Antioxidants - Real Life Savers
Copyright 2006 Donovan Baldwin
To understand the value and importance of antioxidants, you must first understand the destructive results of free radicals.
Free radicals occur naturally as a result of normal, daily reactions within your body. Essentially, when a molecule is a free radical, it is an unstable molecule which contains a free electron which is seeking a connection. These molecules seek to complete this unstable existence by latching on to tissues such as blood vessel linings or cell membranes, creating a chronic state of inflammation within the body. This on-going inflammation eventually results in damage to various tissues of the body. Antioxidants bind to the free radicals, thus preventing the damage they would normally cause.
The damage caused by free radicals has been linked to heart disease, cancer, arthritis, and many other conditions and illnesses. Free radical damage is also believed to contribute to many other degenerative aspects of aging, such as wrinkles, hardening of arteries, and some of the loss of mental acuity that sometimes occurs with age.
Antioxidants are available in many different forms and substances. Vitamins such as vitamin C, vitamin E, and beta carotene (a form of vitamin A) are antioxidants in addition to their other benefits to your health and well-being. Selenium and zinc are two minerals which are also antioxidants.
Other compounds; cysteine, glutamic acid, and glutathione, for example, are also antioxidants, as are natural and herbal products such as ginkgo, hawthorn, rosemary, green tea extract, and grape seed extract.
Vitamin A, in the form of beta carotene, is water soluble and can be found in vegetables such as spinach. Vitamin A is important for skin health, helps growth in children and protects against night blindness in addition to other benefits.
Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid) is crucial to the body's ability to produce collagen, an important protein that keeps skin damage minimal. Collagen can delay the development of wrinkles and saggy skin by helping skin hold onto its elasticity. Vitamin C also expedites the body's ability to repair tissues so wounds heal more quickly. It is also important in the body's ability to absorb and use several other nutrients.
Vitamin E (Alpha-Tocopherol), like vitamin C, is not produced or stored in the body, so it must be constantly replenished through diet or supplementation. It encourages the proper development of muscles. It can help boost the effectiveness of the immune system, primarily by making it more resistant to bacterial and viral infections. Working with other nutrients, vitamin E can help prevent development of cataracts.
Selenium is a trace mineral, that is, the body does not need a large quantity for health. However, even in small quantities, in addition to its role as an antioxidant, selenium helps keep cell membranes healthy, helps the thyroid gland and pancreas function properly, and can help prevent dandruff in some people. A link between low selenium levels and HIV/AIDs victims is being explored.
Zinc is also a trace mineral. Zinc helps in the healing of wounds, helps maintain the senses of taste and smell, aids in normal growth, helps the reproductive system develop properly, and helps in the transport of Vitamin A from the liver.
Cysteine is found in poultry, oats, wheat germ, egg yolks, garlic and onions, and broccoli. It can protect against toxicity from smoking or pollution.
Glutamic Acid may reduce cravings for sugar and alcohol. It aids gastrointestinal healing and helps neurological and mental disorders. It is found in animal and vegetable proteins. Pregnant women and children should probably not take supplements of glutamic acid.
Glutathione protects against damage from chemicals, smoke and other toxins. It is valuable against cancer, skin problems, and cataracts.
Grape Seed Extract is often sold as a supplement for its antioxidant qualities. While the extract is often made from seeds taken from grapes made into juice, for example, you can actually get the same benefits by enduring the taste and crunching the seeds in grapes you can buy in the produce department of your local grocery.
Green Tea and Green Tea Extract can both provide antioxidant benefits, but green tea extract may be easier to deal with, say, when traveling or on a visit, than trying to brew a cup or pot of green tea. Green tea extract may also provide a more standard and dependable dose than the cup of tea you just brewed.
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The author is retired from the military after 21 years on duty. A graduate of the University of West Florida, 1973, he now makes his living online with his own internet business. Read more articles on vitamins at http://onine-vitamin-info.com .
Smokers - When Did They Lose Their Civil Rights?
The turn of the Millenium has brought about a small change in the conscience of mankind as a whole. We're finally starting to focus more on the true value of life and it's real meaning. We're slowly losing our taste for corrupt governments, terrorism, warfare and all the associated pain and hardship. It looks that mankind, at last, may be heading for a brighter future.
Part of this growth has been the realization that smoking is bad for you. This coupled with numerous high profile court cases against tobacco companies has seen smoking become less and less popular amongst the general population. It's no longer seen as being polite or acceptable and there are now numerous extremely graphic television adverts to reinforce the message - "Smoking Will Kill You".
As part of this "War Against Smokerism" smoking cigarettes, cigars or pipes is being banned in more places each day. Initially it's just been in bars and in large shopping malls. Then the ban moved to the workplace and all shops, gas stations and most other places you can think of. The next step is the banning of smoking in all outdoor public areas such as parks and beaches for example.
This is where the problems begin. We now have extremism coming into view. A sensible proposal like the banning of smoking in the workplace and public venues is then taken by the moral minority of the world and abused. Like any extremists they'll push the laws as far as they can to get their own way - just to prove they can.
We now have employees crammed into airtight smoking rooms to have their breaktime cigarette. How long before one of them sues for prejudice against smokers? Or sues because they got cancer at a massively accelerated rate due to being exposed to toxic levels of secondhand smoke?
Is it right to do this? Smoking is a nasty habit. Does this mean that you lose all your civil rights as a human being just because you smoke? What about the massive pollution caused by cars? For example police on the streets of Bombay in India have to use oxygen masks every 60 minutes to flush their lungs out - the pollution is that bad. Is there any possibility that cars may be banned soon? Not likely.
Reformed smokers (there's no such thing as an ex smoker) can be the worst of the lot. They're far too fond of standing on soapboxes and letting their vapid opinions be known. They love coughing as loudly as possible when walking into a room with any smokers and dispensing random medical and statistical facts to people who couldn't care less if their head was on fire.
Smoking is a filthy, disgusting and unhealthy habit. Smokers, however, do still have the right to smoke and be treated like human beings. To treat them as any less than equal human beings is at best prejudicial and at worst borderline Nazism.
This article was provided courtesy of QuittersGuide.com where you can find more tips to quit smoking as well as health and diet advice for quitters everywhere.
Neck and Shoulder Pain Relief - 5 More Ways
Copyright 2006 Wendy Young
It is very important to be aware of how we move, use and take care our bodies. Following are a few ideas that will help you increase your awareness to what you are doing with your body that can create pain.
Reach for Objects in Your Physical Comfort Zone
Frequently I notice people reaching out of their comfort zone. Your comfort zone is the area you can retrieve an item without moving or extending any part of your body. It is the area located in front of and directly to the side of your body.
If you are going to retrieve an item from behind your body, get out of your chair or swivel your chair around. Never reach for something while extending your arms behind your body.
Notice where you have placed often used items such as your telephone, reference books, pens, binders, etc. Are they on your desk or on the credenza behind you? Do you find yourself shifting your body or slightly lifting yourself from your chair to reach these items?
Is your phone causing you to twist your body left or right when dialing numbers? Can you move everything closer towards you? Are you getting the picture?
Stop and think about what would be easier for you throughout the day. Be adventurous! Simple adjustments to your desk will create less angst during the day and you will feel much more productive and a lot more freedom! Not to mention much more comfortable!
Professional and Self Massage
Neck and shoulder tension can be relieved with massage. Since the body works together as a whole treat yourself to a professional full body massage from time to time. In this fast paced computer age massage is more of a necessity than a luxury.
Add a few drops of essential oil to a small bottle of sesame oil and then apply to the area you are going to massage. It will make it much easier to massage your muscles. Self massage is easy to do with many of the massage tools on the market.
Neck Stretches
Simple and gentle neck stretches to the left and right will help to ease built up tension and get the oxygen moving again. If your neck feels tight, massage it first and then gently stretch. Stretching works better when the muscles are warm. Do not stretch in a cold drafty room if you have tight muscles.
Rest Your Arms Down by Your Side
Do nothing for about 10 -15 seconds every 10 -15 minutes. Let your shoulders recover several times per hour for seconds rather than a few times a day for several minutes. It will be easier for your shoulders to recover from the intense computer work they have been doing.
Stand Up
Every hour take a break and rest your body. Intense computer work takes it toll on the body. Take a walk. Drink some water. Do a few shoulder shrugs to release tension and interrupt your office neighbors. Who knows? Maybe they need a rest break too!
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Wendy Young, a Certified Ergonomic Expert and founder of http://www.ergopro.com has helped thousands of people reduce pain from their computer work since 1991. She offers a free newsletter on increasing comfort and reducing pain in the workplace at http://www.ergonomics-safety.com .
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