnips, kale, collard), melons (especially cantaloupe) papaya, kiwi, mangoes, pineapple, guave, strawberries, red and green peppers, sweet potatoes, tomatoes and tomato juice.

Bioflavonoids

Apples, green tea, onions, cherries, blueberries, herbs (bilberry, hawthorne, chamomile, ginkgo, milk thistle), quercetin, and citrus (from the fleshy portion of the peel0, green pepper.

Vitamin E

Avocados, fish, and shellfish, leafy greens (fresh spinach, kale collard), mangoes, nuts, seeds, wheat germ, whole grain products, vegetables oils, egg yolk.

Selenium & Zinc

Cashews, eggs, garlic, halibut, oysters, salmon, tuna, scallops, oysters, crabmeat, cheese, beef roast, pumpkin seeds, dry roasted cashews, whole grains.

For the folks who don’t know me I’m Robert Galarowicz ND – Naturopathic Doctor & Clinical Nutritionist available for consultations by phone or in my office.  I been using antioxidants to help many problems such as arthritis, skin conditions, cancer, etc.

Contact me by calling 201.618.3534 or email rob@drrobertg.com to find out more about how holistic therapies can help you.

Proudly serving the New Jersey area including Bergen County:

Ackermans Mills, Allendale, Alpine, Arcola, Bergenfield, Bogota, Carlstadt, Carlton Hill, Cherry Hill, Chestnut Ridge, Cliffside Park, Closter, Coytesville, Cragmere Park, Cresskill, Crystal Lake, Darlington, Demarest, Dumont, East Rutherford, Edgewater, Elmwood Park, Emerson, Englewood, Englewood Cliffs, Fair Lawn, Fairview, Fardale, Ferdinands Mills, Fort Lee, Franklin Lakes, Garfield, Glen Rock, Hackensack, Harrington Park, Hasbrouck Heights, Haworth, Hillsdale, Hillsdale Manor, Ho-Ho-Kus, Kings Woods, Kingsland, Leonia, Little Ferry, Lodi, Lyndhurst, Mahwah, Masonicus, Maywood, Midland Park, Montvale, Moonachie, Morsemere, Mount Pleasant, New Bridge, New Milford, North Arlington, North Hackensack, Northvale, Norwood, Oakland, Old Tappan, Oradell, Palisades Park, Paramus, Park Ridge, Passaic Junction, Pulis Mills, Radburn, Ramsey, Ridgefield, Ridgefield Park, Ridgewood, Ridgewood Junction, River Edge, River Vale, Rochelle Park, Rockleigh, Rutherford, Saddle Brook, Saddle River, Saint Josephs Village, Sinnickson Landing, South Hackensack, Teaneck, Tenafly, Teterboro, Undercliff Junction, Upper Montvale, Upper Saddle River, Villa Marie Claire, Waldwick, Wallington, Warren Point, West Englewood, West Mahwah, West View, Westwood, Woodcliff Lake, Wood-Ridge, Wortendyke, Wyckoff.