Hello Everyone!

I hope you had a healthy and joyful thanksgiving - now on to the second leg of the holidays marathon... stay safe, after pretty much two years of Covid we all know what to do to protect ourselves and most of all protect others! Since the holidays create quite a bit of oxidative stress in our bodies, here's a little presentation on how to prevent excessive damage and understand better what anti oxidants are about. Also 

  

What are antioxidants? 

Antioxidants are compounds that neutralize free radicals, unstable and reactive molecules that are missing at least one electron in their chemical structure. When the ratio of antioxidants to free radicals in the body is unfavorable, it can lead to oxidative stress. Under oxidative stress, free radicals react with the body’s cells, producing additional free radical molecules and contributing to cell damage and disease, such as cardiovascular disease and cancer. 

Health benefits of antioxidants 

• Anti-cancer (e.g., inhibits tumor growth) 
• Anti-inflammatory 
• Cardioprotective (e.g., atherosclerosis, cardiovascular diseases) 
• Protective against age-related conditions (e.g., Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, macular degeneration, cataracts)

Antioxidant supplements 

Antioxidant supplements may help address oxidative stress; however, supportive evidence remains inconsistent. Antioxidants are best consumed through a balanced diet that incorporates a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables. 

If you’re considering an antioxidant supplement, be sure to check with your integrative practitioner, as certain antioxidants have the potential to interact with medications and can be toxic in high doses. 

What is an antioxidant-rich diet? 

Eating a balanced diet that incorporates a variety of plant foods, such as fruits, vegetables, and legumes, is the best way to incorporate antioxidant-rich foods into your routine. Plant foods are especially good sources of antioxidants as they contain phytonutrients, a group of plant-based chemical compounds with antioxidant properties. Based on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, the following image provides an overview of foods and servings sizes to include in a balanced diet. 
 

References 

1. Benzie, I. F. F., & Choi, S.-W. (2014). Chapter one - antioxidants in food: Content, measurement, signi cance, action, cautions, caveats, and research needs. In J. Henry (Ed.), Advances in food and nutrition research (Vol. 71, pp. 1–53). Academic Press.
2. Graßmann, J. (2005). Terpenoids as plant antioxidants. In G. Litwack (Ed.), Vitamins & hormones (Vol. 72, pp. 505–535). Academic Press.
3. Hosomi, R., Yoshida, M., & Fukunaga, K. (2012). Seafood consumption and components for health. Global Journal of Health Science, 4(3), 72–86.
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6. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. (2013). Antioxidants: In depth. https://www. nccih.nih.gov/health/antioxidants-in-depth
7. National Institutes of Health. (2021). Vitamin C. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminC- HealthProfessional
8. National Institutes of Health. (2021). Vitamin E. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminE- HealthProfessional
9. Panche, A. N., Diwan, A. D., & Chandra, S. R. (2016). Flavonoids: An overview. Journal of Nutritional Science, 5, e47. 
10. Pham-Huy, L. A., He, H., & Pham-Huy, C. (2008). Free radicals, antioxidants in disease and health. International Journal of Biomedical Science: IJBS, 4(2), 89–96. 
11. Phaniendra, A., Jestadi, D. B., & Periyasamy, L. (2015). Free radicals: Properties, sources, targets, and their implication in various diseases. Indian Journal of Clinical Biochemistry: IJCB, 30(1), 11–26. 
12. Produce for Better Health Foundation. (2012). What are phytonutrients? https://fruitsandveggies.org/ stories/what-are-phytochemicals/ 
13. Sen, S., Chakraborty, R., Sridhar, C., Reddy, Y. S. R., & De, B. (2010). Free radicals, antioxidants, diseases and phytomedicines: Current status and future prospect. International Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences Review and Research, 3(1), 91–100. 
14. Thoppil, R. J., & Bishayee, A. (2011). Terpenoids as potential chemopreventive and therapeutic agents in liver cancer. World Journal of Hepatology, 3(9), 228–249. 
15. Traber, M. G., & Stevens, J. F. (2011). Vitamins C and E: Bene cial effects from a mechanistic perspective. Free Radical Biology & Medicine, 51(5), 1000–1013.
16. U.S. Department of Agriculture. (2020). Dietary guidelines for Americans. https://www. dietaryguidelines.gov/
17. Wagner, K.-H., & Elmadfa, I. (2003). Biological relevance of terpenoids. Annals of Nutrition & Metabolism, 47(3-4), 95–106.
18. Waheed Janabi, A. H., Kamboh, A. A., Saeed, M., Xiaoyu, L., BiBi, J., Majeed, F., Naveed, ... & Lv, H. (2020). Flavonoid-rich foods (FRF): A promising nutraceutical approach against lifespan-shortening diseases. Iranian Journal of Basic Medical Sciences, 23(2), 140–153. 
19. 19. Yashin, A., Yashin, Y., Xia, X., & Nemzer, B. (2017). Antioxidant activity of spices and their impact on human health: A review. Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland), 6(3). 
20. Young, A. J., & Lowe, G. L. (2018). Carotenoids- antioxidant properties. Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland), 7(2). 
21. Fullscript - practitioner hand outs.