Antioxidants and anti-inflammatory
Do you often read these and are unsure what it means or how it relates to your body.
Antioxidants are substances that help counteract oxidative damage by free radicals in the body.
Oxidation is a chemical reaction that can produce free radicals, leading to chain reactions that may damage cells.
Antioxidants can terminate these chain reactions – helping to strengthen your ability to fight infections and diseases.
Oxidative damage is believed to be among the leading drivers of aging and many diseases, including cancer.
It’s like a guard over your pool filter – not allowing the leaves to get into the filter to block it up, so it can effectively run the filter better to keep the pool clean and prevent algae from building up.
Antioxidants helps all your cells from those within your muscles, to the cells to help skin formation and healthy hair growth – having better skin and strong muscles is what you need to live a longer healthier life.
Anti-inflammatory refers to the property of a substance or treatment that reduces inflammation or swelling – these are signs of inflammation: headaches, migraines, stomach aches, wrist pain, knee, hip and shoulder pain, ear aches, brain fog, lack of concentration, wounds, tonsillitis, asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, Crohns and many more.
Inflammation is an essential part of the body’s attempt to heal itself. It starts with irritation, which them becomes inflammation.
Infections, wounds and any damage to tissue would never heal without inflammation – tissue would become more and more damaged and the body, or any organism, would eventually perish.
Having a diet with foods that help to maintain the inflammation and work towards helping wounds to heal, help to prevent these becoming worse situations like chronic illnesses.
Eg if you have foods with less sugar (as sugar causes inflammation), your body does not have to keep fighting the inflammation – it can in fact help muscle growth and repair from life stress or exercise instead.
If you have foods everyday that help to keep inflammation at bay you will notice the pain that was in your knee may go or the sore shoulder feels better. Your body sends you messages constantly – it’s up to you to listen and take note.
Many people do not associate inflammation to stomach aches or lack of concentration – but this is ways your body is trying to send you a message.
Before you reach for the ibuprofen, neurofen eg – just include foods that have these already inbuilt – it’s cheaper and more beneficial.
Here is a list of some foods that contain antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties
Top 20 to nourish your body
