Did you know that cardiovascular disease is the common cause of death for North American men and women? Perhaps due to this alarming number, much of scientific researches conducted today have recently been focused on how vitamins and antioxidants may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Previous studies have shown that antioxidant vitamins, such as zinc picolinate (found in Wise Advanced Multi), vitamin E, vitamin C, and beta carotene (a form of vitamin A), have potential health-promoting properties.
Some of the basic food groups that prove to be rich sources of antioxidant vitamins are the following:
- Starchy vegetables (such as potatoes, yam, squash, etc.)
- Fruits and vegetables (especially the dark leafy vegetables)
Incidentally, if you eat your 5-6 servings of fruits and vegetables daily, you not only ingest a high level of natural antioxidant vitamins, but you also keep fat buildup in your body. Eating a variety of foods low in saturated fat and cholesterol will provide a rich natural source of antioxidant vitamins, minerals, and fiber.
But what exactly do antioxidant vitamins do?
Oxygen radicals are everywhere because we live in an atmosphere that contains oxygen. Oxidation is a process that naturally occurs in the body and a natural consequence of it are the radical particles that have since been dubbed as “free radicals.”
Scientists point to these so-called free radicals as the culprits when it comes to most degenerative diseases. Free radicals are blamed for even the simplest of illnesses, such as colds. There is an increasing body of evidence that oxidative stress is linked to many diseases such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, neurological disorders, cataracts, and arthritis. Our strongest defences against these harmful free radicals are antioxidant vitamins which are contained in the foods that we eat.
Written by Dr Sandra Miranda, ND