Tip of the Day : Antioxidants

BEWARE THE FREE RADICALS!

A look back on Human Biology/Physiology:

Our bodies are made up of millions of different cells. Cells consist of different types of molecules. Molecules consist of one or more atoms of one or more elements joined in chemical bonds. As you probably remember from high school, atoms consist of a nucleus, neutrons, protons and electrons. The number of protons (positively charged particles) in the atom's nucleus determines the number of electrons (negatively charged particles) surrounding the atom. Electrons are involved in chemical reactions and are the substance that bonds atoms together to form molecules. Electrons surround, or "orbit" an atom in one or more shells. The innermost shell is full when it has two electrons. When the first shell is full, electrons begin to fill the second shell. When the second shell has eight electrons, it is full, and so on.

When trying to determine an atom's chemical behavior, the most important structural feature is the number of electrons in its outer shell. A substance that has a full outer shell tends not to enter in chemical reactions (an inert substance). Because atoms seek to reach a state of maximum stability, an atom will try to fill it's outer shell by:

• Gaining or losing electrons to either fill or empty its outer shell
• Sharing its electrons by bonding together with other atoms in order to complete its outer shell
• Atoms often complete their outer shells by sharing electrons with other atoms. By sharing electrons, the atoms are bound together and satisfy the conditions of maximum stability for the molecule.

This Relates To The Creation of Free Radicals:

Normally when molecules split (separating the atoms) they don't leave one atom with an incomplete shell - with an odd number of electrons. But, weak bonded molecules can break apart leaving atoms with extremely unstable outer shells - they NEED to bond with another atom to try to reach stability. These unstable atoms are called Free Radicals, and they are voracious. These free radicals, upon the breaking of it's weak bond, turn immediately to the next healthy cell and latch on, trying to steal the necessary electrons - which then turns that cell into a free radical, and so on.

Are All Free Radicals Bad?

No. Sometimes free radicals are formed during the normal digestive process. Sometimes, they can be purposefully created by our bodies immune system to attack a virus. Normally the body has no problem - when the healthy cells are healthy enough, strong enough to prevent the radical from stealing their electrons then the free radical cell will eventually die.

Furthermore, free radicals can be created through the oxidation process - converting the air we breath into the chemical in our blood our body can use. The problem lies in the fact that the air isn't pure Oxygen, there are other chemicals, including second hand smoke, that have to be filtered out. The chemicals produce plenty of free radicals as our body strives to get rid of them.

How Free Radicals Are Bad For The Body:

Once the free radicals begin stealing electrons, creating a chain of events, it can cascade growing in strength until cells we need to function are being attacked. Furthermore, even normal or healthy free radical damage increases with age. Since the bad free radicals can harm healthy cells, it can lead to heart disease, macular degeneration, diabetes, cancer, etc.

How Do We Prevent Free Radical Damage To Healthy Cells:

You guessed it, Antioxidants. When we eat a diet high in antioxidants, then our healthy cells form a shell or protective barrier that keeps the free radical from damaging the cell. This shell can even protect a cell giving it time to heal or strengthen into a true healthy cell - thus preventing disease. But, the most amazing thing studies have shown us in the last decade, is that antioxidants neutralize free radicals by donating one of their own electrons, ending the electron-"stealing" reaction. The antioxidant nutrients themselves don't become free radicals by donating an electron because they are stable in either form. They act as scavengers, helping to prevent cell and tissue damage that could lead to cellular damage and disease!!

Not to mention the fact that the foods high in antioxidants are also high in such healthy vitamins as C & E and you're talking about an army of healthy cells fighting off disease and infection.

What Foods Are Commonly Referred To As Antioxidants:

• Vitamin A & Cartenoids - Carrots, squash, broccoli, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, kale, collards, cantaloupe, peaches and apricots (bright-colored fruits and vegetables!)
• Vitamin C - Citrus fruits like oranges and lime etc, green peppers, broccoli, green leafy vegetables, strawberries and tomatoes
• Vitamin E - nuts, seeds, whole grains, green leafy vegetables, vegetable oil and liver oil
• Selenium - Fish & shellfish, red meat, grains, eggs, chicken and garlic

Other Foods Rich In That Act as Antioxidants:

• Flavonoids/Polyphenols - soy, red wine, purple/Concord grapes, pomegranate, cranberries, tea
• Lycopene - tomato & tomato products, pink grapefruit, watermelon
• Lutein - dark green veggies (kale, broccoli, spinach, Brussels sprouts)
• Lignan - flax seed, oatmeal, barley, rye

Vitamins That Act As Antioxidants:

• Coenzyme Q10
• Glutathoine

SO, What Does This Mean For My Diet & Life-Style?

Well, now you can understand why smoking and being around smoke is so unhealthy. Furthermore, you can see how eating a diet rich in fruits and veggies is imperative to developing the antioxidant warrior cells out bodies need to keep us healthy. Look for a diet high in bright colors - the bright yellow in corn, the bright orange in cantaloupe, the bright red in tomatoes, the bright green in spinach...etc..

What Happens When You Drink Soda

I think this article is a MUST for anyone tempted to drink soda:

What Happens To Your Body If You Drink A Soda Right Now??
by Wade Meredith on December 8th, 2006


Have you ever wondered why Coke comes with a smile? It's because it gets you high. They took the cocaine out almost a hundred years ago. You know why? It was redundant.

• In The First 10 minutes: 10 teaspoons of sugar hit your system. (100% of your recommended daily intake.) You don't immediately vomit from the overwhelming sweetness because phosphoric acid cuts the flavor allowing you to keep it down.
• 20 minutes: Your blood sugar spikes, causing an insulin burst. Your liver responds to this by turning any sugar it can get its hands on into fat. (There's plenty of that at this particular moment)
• 40 minutes: Caffeine absorption is complete. Your pupils dilate, your blood pressure rises, as a response your livers dumps more sugar into your bloodstream. The adenosine receptors in your brain are now blocked preventing drowsiness.
• 45 minutes: Your body ups your dopamine production stimulating the pleasure centers of your brain. This is physically the same way heroin works, by the way.
• >60 minutes: The phosphoric acid binds calcium, magnesium and zinc in your lower intestine, providing a further boost in metabolism. This is compounded by high doses of sugar and artificial sweeteners also increasing the urinary excretion of calcium.
• >60 Minutes: The caffeine's diuretic properties come into play. (It makes you have to pee.) It is now assured that you'll evacuate the bonded calcium, magnesium and zinc that was headed to your bones as well as sodium, electrolyte and water.
• >60 minutes: As the rave inside of you dies down you'll start to have a sugar crash. You may become irritable and/or sluggish. You've also now, literally, pissed away all the water that was in the Coke. But not before infusing it with valuable nutrients your body could have used for things like even having the ability to hydrate your system or build strong bones and teeth.
• This will all be followed by a caffeine crash in the next few hours. (As little as two if you're a smoker.) But, hey, have another Coke, it'll make you feel better.

*FYI: The Coke itself is not the enemy, here. It's the dynamic combo of massive sugar doses combined with caffeine and phosphoric acid. Things which are found in almost all soda.

Nutritional Shortcuts

You will never weigh everything!

I'm busy, you're busy...I like to tell my DH that even we SAHM's are more busy then anyone else (our job is 24-7). That being the case, the idea that you'll measure every single thing you'll eat or drink is unrealistic. The trick to life-long change is Ease With Your Lifestyle. If preparing food on Saturday and freezing the food for the coming week is best for you, do it. If sticking your car, pocket book, brief case, desk, etc is better for you? Do it! There is no right or wrong. Everyone was led down a different path, even though we all ended up with those extra pounds. So you're path to being healthy won't be the same as anyone else.

So, how do you know you're eating the right portion size without breaking out the scale for every meal? Well, there are tricks we nutritionists use. It's really the easiest way...but you must be honest with yourself. If you'll eat 2 servings it's ok, just exercise that much more to burn the extra calories. So you don't need to close one eye and stand on your left foot with your right fingers crossed in order to say it was a single serving.

Here are the visual tricks to determining Serving Size:

• A rounded handful - one 1/2 cup vegetables or fruit, 1/2 cup of cooked rice or pasta, or a snack serving of crisps or pretzels
• Woman’s fist - another way of visualising a serving of vegetables, or one piece of whole fruit
• Small handful or golf ball - 1/4 cup of dried fruit
• A matchbox - a 1 oz serving of meat, or a serving of cheese
• Deck of cards, or the palm of your hand (excluding fingers) - a 3oz serving (recommended serving) of meat, fish or poultry, or ten chips/french fries
• Thin paperback book - a 8 oz serving of meat
• Check book - a serving of fish (approximately 3 oz)
• Tennis ball - 1/2 cup of pasta, or a serving of ice cream
• Computer mouse - a medium baked potato
• Compact disc - one serving of pancake or small waffle
• Thumb tip or one dice - one teaspoon of margarine
• A ping pong ball - two tablespoons of peanut butter
• Small milk carton - 8 oz glass of milk
• A baseball - 8 oz cup of yogurt, one cup of beans, or one cup of dry cereal
• If you have certain foods you tend to eat all the time (like for me it's sesame seeds) then weight those once. I buy my seeds in bulk, then weight them into individual Ziplock baggies. No need to weight every time, once is enough!

Oh - when you're at a resturant or a family dinner here is what I suggest:

• Always get dressings on the side. Even dipping each forkful will give you less dressing then they usually put on. Try to stick to the vinegrettes, but if you MUST get the ceasar then dip or use the biggest spoon and put 1 1/2 spoon fuls on your salad ONLY.
• As soon as you're plate is placed in front of you ask for a doggie bag. Immediately bag up at least 1/2 of your food. It's appaling the size of the plates here in America. You'll be less tempted to over eat if the food simply isn't there.
• Always leave food on you're plate....trust me, the starving children in China won't care.
• If you're going to a family dinner, and you know they'll hound you into eating high-calorie foods, ask for a desert plate and use this instead of a full dinner plate. It will help you to minimize the damage of those high cal foods.