(HealthNewsDigest) - Nutritional biochemist and author Dr. Shawn Talbott has compiled the research and is warning Americans about deadly antioxidants. The health science community knows that we take too many antioxidant supplements, and its causing health problems. We still need essential nutrients; its just that we dont need to supplement them at typically massive levels. The reason why healthy foods - such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, spices, coffee and tea - are good for us is because they help to activate Nrf2, which is the bodys normal protective antioxidant mechanism. Focusing on Nrf2 is a far safer way to help safeguard our health. Why you should worry about oxidative stress. Nutritional biochemist and author Dr. Shawn Talbott wants you to understand what oxidative stress may be doing to your body, and why you should care about getting the right amounts of antioxidants into your diet every single day. There are five main classes of antioxidants: Vitamin C, vitamin E, thiols, carotenoids and flavonoids. None are more important than the other. The best news is that Mother Nature has already put them into a packaged blend. By eating a variety of healthy foods daily - such as an orange which is high in carotenoids and blueberries which are high in flavonoids - you can get what you need without taking a synthetic, high-dose pill containing one isolated antioxidant. Are you putting your life at risk by taking nutritional supplements? Nutritional biochemist and author Dr. Shawn Talbott can point to dozens of published studies that show that taking too many antioxidants can be deadly. For example, carrots are good for you but taking 30 mg of beta carotene could increase your risk of lung cancer. Too much vitamin E has been associated with heart disease. The recommended daily amount (RDA) of vitamin E is 30 IUs, but most supplements contain a minimum of 400 IUs. Worse, the RDA is based on getting all 8 isomers of vitamin E, but most vitamin E supplements contain just one isomer: vitamin E tocopherol. Similarly, the RDA for vitamin C is 60 to 120 mg. depending on such factors as age and smoking status. Yet its not uncommon for people to get 1000 mg or more each day. Thats the equivalent of eating 10 oranges! Learn how these antioxidant imbalances may be causing health problems instead of preventing them. How can you tell if you are getting enough antioxidants?According to Nutritional biochemist and author Dr. Shawn Talbott, theres no good answer. You cant feel it when free radicals are out of control in your body. The best approach is to pay close attention to your diet and lifestyle. If you breathe polluted air, for example, or you are an athlete which creates more free radicals than normal, those are good signs that you may need to safely increase your level of antioxidant protection. Health scientists now understand that eating brightly colored fruits and vegetables activates Nrf2, a protein which stimulates your bodys own protective antioxidant enzymes. Dr. Talbott can reference 19 studies that show how our bodies use nutrients to trigger Nrf2, which helps to protect our brain, arteries, and other organs. Nrf2 is a hot topic at professional conferences. This is where the future of medicine is going. Dont take antioxidants. Help your body make its own antioxidants.Nutritional biochemist and author Dr. Sawn Talbott says that Americans have a potentially deadly preoccupation with antioxidant supplements. Food first, supplements second, he says. He sets out a five-point plan for healthier living and turning on triggering Nrf2, which activates your bodys own protective antioxidant enzymes: 1.Stop taking high doses of isolated, synthetic antioxidant supplements. 2.Get active. 3.Practice intermittent fasting. Not eating for 24 hours, once a month, turns on the Nrf2 pathway. 4.Eat the right foods - such as onions and broccoli - which activate the N4f2 pathway. 5.If you do supplement, choose brands that are properly balanced. The benefits of his approach include looking, feeling and performing better. Biography: Dr. Shawn Talbott Dr. Shawn Talbott holds a MS in Exercise Science from UMass, an EMP in Entrepreneurship from MIT, and a PhD in Nutritional Biochemistry from Rutgers. He is a Fellow of both the American College of Sports Medicine and the American College of Nutrition and has educated elite-level athletes in a variety of sports including at the United States Olympic Training Centers. He is the author of over 200 articles and 10 books on nutrition and fitness - and his work has been featured in media outlets around the world, including at the White House as part of Michelle Obamas Lets Move campaign to fight childhood obesity healthnewsdigest HealthNewsDigest HEALTHNEWSDIGEST.COM
Posted on: Mon, 21 Jul 2014 03:54:33 +0000
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