Top Five Fave's

Anti-Ageing

Find out what Anti-Ageing Specialist Shaun Connolly has to say!

Macular Degeneration

Macular degeneration is the leading cause of vision loss in Australia. If your over 50 get your checked now.

Be a Stunning Senior

Annette Sym's tells us how to still enjoy those many morning or afternoon tea's without wreaking havoc with your health.

Nutra Organics e-Cookbook is Here!

Nutra Organics e-Cookbook is here! Most recipes are free of gluten, dairy, preservatives and additives.

Self Sabotage, Why We Do It.

Are you making promises to yourself...but only find your letting yourself down?

Antioxidants: what are they, and their benefits?

Antioxidants are naturally occurring components in foods that support the growth of healthy cells, protect cells against premature and abnormal aging, help fight age-related macular degeneration and provide support for the body's immune system.

As well as this, antioxidants assist to counter to the damaging effects of oxygen free radicals that damage cells though external factors such as x-rays, ultra-violet radiation and pollution.

Free radicals are molecules with unpaired electrons and are everywhere, in the air, our bodies and the materials around us.

During their quest to find another electron, they are very reactive and cause damage to surrounding molecules especially when coming into contact with important cellular components such as DNA.

This may result in cells functioning poorly and may die.

There are many different effects of free radicals, some of which include:
• Deterioration of the eye lens, which contributes to blindness.
• Inflammation of the joints, which causes arthritis.
• Damage to the nerve cells in the brain, which contributes to medical conditions such as Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s disease.
• Increase risk of coronary heart disease caused by free radicals encouraging low-density lipoprotein cholesterol to stick to artery walls.

So ensuring we have healthy intake of antioxidants from our diet is very important for helping keep free radicals in check.

Of the antioxidant rich foods, fruits & vegetables are the best known.

Research has indicated that the risk of chronic disease is considerably lower in people who regularly consume 5-7 serves of fruit and vegetables .

For some people who struggle to maintain this recommended daily intake, or for those who have higher needs for antioxidants, concentrated food supplements can play an important role in combating free radicals.

Examples of these naturally high antioxidant sources include: grape seed extract, green tea and superfruits like acai, goji and mangosteen.

Another interesting new supplement is the pure extract from Siberian fir needles.

This Siberian Red tonic is supported by the internationally recognized test known as ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity), which is used to measure the levels of antioxidants it contains; in fact Siberian Red has an ORAC value of 21,500 (per 100g) in comparison to most common fruits and vegetables, which fall between 100 and 9,500.

When using Siberian Red, all it takes is 3ml mixed with water or juice daily to help support healthy immune function and aid in protecting cell health.