December 08, 2009
Drink Your Antioxidants!
According to Dr. Lylas Mogk, author of Macular Degeneration: The Complete Guide to Saving and Maximizing Your Sight
Many of the risk factors that contribute to the development of macular degneration can be tied to free radicals and the damage they cause. Some of these risk factors are sunlight, smoking, poor diet, and environmental toxins.
Antioxidants supply the missing electron that is needed to balance the free radical so that the cell is neutralized and now unable to cause damage and injury to healthy cells and tissue.
Antioxidants are a powerful, silent weapon working to protect our cells and our bodies from inflammation, degenerative diseases, cancer and macular degeneration.
Green Tea Antioxidants
Consider replacing some of your current drinks, like coffee, with drinks that are high in antioxidants. I have been slowly making these new changes in my morning routine - drinking either green tea or hot chocolate made from organic cacao powder.Green teas from the camellia tea plant are a rich source of polyphenols - which are a type of antioxidant.
"The antioxidant properties of polyphenols have been widely studied, but it has become clear that the mechanisms of action of polyphenols go beyond the modulation of oxidative stress."
"Current evidence strongly supports a contribution of polyphenols to the prevention of
cardiovascular diseases,
cancers, and
osteoporosis and
suggests a role in the prevention of
neurodegenerative diseases and
diabetes mellitus."
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol. 81, No. 1, 215S-217S, January 2005© 2005 American Society for Clinical Nutrition
These antioxidant benefits can be yours as well. However, not all green teas are the same. The antioxidant content and flavor of the tea is dependent on several factors. Learn what type of green teas are best, how to brew it and more by clicking here:
Hot Cocoa Recipes
Cacao beans are listed as one of the top 10 superfoods by David Wolfe. I was quite excited to learn about this as I am a big fan of chocolate. In case you didn't know all chocolate comes from the cacao bean or also known as the cocoa bean.
This cocoa bean is actually the seed or nut inside the pod/fruit.
According to David Wolfe, "the raw cacao bean is one of nature's most fantastic superfoods due to its mineral content and wide array of unique properties. Cacao contains the highest concentration of antioxidants of any food in the world."
David Wolfe - author of Superfoods: The Food and Medicine of the Future
However, the many benefits of this bean are destroyed by cooking, refining, and processing.
The beans are a rich source of natural antioxidants called flavonoids and phytochemicals called polyphenols. Flavonoids have many antioxidant properties.
I have started making a great hot cocoa using David Wolfe's organic cacao powder as my morning drink. To learn more about this great superfood and my recipe for a great antioxidant rich hot cocoa recipe click here:
Thanks so much for subscribing to Macular Degeneration News.
Leslie Degner, RN, BSN
Better Health for Better Vision
www.WebRN-MacularDegneration.com