John Arts Abundant Living www.johnarts.co.nz

Just imagine the fanfare and excitement if a new drug with the following properties was released: The new ‘drug' functions in the body 'include antioxidant activity, cancer inhibition, cholesterol regulation and anti-inflammatory activity” (S. Stoker; General, Organic and Biological Chemistry, 2010 p 805).

Now let that sink in for a moment. This compound helps protect cells from free radicals, it helps both prevent cancer cells from forming then helps to kill them if formed and helps prevent cholesterol from damaging blood vessels. This compound must be the Holy Grail for pharmaceutical companies.

What Stephen Stoker is referring to in the above quote is not a drug, but a class of antioxidants called flavonoids that occur naturally in fruits and vegetables. Sadly, while the pharmaceutical companies know very well the health benefits of flavonoids, they cannot incorporate these into drugs because they are unpatentable. Drug companies, by their very business model, demand that the molecules they use for drugs can be patented.

Do not despair though; you too can get these amazing benefits from foods and supplements which is a primary reason to make sure your diet has a wide range of plant foods and these form the base of your food pyramid. These compounds are part of a huge range of phytochemicals (chemicals in food with biological activity). There are about 4000 flavonoids and some are incredibly potent antioxidants.

I specialise in formulating antioxidant supplements and my 'top six” are the flavonoids found in grape seeds, in grape skins, in dark berries, in green tea, in acai fruit and in goji berries. I will then often add the antioxidant vitamins A (as beta carotene), C and E. To this we should add the trace minerals including selenium, zinc, copper and manganese – all needed for our own antioxidant enzymes.

Almost every day I speak to people who have had their lives changed dramatically by adding these super-potent antioxidants. I spoke to a woman recently I had started on antioxidant therapy to help her body cope better with an autoimmune problem that caused fatigue and pain. The fatigue has gone and the pain was steadily diminishing. If you have health problems you too may be able to benefit from a nutritional support programme to help restore your health.

To contact John phone 0800 423559 (local 07 578 9051) or visit www.abundant.co.nz.

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