| As we grow older, we often wish we could turn | | | | to the heart and brain and can against cancer |
| back the clock and have the vitality of your | | | | causing damage. Fruits, vegetables, and grains are |
| younger days. Hormonal changes turn down our | | | | rich sources of antioxidant vitamins and minerals. |
| inner "thermostat" which results in a change of | | | | Carnosine is an important amino acid and natural |
| hormone levels. This is thought to be the primary | | | | antioxidant found in high amounts in the brain, lens |
| cause of aging. The first goal would be to replace | | | | of the human eye and muscle tissue. It's capable |
| hormonal levels to the level of a healthy young | | | | of protecting cell membranes and cell structures. |
| adult. Then there our cell receptor sensitizers that | | | | It is effective against muscle fatigue, reducing |
| help rejuvenate the thermostat in our brains. Let's | | | | stress, hyperactivity, and helping sleep patterns. |
| review a few of them and what they will do. | | | | Lycopene is another antioxidant that we have |
| If you are experiencing an imbalance between | | | | seen a lot of on television lately. The richest |
| estrogen and progesterone levels this can cause | | | | source of lycopene is in tomatoes and tomato |
| depression, fatigue, mood swings, memory loss | | | | products. Aging reduces levels of lycopene in the |
| and unexplained weight loss. There are several | | | | blood. Lycopene is needed in organs such as the |
| over the counter, natural ways to increase your | | | | adrenal glands, prostate, liver colon, and testes. It |
| hormonal level especially in women. The soy | | | | appears that lycopene is a protection against |
| product has been used extensively to help balance | | | | cancer in the digestive tract. |
| hormone levels. There are also creams on the | | | | Lypoic acid is a co-factor in the conversion of |
| market that provide extra hormones when they | | | | carbohydrates to energy as well as an antioxidant. |
| are absorbed in the skin. | | | | This acid is both water and fat-soluble and can |
| Free radicals pose one of the greatest threats to | | | | eliminate free radicals in the water compartment |
| our health as we progress into the twenty-first | | | | of a cell and protects against oxidation. It breaks |
| century. What are free radicals and what do they | | | | down sugars so that energy can be produced and |
| do? Free radicals are renegade, unstable oxygen | | | | is one of the most important antioxidants. It's |
| molecules that collide with other particles and | | | | called the universal antioxidant because it is able to |
| tissues in our bodies. This causes a burst of light | | | | quench free radicals both in water and fat cells. |
| on impact. They seek out other molecules to | | | | Xanthones have strong antioxidant effects on the |
| combine with in order to gain stability. Some free | | | | nervous system but it also is a bitter compound |
| radicals are good for you because they enable | | | | and is known to produce agreeable and delightful |
| you to fight inflammation, kill bacteria, and help | | | | feelings. It is a great benefit to those who suffer |
| control the tone of your smooth muscles. These | | | | from depression and acts to reduce appetites and |
| muscles help regulate the workings of your | | | | obsessions. It produces a series of hormonal |
| internal organs. When there are too many free | | | | reactions that triggers the release of dopamine in |
| radicals in your body, they run wild attacking not | | | | the pleasure centers of the brain. Dopamine is an |
| only unhealthy but also healthy parts of the body. | | | | energizing neurotransmitter, which can increase or |
| This causes such diseases as heart disease and | | | | decrease output by brain cells causing a domino |
| cancer. | | | | effect. Dopamine helps stimulate the pituitary glad |
| Antioxidants have been found to be a successful | | | | that releases growth hormone and improving the |
| shield against these free radicals. They alter | | | | immune response. It also helps stimulate brain |
| cancer growth and act as anticarcinogens. | | | | activity no matter what the age. Dopamine is |
| Antioxidants are chemical substances that donate | | | | known to decrease with aging. Blueberries are |
| an electron to a free radical and convert it to a | | | | considered a big part of reversal in motor |
| molecule that is harmless. Antioxidants intercept | | | | dysfunction that occurs with aging and dopamine |
| free radicals to keep them from damaging blood | | | | deficiency. |
| vessel membranes. This helps the flow of blood | | | | |