Banishing Free Radicals Through Your Food Choices
Free radicals are a form of oxidative stress that surround us daily through our environment, our food, our mood, even our exercise!
Normally, the body can handle free radicals, but if antioxidants are unavailable, or if the free-radical production becomes excessive, damage can occur. The really bad news is that free radical damage accumulates with age, so there is no time like the present to begin increasing your consumption of beneficial antioxidants.
Be sure to consume enough antioxidants, our best-defence-stress-busters, naturally such as organic fruits and vegetables especially dark leafy greens, chicory root, dandelion and kiwis, rich purple foods such as eggplant, red cabbage, organic blackberries and blueberries, red foods like tomatoes, organic red peppers, organic raspberries, orange foods such as carrots, oranges, sweet potatoes and mangos, white foods like radishes, pears and parsnips and yellow foods such as papaya, lemons and ginger.
Yes, there are some great supplements such as Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Zinc and Selenium but I would focus on increasing your whole food intake vs more supplements and pills to take.
I do recommend extra Vitamin C to most of my clients usually between 2000mg and 5000mg, but this depends on the person.
As with any and all supplements, it is best to speak with a qualified Registered Holistic Nutritionist or Holistic Practitioner.
Here is a delicious antioxidant rich dish to prepare for dinner tonight!
Black Bean Avocado Wraps
- 1 ripe avocado
- 1/2 cup fresh or organic salsa
- teaspoon olive oil
- 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 medium carrot, shredded
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 can den Organic black beans, rinsed very well
- Fresh cilantro or parsley, chopped
- 2 Ezekiel Sprouted Wraps or Food For Life Brown Rice Wraps
- 2 handfuls of Organic Baby Kale or Spinach
- Cut 1/2 avocado into 1/2-in. pieces. In a small bowl, mash the remaining avocado small bit of salsa. Cover and set aside.
- Heat the oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pepper and carrots and cook, stirring occasionally, until just tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the cumin and cook for 1 minute.
- Add the beans and the remaining salsa and cook until heated through. Remove from the heat, stir in the cilantro and chopped avocado.
- Spread mashed avocado-salsa mixture on each wrap. Divide the lettuce and bean mixture among the wraps and roll up.
Serve these up with a small side salad and double your antioxidant, fibre and vitamin, mineral intake!