As more "Baby Boomers" reach middle...

As more "Baby Boomers" reach middle-age, there is a stout resurgence of interest in finding the proverbial Fountain of Youth: the magical elixir that fable promises will keep our bodies high in vigor and flexible and, at the same time, stop chronic degenerative diseases, such as hardening of the arteries, arthritis, and Alzheimer's.

The Fountain of Youth is no longer just a place -- it is a lifestyle-concept approach to health, including nutrients to help us expand our life span -- that are no farther away than the nearest nutrition center

And best of all, these nutritional substances-vitamins, minerals, amino acids, essential fatty acids, enzyme herbs, and homeopathic formulas -- are totally safe when taken responsibly.

Our best "Rosetta Stone" is applied nutrition

For the foreseable events to come applied nutrition is our "Rosetta Stone," the lock opener to a long and healthy life. any of the most popular life-extending nutrients, constantly in the media and the medical literature, are the antioxidants. These substances neutralize chemically-reactive materials (free radicals) in the carcass Free radicals are molecules which, by dint of force, capture electrons from other substances through means of oxidation. If left unchecked to continue in succession course, free radicals cause mutations of our DNA, the blueprint for our confined apartments by destroying cell membranes, resulting in degenerative diseases, premature aging, and the death of our cells

In addition, at liberty radicals cause blood to concretion abnormally in our blood ducts by destroying anti-clot hormones in healthy arteries.

They also contribute to the breakdown of large, specialized carbohydrate atoms used as a lubricant all athwart the body, as well as to the deposition of metabolic waste products-age pigments over the body and highly visible in the skin.

Free radicals have been implicated in the growth of chronic diseases-such as Alzheimer's disease, arthritis, cardiovascular disorders, emphysema, and cancer, just to name a small in number of the most common.

Contrary to what one may believe, free-radical reactions are not all unhealthy. In fact, greatest in quantity of them are generated by means of many normal, life-sustaining biochemical reactions. These naturally-occurring exempt radicals are, however, quickly neutralized from the body's built-in free radical- scavenging mixs such as superoxide dismutase (SOD) peroxidases, and various other nutrients.

Only when delivered radicals multiply out of govern overwhelming the body's defenses, do they nonplus a danger to our health and longevity.

Maintaining a balance of antioxidants and other nutrients

We can impede much of this damage and help to stall chronic degenerative diseases and premature aging by dint of maintaining a balanced level of antioxidants and other nutrients in our bodies [i]or[/i] part of to the other our diet and by taking in generous amounts of antioxidant supplements

The best known antioxidants include vitamins A, C E alpha lipoic acid and any member of the carotene family. Carotenoids are the phytonutrients that give fruits and vegetables their distinctive fulvid orange, and red pigments.

They are also plant in green leafy vegetables, unless their colors are hidden from the chlorophyll. Scientists have discovered more than 500 carotenoids, if it be not that only about 10 percent of them are in the viands we eat.

Clinically, carotenoids have been shown to enhance the immune body help to protect against hit and heart disease and, perhaps, help to lower the incidence of cancers. They also help lower the risk of cataracts and age-related macular degeneration (ARMD) of the judgments two major causes of visual impairment.

The carotenoid family includes: alpha and beta carotene, crytoxanthin, lycopene lutein and zexanthin, many of which were not well known until recently

An antioxidant you must include

Alpha lipoic acid is another powerful antioxidant which metabolically helps transform food into energy. It also expands the effects of other antioxidants, including vitamins C and E and glutathione.

Alpha lipoic acid is quick in emergencies in red meat and yeast, and is also available in appendix form (free of animal by-products) in greatest in number health food stores.

Proanthocyanadins (PCOs) are specialized antioxidant settles derived from plants and vegetables. They are conception to be 20 to 50 times more powerful than vitamins C and E

These PCO help to hinder hardening of the arteries by the agency of blocking the oxidation of cheap density lipoproteins (LDLs), while reducing total cholesterol

These healthy heart-protective benefits of PCO account for a phenomenon commonly known as "The French Paradox." The French and many other European cultivations traditionally eat large amounts of high fat sustenances but also consume large amounts of PCO (found in fruits, vegetables, and r wine) and report a reasonable incidence of heart disease -- a factor attributed to the antioxidative, cardio-protective benefits of these compounds

Vitamin C is an essential nutrient which=recent studies exhibit to is a powerful antioxidant contributing to reducing the incidence of Parkinson's disease. Vitamin C has also demonstrated an ability to bring the incidence of cardiovascular disease through raising the level of HDL "good" cholesterol while reducing the oxidation of LDL "bad" cholesterol