The Health Benefits of Antioxidants

Recently, you may have read or heard alot about antioxidants in conjunction with good health or avoiding diseases. Antioxidants have been getting great press lately, and rightfully so. But what are they? What do they do once inside our bodies? And how can we get more of them?

Well, firstly, let’s define what they are. Have you ever seen the bottom-feeder fish in a fish-tank, sucking up all the gunk and grime that is toxic for the rest of the fish? Think of antioxidants as molecular-sized, “free radical scavengers” in the fish-tank of your body.

Once an antioxidant finds its way into the body, mostly through the foods we eat, it slows down, or even prevents, the oxidation of other molecules. When molecules in the body oxidize, they can create free-radicals, or cellular bi-products. It is very normal to have these free-radicals in the body, but in excess, they can wreak havoc on our cell structures.

What Are Free Radicals?

Free radicals create a destructive process in our cells, causing the molecules within the cells to become unstable. They may even be a big player in the formation of cancerous cells by a “chain-reaction” effect, causing other cells to become damaged. Because of the inherent instability of free-radicals, they try to attack other healthy cells to get stable themselves. This then causes the once-healthy cells to react in the same way, attacking others in an never-ending attempt for cellular stability.

In layman’s terms, free-radicals are bullies that start pushing everybody around, and encourage nice cells to become bullies as well. Just like most conflicts, the results are “free radical waste products” made up of our broken, injured and deformed cells. If our cells are weak, it is natural that our organs, tissues and skin of the body will likewise become weakened.

As you can imagine, oxidative damage plays a huge role in many of our modern-day diseases, such as muscle and tissue degeneration, heart disease, diabetes, cancer, as well as many other health problems. You are exposed to free radicals as a normal bi-product of regular bodily processes, like breaking down the food we eat, taking toxic medicines, as well as through exposure to pollutants. In addition, over-exposure to the sun (sunburn) and smoking can also increase your body’s need to oxidize and create free-radicals. Antioxidants stop this cellular chain reaction of oxidation by neutralizing the free radicals.

Many plants and animals keep large amounts of antioxidants on hand, due to their role in preventing cell damage, as well as their ability to repair damaged cells. Studies have shown that antioxidants can play a role in reducing the cell-damage of free radicals.

Moreover, the National Cancer Institute has stated that preliminary research in lab animals has shown that “antioxidants help prevent the free radical damage that is associated with cancer.” Many experts feel that increased antioxidants in the body can also help slow the process of aging, and may even increase longevity.

ARTICLE BY:  Dr. Edward
Natural Health and the The Health Benefits of Antioxidants

Half way there

The Biggest Looser, Lost and American Idol all came to an end this week, but the outcomes were perfect! I was amazed looking at all the contestants at the Biggest Looser Finale. More so with Mike, what a transformation!  Starting at 526 lbs, he now weights 262!

Most of us realize that loosing weight that fast will not happen for the majority who have daily endeavors. Although they do not have a personal chef on the show they exercise all the time without the normal stresses of juggling a job and family life. So it might take us twice as long but the proof is there. Dedication and hard work pays off!

So this day marks meeting my goal half way. As I told you before I can get impatient but who doesn't when it comes to results. Starting at 176 I have lost 23 lbs and have 23 more to go. I can tell you there are times where I feel like chowing down on pizza and eating a box of junior mints, but those are the behaviors and habbits that got me here in the first place.  For now, proportion, moderation, discipline, recourses, exercise, friends, family and prayer is keeping me on the strait path. I hope you all are on track and keep up the hard work on your fitness journey. 

Pound for Pound Challenge!

As I am a fan of the Biggest Looser I have joined the pound for pound challenge.  Hold yourself accountable to loosing weight and at the same time you are feeding those in need!  How much will you loose by June 30th? I am pleging to loose 15 lbs in the next 41 days (about 6 weeks) !  Texas is in second place and has already pleged 407,297 pounds. 

The Pound For Pound Challenge is a partnership among The Biggest Loser, Feeding America, General Mills, Subway, 24 Hour Fitness and The Kroger Co. to help Feeding America deliver millions of pounds of groceries to local food banks across the U.S.

You can participate in The Pound For Pound Challenge by pledging to lose weight at PFPChallenge.com. For every pound you pledge, The Pound For Pound Challenge will donate 14¢ to Feeding America - enough to deliver one pound of groceries to a local food bank. Maximum donation of $1,080,000.

Click Here to join the Pound for Pound Challenge

TIME and PATIENCE

I get discouraged and become impatient during my weight loss journey. Highs and lows... one minute I see subtle differences and the next I am criticizing myself. Talking amongst friends most of us agree we are always our toughest critics. Even if someone notices you have lost weight and tells you how beautiful you are, if you are not happy the with the way you look, their perception is not going to change how you feel about yourself completely. But I do thank all of my sweet friends that do encourage me and lift me up. The support does help in getting over my petty bumps in the road and move on.

As of today I have lost a total of 17 pounds in 6 weeks. Sometimes I get really excited and then I take a look in the mirror and think UG 30 more pounds to go. So I have been reading different articles on patience with loosing weight. Different ways to tackle that unnecessary feeling. Because the facts are... if you want to loose weight the right way it will take TIME and PATIENCE. If patience is something you struggle with here are some suggestions below that might help.

For example one of the suggestions was not to look at it as a 90 pound goal.  8-10 pounds a month is realistic and reasonable.  Break it down into smaller increments. Then once you have reached that goal treat yourself with a small reward.  A Mani pedi, new shirt from Target, massage from your husband, something you can look forward to. 

Another idea for staying motivated which helps improve your patience is logging any changes that you notice in a journal. Track when you are able to do an activity without getting winded anymore, when your thighs don't touch, when you had to go to a smaller hole on a buckle, basically little things that can provide encouragement. That can help with being patient with the slow process of seeing results on the scale.

Take a picture of yourself once a month in the same outfit. This can help you see an actual difference.  We see ourselves in the mirror on a daily basis and that makes it hard for us to notice changes. 

Decide to start with small, acceptable changes over a period of time.

AVACADOS 101

Article from  http://www.avocadosfrommexico.com/Nutrition.aspx

Avocados from Mexico have so much to brag about! Sure, they taste great and are super versatile in recipes—and they’re also nutrient powerhouses. You can always feel good about serving Avocados from Mexico to your family and friends because they deliver nutrients our bodies need every day.
Packed with Goodness

One-fifth (1 ounce) of a Hass avocado has 50 calories, 3 grams of monounsaturated fat, 0 cholesterol and sodium, and 1 gram of dietary fiber. (Who knew a fruit that is so smooth and creamy provides dietary fiber that’s so important to a healthy digestive tract.)

Avocados provide nearly 20 essential vitamins and minerals: potassium, folic acid and other B-vitamins, as well as vitamins E and K. They also contain phytonutrients, believed to help prevent many chronic diseases.

Avocados act as a "nutrient booster" by enabling the body to absorb more fat-soluble nutrients, such as alpha- and beta-carotene as well as lutein and vitamins A, D, K and E in foods that are eaten with avocados.

Avocados are a good source of lutein, an antioxidant which has been shown to be concentrated in the macula of the eye. Research suggests that it may help maintain healthy eyesight as we age. An ounce of avocado contains 81 micrograms of lutein.

HEART HEALTHY


Avocados fit into the American Heart Association’s guidelines for a diet that provides unsaturated fat and is low in saturated fat. Avocados contain no saturated fat or cholesterol and are virtually the only fruit that provides good-for-you mono-unsaturated fat.

LOW- CARB

Diabetics and others who must watch their carbohydrate intake can enjoy avocados often. A one-ounce serving has only 3 grams of carbohydrate.

LACTOSE INTOLERANT

Add avocados to smoothies, sauces, soups and salsas for creamy flavor and texture without the dairy!

WEIGHT-LOSS

Recent research indicates that a diet that contains 20-30% calories from “good fat” like the oils found in avocados, not only supports good health but aids weight loss and maintenance.

Great nutrition meets great taste. Hello Avocado!

Avocados serve up vitamins, minerals and more.

Studies have shown Avocados from Mexico contribute nearly 20 different types of vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients that can help your body function normally.

Plus, Avocados have the mono- and polyunsaturated “good” fats that are recommended as part of a healthy diet.

A one-ounce serving (approximately one-fifth of an Avocado) is just 50 calories, yet serves up nutrients, 3 grams of monounsaturated fat and 1 gram of dietary fiber.

All with zero cholesterol and just 0.5 grams of saturated fat (the “bad” type of fat).*

Quick facts

Phytonutrients are thought to prevent many chronic diseases.

A serving of Avocado has the same calories as a serving of other popular fruits like cantaloupe, honeydew melon and pineapple.

*Total fat content 4.5 grams., Includes 0.5 grams saturated fat, 0 grams trans fat, 0.5 grams polyunsaturated fat and 3 grams monounsaturated fat.

My mouth waters just looking at this picture!

This week I hit a weak spot! I am as human as they come and sure, I feel like giving in and sometimes that is half the battle.

So yesterday my father came over and he brought us Kashi oatmeal fiber chocolate chip cookies. They were made of whole wheat's and all the good stuff. But still, each cookie had a nice amount of carbs and fat. Well I ate one. Then a second... and a third! Then a depressing fourth! I wished I would have text or called a friend to tell them so they could talk me out of it.

Then I got the bright idea last week to buy dark chocolate covered almonds. I mean, it only cost me a little over a dollar in the section where you can buy foods by the weight at HEB. Standing in front of the bins that are full of mouth watering chocolates I thought, "I got this, I can handle this... only one a day..." That is not how things panned out apparently. I am so glad I only bought a dollars worth or I might be in some serious trouble!

I ate most of them except for the last few when my husband just had to come around the corner inquiring why I was so quiet and standing so still. The best way to describe my emotions at that time was the feeling a child gets when they are caught doing something wrong and like a deer in headlights. Busted!

All to say I cannot be trusted with that stuff in my house. I am getting better about warding junk food off in public but if it's in my pantry that is another story.

I guess I have to work my hinny off this week. One power pump class down this morning... one Jazzercise class to go! No cookies or Chocolate covered almonds for me, thank you!