| The 100 trillion (give or take a few) cells in your | | | | diet? A study was done with a tribe of |
| body are little energy machines....and in the | | | | present-day hunters and gatherers, and it was |
| process of making energy, they produce | | | | noted that there were seventy-five different |
| by-products, much like a car engine produces | | | | plants in their daily diet! And, these plants made up |
| exhaust. The by-products are thousands of little | | | | 70 percent of their total calories - equal to 20 |
| "free" oxygen atoms or molecules that contain an | | | | servings per day. That is a high antioxidant diet! |
| unpaired electron. This imbalance makes them | | | | Plus, they didn't smoke, weren't subject to |
| very unstable (radical)...so they must search out | | | | pollution, drank plenty of clear mountain spring |
| another atom from which to "steal" an electron. | | | | water, and were part of a close community. |
| Stephen Cherniske describes it this way in his | | | | We face free radical exposure hundreds of times |
| book The Metabolic Plan: "Imagine there's a dance | | | | more than what those tribespeople face. We are |
| where everyone has a partner. The room is | | | | so civilized that we eat very few antioxidant rich |
| "stable", and everyone is happy. Suddenly the | | | | foods, we're totally stressed out, and we think |
| door opens, and here's this fellow without a date. | | | | we can compensate for all of this with a |
| Not only is he alone (unpaired), but he's incredibly | | | | multivitamin. That's like throwing a glass of water |
| good-looking. So this guy goes over and steals | | | | on a huge forest fire! |
| some other guy's date. That guy is now unpaired | | | | Take a closer look at the average American diet, |
| (and angry), so he tries to cut in on another | | | | which includes less than 10 types of plants, most |
| couple. And before you know it, the entire dance | | | | of which are low in antioxidants. Even though the |
| floor is filled with guys fighting over the available | | | | US Department of Agriculture has been begging |
| girls. In your body, free radicals wreak similar | | | | us to eat at least 5 servings of fruits and |
| havoc." | | | | vegetables a day, surveys show that less than 8 |
| As you are reading this, every single one of your | | | | percent of Americans actually do this. Look at this |
| 100 trillion cells is sustaining free radical "hits"...up to | | | | statistic: the quarter of the population that eats |
| 10,000 of them every day. That's every cell, | | | | the fewest fruits and vegetables has more than |
| getting hit 10,000 times a day by these nasty, | | | | TRIPLE the heart disease rate compared to the |
| damaging atoms/molecules! | | | | quarter of the population with the highest intake. |
| The really bad news is that it's not just our own | | | | OK, OK....enough guilt-tripping! I'm no better at this |
| cells producing "exhaust" that creates free radicals. | | | | than you are, believe me! That's why I am always |
| Get a load of these other causes: diets low in | | | | looking for a solution to this dilemma without |
| highly varied plants, machines and factories | | | | having to totally turn my life upside down trying |
| spewing out free- radical pollution, increased | | | | to change the entire way I eat and feed my |
| exposure to ultraviolet radiation, and cigarette | | | | family. |
| smoke. Every puff on a cigarette sends tens of | | | | The solution proposed by a growing number of |
| billions of free radicals deep into your tissues. And | | | | scientists is to take antioxidant supplements. In |
| the National Cancer Institue estimates that more | | | | 1993, two studies were published in the New |
| than 50,000 Americans are killed by secondhand | | | | England Journal of Medicine which showed that |
| cigarette smoke every year. | | | | supplemental antioxidants can decrease the risk of |
| Free radicals are greatly responsible for the | | | | heart disease by 26-46 percent. Additional |
| wrinkles and lines on your face. But beneath the | | | | research suggests that antioxidant supplements |
| surface of your skin is where the real damage is | | | | can also reduce the risk of certain types of |
| caused by the sun's ultraviolet rays. Free radicals | | | | cancer. |
| produced by UV radiation damage the DNA - the | | | | I heard an interview with a Professor Emeritus at |
| genetic blueprints of the cells. This causes the cells | | | | the University of Texas School of Health Science |
| to start dividing abnormally. If this damage is not | | | | (an expert in antioxidant research) and he |
| repaired it results in skin cancer. The American | | | | explained that our brains are particularly |
| Academy of Dermatology reports that malignant | | | | susceptible to damage from free radicals, and |
| melanoma claims the life of one American every | | | | that supplementation with powerful antioxidants is |
| hour. See? It's about more than just the wrinkles | | | | a key to maintaining brain function! |
| on your face. | | | | Yea! Now THIS is something I can DO! The |
| Your body is under attack, and there is no | | | | question is: which supplements? |
| shortage of published medical literature stating | | | | * Alpha Lipoic acid |
| that free radical damage contributes to nearly all | | | | * Folic acid (from foliage of dark green, leafy |
| disease states: cancer, age-related brain | | | | veggies) |
| degeneration, cardiovascular disease, and more. | | | | * Vitamin B12 |
| However - do not despair! There is GOOD NEWS! | | | | * Green Tea (polyphenols) |
| And you can take action STARTING RIGHT NOW | | | | * Spices: cayenne, garlic, tumeric, cumin, |
| to do something about this! | | | | rosemary, oregano, and paprika |
| What is an Antioxidant? The Fire Department! The | | | | * Whole food powdered green drinks |
| Police Force! The Special Forces Unit! | | | | * Whole food purple/red fruit concentrates |
| Antioxidants are your first line of defense against | | | | * Coenzyme Q-10 |
| the damage that free radicals are bound and | | | | * Selenium |
| determined to inflict on your cells. So, what are | | | | * Ginkgo biloba |
| antioxidants, where do they come from, and how | | | | I recommend you order The Metabolic Plan by |
| do I get them? | | | | Stephen Cherniske. His book will give you all the |
| "Back in the day" - for centuries, our ancestors | | | | detail you need to make wise choices. |
| ate diets high in natural fruits and vegetables. You | | | | Here's to your health! |
| may have heard of the "hunting and gathering" | | | | |