:: Jun-Jul 2008

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Antioxidants and Omega-3 Fats: Functional Foods to Boost Health “"People who eat a plant-based diet are the healthiest people on the planet," says Katherine Tallmadge, MA, RA, LD, an American Dietetic Association spokeswoman. "Eat at least five cups of fruits and vegetables every day. Use olive oil instead of butter. Eat plenty of seafood. These are nutrition recommendations that won't change." What is changing is our understanding of how nutrients like omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants are responsible for the health-promoting properties of functional foods -- and what you can do to maximize their effectiveness. Plant foods like fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts and seeds are your best bet to obtain disease-fighting antioxidants such as vitamins A, C and E, the mineral selenium, and flavonoids. The protective benefits of antioxidants seem to stem from their ability to protect your cells from dangerous free radicals, which you are exposed to as the result of natural processes and pollutants in the environment. … For the most protection, you should try to eat a wide variety of colorful fruits and vegetables, including garlic and onion, tomatoes, watermelon, leafy greens, broccoli, cauliflower, blueberries, carrots, and bell peppers. Beverages like tea, coffee, and red wine also contain antioxidants that may offer protection against many diseases, including diabetes, Alzheimer's, and heart disease. … When it comes to heart health, though, there is convincing evidence that fish oil supplements and fish seem to have roughly the same benefits. "Fish does have other benefits though, like selenium and vitamin D," Mozaffarian tells WebMD. "If I were choosing, I would choose fish over fish oil pills." “

See Internet Sites

Featured site

NIH - Antioxidants

NCI FACT SHEET: Antioxidants and Cancer Prevention

NIH - Antioxidants Resources

NIH - Antioxidants with Concurrent Cancer Therapies: To Use or Not to Use?

NIH - FREE RADICALS: THE PROS AND CONS OF ANTIOXIDANTS

Aging and Anti-Aging

Cancer - General

NeuroDegeneration: Oxidative Stress

Aging and Anti-Aging

[Increasing oxidative stress in aging] (Nippon Rinsho. 2005) "Oxidative stress in aging relates not only direct organ damage but also induce risk factors for vascular damage such as metabolic syndrome."

Cancer - General

Oxidative stress-induced DNA damage by particulate air pollution. (Mutat Res. 2005) "Exposure to ambient air particulate matter (PM) is associated with pulmonary and cardiovascular diseases and cancer. The mechanisms of PM-induced health effects are believed to involve inflammation and oxidative stress. ? Oxidative stress-induced DNA damage appears to an important mechanism of action of urban particulate air pollution. Related biomarkers and personal monitoring may be useful tools for risk characterization."