Control your Skin with Wrinkle Cure and Anti Aging Care

Discover the secrets of anti aging treatment and get that healthy glow back into your skin. It is not a far-fetched dream. Come, read on and make it a reality.Eternal youth is what mankind has coveted since ages. However, while eternal youth is a far-fetched dream, mankind has succeeded in inventing various creams, medicines, and ointments that slows the process of aging to a considerable level. However, before you try out any of these treatments it is important you do some research. While looking young is a tempting prospect the treatment is not always safe.The most common anti-aging treatments are anti-wrinkle creams. These creams can be used on the skin directly to reduce wrinkles, treat sagging skin and age spots. But be careful in your choice since most of these have harsh chemicals which can do you harm.Understand the ageing process. - Ageing is a natural process of life. It need not be abhorred or feared. It is important to remember that the aim is to look good without wrinkles. If you are fifty, no anti-aging product can make you look sixteen again. Creams and surgeries cannot remove the signs of aging, they can only minimize them.- If your skin can produce elastin, collagen, hyaluronic acid, and anti oxidants to protect it, then looking young is not a very difficult prospect. It’s only when your body starts losing its natural contents that it starts looking ill. Therefore, when you treat aging with natural products it is most effective. Natural products work from the inside. While other creams and even surgeries work only on the surface a natural treatment fixes the problem from the root.What are the various anti-aging skin treatments? - Exercise, eat healthy food, drink lots of water, and lead a healthy lifestyle. Make sure that you use a natural anti aging product since your skin responds best to what comes directly from nature.- Facial treatments and Botox injections were once used by celebrities to look younger. Today these are common for anybody who wants to look young. Botox, especially, is useful, to fight wrinkles in the forehead. It also prevents the sagging of skin. However, it is not a long-term solution to wrinkles.- Laser resurfacing, chemical peels, collagen injections, radio wave frequency are other anti-aging treatments. While the treatments are expensive and sometimes risky, the results are only temporary.- Face lift is an effective and more long lasting option of anti aging but is quite costly and a little bit risky. Be careful while proceeding.- What you can do consult your dermatologist and learn about all the anti aging treatments and the possible side effects. If you want to treat deep wrinkles or scars, you can go for laser resurfacing or collagen injections but if you have only common wrinkles than a good anti-wrinkle cream can be quite effective too.- Be careful to choose a natural anti aging product with organic ingredients to fight those wrinkles. Steer clear of synthetic cosmetics and ointments that contain harsh chemicals. Be natural and you will look younger without much effort.Thus, in conclusion, have realistic goals or you will be disillusioned with the entire process. Remember, you cannot revert a natural process; you can only stall it for some time.

A beautiful body is a sign of good health. If you want people to notice you and appreciate your flawless beauty, it is essential to take good care of your body. There is nothing better than maintaining a healthy lifestyle by eating healthy food, drinking lots of water, exercising regularly and getting proper sleep and rest. All these steps ensure a healthy body and healthy skin. But, you must also use some body care products to enhance your natural beauty. These days, you can find a range of body care products in the market. Body shampoos, creamy bars, moisturisers and deodorants are some of the many body care products available nowadays. These body care products help to preserve the natural beauty by slowing down the ageing process and maintaining a healthy body and mind. Creamy bars and body shampoos are essential to remove the dirt and oil from your skin. They exfoliate the dead cells and refresh the skin, making it look fresh and young. It is important to use moisturisers as they supply essential oil to the skin and prevent drying and ageing of the skin. If you want glowing and radiant skin, use a cleanser, toner and moisturiser on a daily basis. Together, these body care products will create a healthy ground for beautiful looking skin and body. Use natural body care products as they are safe and prevent skin allergies like rashes, acne or blemishes. Natural products are also environmentally-friendly. They do not cause any harm to the environment around us. By using organic body care products, you not only care about your body but also about the environment. Deodorants are one of the most essential body care products. There is nothing more pleasing than a soothing fragrant body. Made with mineral salts, deodorants eliminate bacteria that cause body odor. Deodorants are available in various forms, such as spray, roll-ons and sticks. You can find a romantic floral deodorant or a strong musk fragrance. Deodorants can be found to suit every occasion and mood. But, be careful while selecting a deodorant. There are many deodorants that contain synthetic, petroleum based and alcohol based products. One must go for chemical-free, mild and long-lasting organic deodorants. Ingredients such as mineral salts, baking powder are natural anti-bacterial agents for fighting body odor, whereas essential oils such as aloe-vera and hemp oil give a natural fragrance to the skin. Also, try to avoid deodorants that are antiperspirants as they prevent the natural body perspiration. So, if you want a style signature and a soothing freshness, use deodorants as well as other body care products. Pamper your body and it will definitely glow with beauty and health.

Antioxidants in Acai Berry

Hundreds of thousands of people are diagnosed with a harmful disease every single day. What people fail to realize is that everyone is infected with the same deadly disease, ageing. Everyone is slowly growing older and their bodies are starting to break down. It is impossible to stop the ageing process, but there are ways to slow it down. The study of anti-oxidants has produced amazing results, and many people are starting to catch on. Anti-oxidants slow the oxidation process down, and it hinders the production of free radicals in our bodies. Free radicals are by-products of the oxidation process and they eat away at our cells, producing the effects of ageing. Scientists have begun to study the amount of anti-oxidants we ingest with food. Most of the anti-oxidants we get are from various fruits and vegetables, but one of the highest concentrations of anti-oxidants is found in a fruit that most of us do not eat, the Acai Berry. The Acai Berry can only be found in Brazil, but it’s being shipped out in record numbers to aid in the creation of different health drinks and health supplements. Businesses are taking advantage of this new popular fruit and are blending it with all different kinds of healthy fruits. One of the most popular Acai Berry blends is a health drink called MonaVie. This company, which is based out of Utah, took notice to the healthy effects of the Acai Berry and is trying to spread the word as fast as possible using their unique online distribution methods. Their MonaVie blend has sparked a chain of dedicated followers, swearing that it has changed their lives in some aspect or another. Since the release of MonaVie several other companies’ have begun produce health supplements containing Acai. It is starting to become a revolutionary fruit; people all over the world have started to show their praise for it.

Spotting Developing Prostate Problems

For most men passing the age of forty-five is not only a sign of the dreaded ‘middle’ age but is also the point at which they might well expect to see the arrival of prostate problems at any day. Enlargement of the prostate (also referred to as benign prostatic hypertrophy, or BPH) is a normal part of the ageing process and, as its name suggests, it is not a life-threatening condition.In the vast majority of cases the symptoms of an enlarged prostate will be relatively mild and, although most men are aware of them, they simply choose to live with them as something of a nuisance and merely a sign of getting old. In some cases however symptoms can be become more than a simple nuisance and then you will need to consult your physician and seek one of the many different treatments available today.The prostate gland, which is an important part of the male reproductive system, partly surrounds the urethra, which is the tube that caries urine out of the body from the bladder. This means that, as the prostate grows it will start to press on the urethra gradually narrowing it and interfering with the normal flow of urine. It is here therefore that the first signs of a problem usually become evident.It is common for example to begin to experience difficulty in starting the flow of urine and this will be seen as a need to strain in order to start passing water. Once the flow of urine does start it may be weak and tend to stop and start. You may well also experience a dribbling or urine after you have finished and will often feel that you have not emptied your bladder.It is also very common for people with an enlarged prostate to visit the bathroom more frequently and often with a sense of urgency, feeling that you can no longer ‘hold on’ as you used to do. Many men also find that they increasingly have to get up during the night to visit the bathroom.Interference with the process of emptying the bladder can also lead in some men to an increased risk of urinary track infection and this is often felt as a burning sensation when urinating. In these cases you should always seek treatment from your physician or an urologist.But should you consult your doctor when the symptoms of an enlarged prostate start to appear or, since it is simply a part of the normal ageing process, ignore it unless it becomes too much of a nuisance?The simple answer is that you should always consult your physician for two reasons. The first is that prostate enlargement can lead to other problems such as damage to the bladder and kidneys which can be serious. The second is that, in addition to an enlarged prostate, many men will also develop prostate cancer and the symptoms of an enlarged prostate may well mask this until the cancer is too far advanced to treat it effectively.About one in six men will contract prostate cancer and well over ninety percent of these cases can be effectively treated if they are caught early enough.

Nature’s Recipe for Turning Back the Clock

Women everywhere are now more aware of the anti-ageing process than ever before and as a result the anti-ageing skincare market has rocketed over the past decade. It is now reported to be worth over billions in the UK alone, and scientific ingredients such as pentipeptides and retinol are part of most female’s vocabulary these days.

However, whilst scientists toil in their laboratories to discover and create new weird and wonderful anti-ageing ingredients, Mother Nature has some of her own ingredients that are useful and can be found right before your eyes.

Most women love roses, especially red ones delivered in quantities of twelve by a handsome man! It is also claimed that rose has aphrodisiac properties; however the female love affair with roses may be even more intense if there was more awareness of their secret anti-ageing properties. Rose is packed with antioxidants to help promote smooth and glowing skin and both moisturises and hydrates, so is especially beneficial to dry or mature skin. It is reputed that damask roses grown in Turkey and Morocco have the most concentrated levels of antioxidant, along with the most potent smell - especially if hand-picked at dawn to retain as much fragrance as possible. Many of the anti-ageing products made by natural brands use damask rose as a key ingredient.

Tea is another natural ingredient with anti-ageing properties – both the white and the green varieties. For thousands of years, before its skin therapy benefits were discovered, tea has been made into a refreshing drink. However, more than just a drink, it has been discovered that tea can help protect skin cells – in fact many in the Eastern world refer to white tea as “the fountain of youth”.

Green tea has been hailed as one of the most potent antioxidants around, fighting free radicals in the environment that can cause so much damage to skin. Green tea includes Vitamins A, C and E, as well as tannins, which can help reduce skin puffiness. Green tea becomes most powerful when used in conjunction with its sister, white tea. Clinical studies have shown that white tea can boost the body’s immune function and can help the skin repair itself as well as defending the skin against UVA and UVB damage, and brands such as Origins and Neals Yard now use white tea in certain skincare ranges.

The grape is most famous as the basic ingredient of wine. However, yet again, this plant has anti-ageing properties which are now being harnessed by skincare brands such as Caudalie. Many different parts of the plant have useful properties; grape seed polyphenols contain antioxidants to help neutralise free radicals, whilst Resveratrol is the grapevine’s natural defence mechanism, helping to stimulate cell renewal. In addition an ingredient has just been patented, called Viniferine, which comes from the stalk of the vine and which boosts radiance as well as helping prevent dark age spots.

So, whilst science is playing a role in combating ageing, Mother Nature has also got some fantastic ingredients to help turn back the clock - or at least slow down the ticking!

Antioxidants and Phytonutrients Medicines

A number of oxygen-radicals are formed in our body during process of metabolism of nutrients in body cells. These oxygen-radicals (oxidants) are highly reactive (due to free electrons) and can damage DNA molecules, proteins and cholesterol rich LDL molecules. In defence, body produces substances to prevent damage caused by oxidants or free radicals. These endogenous antioxidants may be inadequate when there is excessive formation of oxidants. This results in disease processes. Numerous studies have shown that oxidative stress plays important role in causation of atherosclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, stroke, Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, diabetes, smoking induced lung damage and cataract formation. It is also believed that normal ageing process and even death is hastened by oxidative stress and free radicals induce cell damage. Antioxidants are powerful agent to quench or scavenge free radicals in body. Some nutrients from plant-sources have high antioxidant effects and are called phytonutrients. Role in Disease PreventionWhen body’s defenses are weakened and production of antioxidants such as superoxide dismuthate and metal binding proteins are reduced it is helpful to supplement antioxidants in the form of antioxidant -foods and dietary supplements-called Nutraceuticals. Thousands of clinical trials have been done to investigate the effects of such supplementation on the risks of cancer, and heart diseases. A diet, rich in antioxidants, is associated with lower risk of development of common cancers and may prevent cancer recurrence. The risk of heart disease may be reduced by the use of antioxidants. The eye is yet another organ which can benefit from antioxidants. High doses of antioxidants may prove to be useful in prevention of degeneration of the retina (where visual images are formed) and cataract. Thus useful vision can be preserved.Foods High in Antioxidants: Tomatoes, broccoli and cauliflower are excellent source of natural antioxidants. Fruits and vegetables which have rich hue of colours are also rich source of antioxidants (phytonutients). Clinical studies show that phytonutrients, present in the skin of these fruits and vegetables, enhance body’s defense system (immunity) and can prevent cancer. The thumb rule is the deeper and richer the colour of fruits and vegetables, the more phytonutrients are present. Therefore, next time when you stroll through vegetable market, don’t forget to buy red onion instead of white variety, and, crisp and fresh green leafy vegetables. Organically grown plants are richer in polyphenols which are strong antioxidants.Alternatives to Antioxidant Foods: When you don’t have regular access to organically grown fruits and vegetables, you may consider addition of food supplements or nutraceuticals and phytonutrient-supplements. These have extra nutrients without excess sugar arid calories. Of course a number of preparations are available as OTC or prescription drugs for the same purpose. It must be remembered that pills containing antioxidants are prescribe and sold in the market a great deal, but these are nowhere as effective as the antioxidants from ‘natural foods’ which remain the best source. The various antioxidants available contain one or more than one of the following. Natural Carotenoids: There are various carotenoids in plants. Lycopene: It is a carotenoid which gives tomatoes a red colour. It is very effective in attacking oxygen-radicals in body and acts as a cell protector. Lyco-Red is the market preparation which is claimed to be effective in male infertility, pregnancy associated high BP, post menopausal syndrome and pregnancy with a history of bad outcome previously. It prevents premature delivery and foetal growth retardation. B-Carotene: Synthetic B-Carotene is also a quencher of free radicals and prevents peroxidation of fats. Both natural carotenoids and synthetic B-Carotene are present in a number of formulations.Lutein and Zeaxanthin: They are found in corn and green leafy vegetables and prevent cataract formation. Vitamin-E (Tocoferol): It is fat soluble vitamin and it works as a membrane bound antioxidant. It is found to preserve membrane functions and prevents lipid oxidation, Interestingly, it prevents oxidation of vitamin A in the intestines so more vitamin-A is absorbed. Vit E also preserves activity of immune cells. It has been tried in prevention of oxidative injury in diabetes, heart disease, inflammation, cataract and infections. Alpha Lipoic Acid (Ebiza-L): It is a powerful antioxidant which is found to be useful in diabetes, uncontrolled high sugar itself favours formation of injurious oxidants. Alpha lipoic acid increases glucose uptake in cells and quenches free radicals which play a role in causing diabetic neuropathy (nerve damage). It is also found to be protective against development of eye and kidney complications in diabetics. In Germany it is licensed for the treatment of diabetic nauropathy for over 20 years and is also available in India.Selenium: It is an antioxidant mineral, needed for making natural anitoxidants in our body. It is given with other antioxidant supplements. Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid): It is a strong reducing agent. It is given along with vitamin E for its antioxidant effects.Ginseng (REVITAL): It is known to increase body defense mechanism. Asian Ginseng helps to rebuild damage nerve cells and is available in combinations with multivitamin preparations. Flavonoids: Bioflavonoids have antioxidant properties as they quench free radicals.Co-enzyme Q 10 or Ubiquinone (ZYME-Q 10): As an antioxidant it is useful in Parkinson’s.Others: Immunocal is a natural protein and raises blood glutathione levels. It has antioxidant properties and detoxifies liver. Immunocal contains albumen, lact-albumen and lactoberrin. ZMC, copper and manganese are also used for their antioxidant properties.

Control your Skin with Wrinkle Cure and Anti Aging Care

Discover the secrets of anti aging treatment and get that healthy glow back into your skin. It is not a far-fetched dream. Come, read on and make it a reality.Eternal youth is what mankind has coveted since ages. However, while eternal youth is a far-fetched dream, mankind has succeeded in inventing various creams, medicines, and ointments that slows the process of aging to a considerable level. However, before you try out any of these treatments it is important you do some research. While looking young is a tempting prospect the treatment is not always safe.The most common anti-aging treatments are anti-wrinkle creams. These creams can be used on the skin directly to reduce wrinkles, treat sagging skin and age spots. But be careful in your choice since most of these have harsh chemicals which can do you harm.Understand the ageing process. - Ageing is a natural process of life. It need not be abhorred or feared. It is important to remember that the aim is to look good without wrinkles. If you are fifty, no anti-aging product can make you look sixteen again. Creams and surgeries cannot remove the signs of aging, they can only minimize them.- If your skin can produce elastin, collagen, hyaluronic acid, and anti oxidants to protect it, then looking young is not a very difficult prospect. It’s only when your body starts losing its natural contents that it starts looking ill. Therefore, when you treat aging with natural products it is most effective. Natural products work from the inside. While other creams and even surgeries work only on the surface a natural treatment fixes the problem from the root.What are the various anti-aging skin treatments? - Exercise, eat healthy food, drink lots of water, and lead a healthy lifestyle. Make sure that you use a natural anti aging product since your skin responds best to what comes directly from nature.- Facial treatments and Botox injections were once used by celebrities to look younger. Today these are common for anybody who wants to look young. Botox, especially, is useful, to fight wrinkles in the forehead. It also prevents the sagging of skin. However, it is not a long-term solution to wrinkles.- Laser resurfacing, chemical peels, collagen injections, radio wave frequency are other anti-aging treatments. While the treatments are expensive and sometimes risky, the results are only temporary.- Face lift is an effective and more long lasting option of anti aging but is quite costly and a little bit risky. Be careful while proceeding.- What you can do consult your dermatologist and learn about all the anti aging treatments and the possible side effects. If you want to treat deep wrinkles or scars, you can go for laser resurfacing or collagen injections but if you have only common wrinkles than a good anti-wrinkle cream can be quite effective too.- Be careful to choose a natural anti aging product with organic ingredients to fight those wrinkles. Steer clear of synthetic cosmetics and ointments that contain harsh chemicals. Be natural and you will look younger without much effort.Thus, in conclusion, have realistic goals or you will be disillusioned with the entire process. Remember, you cannot revert a natural process; you can only stall it for some time.

Brow Lift Cosmetic Surgery

Brow lift (also known as forehead lift ) is a cosmetic surgery procedure which is performed to restore a more youthful appearance above and around the eyes. Patients who consider a brow lift are mostly over the age of 40 and have developed forehead wrinkles through the natural ageing process. However a forehead lift can be considered by a person of any age who has developed wrinkles on the forehead through stress or over activity of underlying muscle and wishes to have a more vibrant youthful look. What does the brow lift procedure involve? In the past, brow lift plastic surgery was most commonly performed by making incisions on the forehead which would allow the cosmetic surgeon to remove excess fat, skin and muscle from the forehead. However due to advances in endoscopic techniques, most cosmetic surgeons have now abandoned the older surgical techniques in favour of endoscopic brow lift surgery. Cosmetic surgeons can now perform the entire brow lift cosmetic surgery procedure by making a few tiny incisions (a few half inch incisions hidden behind the hairline) through which an endoscope is then passed to elevate the brows and smooth forehead wrinkles. Endoscopic forehead lift cosmetic surgery has proved to be particularly popular because it results in minimal visible scarring, has low complication rates and does not require any hair shaving. Although brow lift surgery is often performed on its own, it is also commonly performed alongside other facial cosmetic surgery procedures such as eyelid surgery or face lift plastic surgery. Therefore the exact surgical procedure which is used to perform your brow lift surgery will depend on your requirements which you can discuss in depth with your cosmetic surgeon.

Incredible though it sounds, fish oil containing eicosapentaenoic acid or EPA, appears to slow down the ageing process and help us to look younger by protecting the skin and inhibiting the chemical processes that take place when our skin is exposed to damage-inducing stimuli, like the sun for example. Evidence suggests that aside from all the other documented health benefits of EPA, it can make our skin more resistant to sunburn, improve skin elasticity and tone and helps to prevent saggy skin and wrinkles from forming.

Most of us know that UV radiation from the sun is public enemy number one as far as the skin is concerned. Overexposure results in premature ageing and wrinkles as well as reduced immunity to disease, and possibly even skin cancer. When our skin is exposed to a lot of sunlight we produce abnormal elastin that causes the skin to stretch and collagen fibres begin to break down. In response to this we produce a large number of enzymes called metalloproteinases or MMPS. This would normally be a good thing as these enzymes try to repair the damage, but it is inefficient and over time, MMPS produced as a result of UV radiation actually results in a break down of collagen and finally wrinkles appear.

A study published in 2005 in the Journal for Lipid Research investigated the effect that EPA had on MMPS arising as a result of ultra violet radiation from the sun in human skin and found that EPA inhibited overproduction of MMPS and reduced the amount of damage to the skin. The researchers Kim et al concluded that EPA could possibly prevent as well as treat skin ageing. Then more recently in 2006, Drs Black and Rhodes found that EPA offers protection against sun-induced damage to skin cells by making the skin more resistant to the sun’s rays in the first place. Participants taking fish oil showed a higher “minimal erythemal dose”. This basically means that the lowest amount of radiation needed to produce erythema (an inflammatory effect on the skin or sunburn) was higher for those taking fish oil. These studies show that EPA not only protects the skin, it limits the damage too, but these are not the only benefits of EPA.

The properties of EPA

EPA is known to have powerful anti-inflammatory and anti-thrombotic properties, both of which help to slow down and minimise the effects of ageing and wear and tear on the body. From the moment we are born, we are subjected to a number of environmental pollutants that put pressure on our skin. Oxygen-free radicals from pollution, for example, are everywhere and result in a process known as oxidation. Oxidation leads to an increase in inflammatory responses and too much can cause premature ageing and wrinkles as well as contribute to the development of many skin conditions. The anti-inflammatory properties of EPA can inhibit the production of pro-inflammatory chemical messengers responsible for these inflammatory responses.

Increasingly as we grow older, our skin starts to thin out and stretch as collagen fibres lose their elasticity, the skin starts to lose its ability to repair itself and can no longer retain moisture as well as it did. Consequently, many people begin to rely on external lotions and potions to keep the skin moist and supple. EPA can help the blood to flow more efficiently throughout the body and contribute to healthy and radiant looking skin. It is interesting that a lack of Omega 3 fatty acids in the diet manifests itself most noticeably as skin problems.

Signs of Omega 3 fatty acid deficiency

• Dry and flaky skin

• Dandruff

• Hard and cracked skin

• Eczema

• Psoriasis

• Acne

• Poor wound healing

• Dull and lifeless looking skin

Most of us are also well aware that stress and anxiety can speed up the ageing process resulting in ‘worry lines’ as well as more serious conditions and threats to our health. The amazing thing is that EPA has demonstrated considerable success in alleviating depression, anxiety and stress so not only does it help us to remain healthy and look younger with better skin and fewer wrinkles, but it has a ‘feel-good’ factor too which helps keep those worry lines at bay.

Conclusion

All this is very exciting, particularly when we consider the amount of time, money and effort spent on the ever-increasing number of products available to help keep us healthy, young and beautiful. The implications are that we can do the same job naturally through diet by taking fish oil supplements containing EPA and benefit not only from healthy more youthful looking skin and all the other documented health-giving properties of EPA but possibly gain a new lease of life too.

A number of oxygen-radicals are formed in our body during process of metabolism of nutrients in body cells. These oxygen-radicals (oxidants) are highly reactive (due to free electrons) and can damage DNA molecules, proteins and cholesterol rich LDL molecules. In defence, body produces substances to prevent damage caused by oxidants or free radicals. These endogenous antioxidants may be inadequate when there is excessive formation of oxidants. This results in disease processes. Numerous studies have shown that oxidative stress plays important role in causation of atherosclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, stroke, Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, diabetes, smoking induced lung damage and cataract formation. It is also believed that normal ageing process and even death is hastened by oxidative stress and free radicals induce cell damage. Antioxidants are powerful agent to quench or scavenge free radicals in body. Some nutrients from plant-sources have high antioxidant effects and are called phytonutrients. Role in Disease Prevention When body’s defenses are weakened and production of antioxidants such as superoxide dismuthate and metal binding proteins are reduced it is helpful to supplement antioxidants in the form of antioxidant -foods and dietary supplements-called Nutraceuticals. Thousands of clinical trials have been done to investigate the effects of such supplementation on the risks of cancer, and heart diseases. A diet, rich in antioxidants, is associated with lower risk of development of common cancers and may prevent cancer recurrence. The risk of heart disease may be reduced by the use of antioxidants. The eye is yet another organ which can benefit from antioxidants. High doses of antioxidants may prove to be useful in prevention of degeneration of the retina (where visual images are formed) and cataract. Thus useful vision can be preserved. Foods High in Antioxidants: Tomatoes, broccoli and cauliflower are excellent source of natural antioxidants. Fruits and vegetables which have rich hue of colours are also rich source of antioxidants (phytonutients). Clinical studies show that phytonutrients, present in the skin of these fruits and vegetables, enhance body’s defense system (immunity) and can prevent cancer. The thumb rule is the deeper and richer the colour of fruits and vegetables, the more phytonutrients are present. Therefore, next time when you stroll through vegetable market, don’t forget to buy red onion instead of white variety, and, crisp and fresh green leafy vegetables. Organically grown plants are richer in polyphenols which are strong antioxidants. Alternatives to Antioxidant Foods: When you don’t have regular access to organically grown fruits and vegetables, you may consider addition of food supplements or nutraceuticals and phytonutrient-supplements. These have extra nutrients without excess sugar arid calories. Of course a number of preparations are available as OTC or prescription drugs for the same purpose. It must be remembered that pills containing antioxidants are prescribe and sold in the market a great deal, but these are nowhere as effective as the antioxidants from ‘natural foods’ which remain the best source. The various antioxidants available contain one or more than one of the following. Natural Carotenoids: There are various carotenoids in plants. Lycopene: It is a carotenoid which gives tomatoes a red colour. It is very effective in attacking oxygen-radicals in body and acts as a cell protector. Lyco-Red is the market preparation which is claimed to be effective in male infertility, pregnancy associated high BP, post menopausal syndrome and pregnancy with a history of bad outcome previously. It prevents premature delivery and foetal growth retardation. B-Carotene: Synthetic B-Carotene is also a quencher of free radicals and prevents peroxidation of fats. Both natural carotenoids and synthetic B-Carotene are present in a number of formulations. Lutein and Zeaxanthin: They are found in corn and green leafy vegetables and prevent cataract formation. Vitamin-E (Tocoferol): It is fat soluble vitamin and it works as a membrane bound antioxidant. It is found to preserve membrane functions and prevents lipid oxidation, Interestingly, it prevents oxidation of vitamin A in the intestines so more vitamin-A is absorbed. Vit E also preserves activity of immune cells. It has been tried in prevention of oxidative injury in diabetes, heart disease, inflammation, cataract and infections. Alpha Lipoic Acid (Ebiza-L): It is a powerful antioxidant which is found to be useful in diabetes, uncontrolled high sugar itself favours formation of injurious oxidants. Alpha lipoic acid increases glucose uptake in cells and quenches free radicals which play a role in causing diabetic neuropathy (nerve damage). It is also found to be protective against development of eye and kidney complications in diabetics. In Germany it is licensed for the treatment of diabetic nauropathy for over 20 years and is also available in India. Selenium: It is an antioxidant mineral, needed for making natural anitoxidants in our body. It is given with other antioxidant supplements. Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid): It is a strong reducing agent. It is given along with vitamin E for its antioxidant effects. Ginseng (REVITAL): It is known to increase body defense mechanism. Asian Ginseng helps to rebuild damage nerve cells and is available in combinations with multivitamin preparations. Flavonoids: Bioflavonoids have antioxidant properties as they quench free radicals. Co-enzyme Q 10 or Ubiquinone (ZYME-Q 10): As an antioxidant it is useful in Parkinson’s. Others: Immunocal is a natural protein and raises blood glutathione levels. It has antioxidant properties and detoxifies liver. Immunocal contains albumen, lact-albumen and lactoberrin. ZMC, copper and manganese are also used for their antioxidant properties. AdvCare is one of the leading Canada Drugs Store website. First established in January 2000, its mission is to become the number one site for Prescription Medication and OTC Drugs Canada searches.