Tag: healthy body

Delicious Defense: How Antioxidant-Rich Foods Can Shield Your Body From Harmful Free Radicals

‘Antioxidants’ is a word that has been constantly mentioned in the skincare industry with more companies manufacturing products that contain green tea extracts, vitamin C, vitamin E and other compounds that have antioxidants in them. The chemical is praised for its anti-ageing properties and for preventing the epidermis layer from being damaged. As essential as it is for your skin, antioxidants are also crucial for a healthy body, so here is (almost) everything you should know about antioxidants.

In order to understand antioxidants and their role better, it is necessary to know about free radicals.

Free radicals are atoms that are produced as a result of the body’s natural chemical reactions caused by factors such as stress, alcohol, smoking, and UV rays and believe it or not, even exercising can contribute to the production of free radicals.

These loose atoms that freely move around the body tend to capture the electrons from the other cells in the body which can lead those cells to lose their function gradually. This condition is scientifically referred to as oxidant stress and it can cause havoc to the human body, eventually resulting in cancer, cardiovascular diseases and more medical problems.

To tackle this issue, antioxidants donate their electrons to the free radicals so that they do not steal the electrons from the other cells. While this may sound counterintuitive with the antioxidants losing their electrons, this actually does not cause any damage to them.

Antioxidants are naturally occurring in our body but as we grow old, the body generates them in lesser quantity thus having to depend on foods for it. An antioxidant-rich diet is particularly essential during summer because more UV rays enter the body thus increasing the production of free radicals.

Fortunately, it is very convenient to add antioxidants to your diet because there are plenty of foods that have the substance in them. Here are some ways to implement them in your daily meals.

Also Read: Tasty, tailored, diet-conscious repasts delivered to the door save time in busy lives

Berries

Add some berries to your morning cup of cereal, yoghurt or smoothie. While strawberries, cranberries and raspberries are good picks, blueberries are the best choice as they contain the most amount of antioxidants in them.

Nuts

Try snacking on a handful of nuts such as pecans, chestnuts and walnuts which are not only a great source of antioxidants but also healthy fats.

Dark Chocolate

Choose dark chocolate as a dessert for your post-meal cravings as it is certainly a healthier alternative to other types of chocolates due to the high amount of cocoa in them. In addition to supplying antioxidants to the body, dark chocolate also contributes to a healthy heart.

Salads

If you love salads, then load them with spinach or kale which are both excellent sources of antioxidants. You can even add a few slices of carrots which have the antioxidant-rich chemical called carotenoids that give the vegetable its orange colour. Even sweet potatoes have carotenoids in them so if you are a fan of this root vegetable then you can have it roasted, boiled or however you like it.

Meat

Meat lovers can always depend on certain meats like chicken, pork and beef to replenish their bodies with antioxidants.

Stay Cool and Hydrated: Tips to Beat the Heat and Quench Your Thirst

Staying hydrated is one of the most important things you can do for your health. While the usual recommendation is 6 to 8 glasses per day, a Harvard study found that these quantities actually depend on various factors such as the weather, medical conditions, age and activity level. That said, the body will need more water during the summer especially because we tend to lose water from the body through sweat.

Not only does it help regulate body temperature, but it also aids in digestion, supports healthy skin, and helps flush out toxins. Despite its importance, many of us struggle to drink enough water throughout the day. Fortunately, there are many tasty and creative ways to stay hydrated beyond just drinking plain water. So here are some tips to stay hydrated.

ways to stay hydrated

Eat water-rich fruits

Fruits and vegetables are certainly one of the healthiest and tastiest sources of hydration. Given the many options available, there is undoubtedly some fruit or vegetable for every person to include in their diet. Consume them either as a snack or have them in your daily meals and these foods can do more than just hydrate your body. Different produce are rich in different nutrients that are essential for the body to function healthily. Particularly, those fruits and vegetables containing potassium like watermelon, grapefruit, and spinach are more advantageous as they act as catalysts to keep the body hydrated by helping the cells to absorb water faster.

ways to stay hydrated

Pay attention to dehydration signals

Drinking less than the required amount of water can lead to dehydration and the body usually has certain ways of showing this. Some signals include dry mouth, chapped lips, tiredness, bad breath and more. So next time, if you notice any of these signs, drink some water first before applying that lip balm.

ways to stay hydrated

Set reminders

Though everyone knows how crucial it is to drink a lot of water, it can be quite easy to forget to do so especially if you are busy doing something else. One simple and great way to ensure that you intake water regularly throughout the day is to set reminders on your phone. There are even apps specially built for this purpose that allow you to set a daily target and the app will ring alarms at regular intervals reminding you to drink water on a regular basis.

Another way to remind yourself to drink water frequently is to buy one of those motivational bottles that come with time marks and slogans that encourage you to reach your daily water intake goals.

ways to stay hydrated

Try infused waters

Water that is infused with flavours from herbs or fruits is also a nice way to ensure that you drink the optimal amount of water every day. They can also help with weight loss and digestion.

You can either buy pre-infused water or make your own infused water by adding certain herbs or fruits to a large jar of water and leaving it for 5 to 8 hours depending on how flavourful you want the water to be. Once the infused water is ready, you can filter and drink the water.

You can also purchase one of those infuser water bottles that have a special compartment with a filter in them for you to add some fruits or herbs to them, allowing the water to become concentrated with flavours throughout the day.