You have probably heard about antioxidants that they are very healthy and we should get enough of them as a counterpart to free radicals, which are actually harmful. Antioxidants are molecules that protect against oxidation. Oxidation can damage cells; think of it as rust. Rust causes something to become weak and eventually break down, which is something you obviously don't want for your body's cells. Excessive oxidation is usually caused by too many free radicals.

Antioxidants are called defense substances and are absorbed by the body through diet. Because today's diet is increasingly unhealthy, we are also getting fewer and fewer antioxidants to defend ourselves, making us more susceptible to disease.

In addition to protecting against free radicals, antioxidants (in the right amount) do the following:

• boosting the immune system
• provide more focus
• Keep your heart and blood vessels in good condition
• improve sperm quality
• work stress relieving
• reduce severe headaches and migraines
• Keep brain cells in good and healthy condition
• counteract the aging process

We come into contact with free radicals day in and day out. For example, through certain foods, medications, alcohol, inflammations and the air we breathe. But also by shampoo, cosmetics, radiation, tap water, solvents, air travel, smog and air pollution. This list is many times longer, because free radicals are everywhere.

Although free radicals cause many problems, you also need them in your body. They help your immune system resist toxic invaders, viruses and disease. Moreover, in some cases, they are the result of normal body processes. For example, consider digesting food after eating a meal. This causes increased burning at the cellular level and, as a result, increased free radical formation. Eating too often can also cause increased free radicals.

The biggest cause of free radicals is chronic stress! When under stress, the body chooses the fastest way to produce energy and this indirectly involves a lot of free radicals. So now you need antioxidants precisely.

Fortunately, your body makes its own antioxidants with adequate intake of minerals and trace elements such as manganese, iron, selenium, copper and zinc. In addition, we can get many antioxidants from our diet. For example: forest fruits, brassicas (especially broccoli), leafy vegetables, garlic, matcha tea, olive oil, fresh herbs like ginger, turmeric, coriander, cumin, oregano, nuts, organic fruits (with peel if you can eat them) and dark chocolate.

Of course, this list is many times longer. Pay particular attention to the color of vegetables because the deeper it is, the more antioxidants it contains. It is also important that the plants are organic because if the plant has had to protect itself from insects and fungi, it contains more antioxidants.

Regular variety and eating foods with a wide variety of colors is the secret to getting antioxidants and other healthy nutrients.

You can also work on boosting antioxidants with supplements.

For example, a good vitamin C supplement is a strong antioxidant. For example, when you add vitamin C to your smoothie, you keep the smoothie longer because the nutrients are less likely to oxidize.

Which of the nutrients you choose depends on any symptoms and or medication. To be right and safe here, you can request a free supplement consultation. Don't forget to mention that you would like to take an appropriate antioxidant as a supplement.

*Claims pending European clearance