Everyone has a life plan inside (even if they are not aware of it), yet this plan does not take account of any infirmity or disease which we may develop.
In a sense, we go through life with our eyes closed, and ears shut off to the possibility that there may be something nasty health-wise along which will catch up with us on the way.
The fact is that today's western diet of highly processed foods, environmental stresses and pollution and chemical contaminants all add to the likelihood of this happening.
Heart disease, cancer and other infirmities bear out this fact.
Yet even faced with the facts, when our body starts to falter we are shocked and unprepared, because in our heads it will happen to someone else, not us.
Obviously the head in the sand attitude may be the line of least resistance but it is the wrong way to be.
Yet it is not difficult to change the way you live to store up benefits for your future self.
The trick is in prevention (it is better than cure).
We all have a finite life span but what is important is how we can help ourselves to prevent those things that cause ageing or can lead to disease.
We can take more control of our future selves -there's no mystery about it.
Along with exercise and eating in moderation, supplement your diet with antioxidants.
Antioxidants quench the free radicals in your body that can cause cellular damage, or death.
Cell death in the vital processes within your body can be the precursor of all diseases, as well as premature ageing of the skin Many foods are high in antioxidants.
Some we are familiar with - vitamins such as Vitamin C (to fight colds, strengthen the immune system, act as an anti-inflammatory), or mineral supplementation, e.
g.
magnesium, ( essential in the body's absorption of calcium, and the formation of healthy bones and teeth)Others are not so well known, such as Polyphenols,(beneficial in mental, oral, heart health, and even for slimming)or carotenoids (which the body converts to Vitamin A, essential for good vision, bone growth, and reproduction).
Some antioxidant food sources are well known, such as citrus fruits, nuts, seeds, or any green vegetable.
Others are less familiar but are fantastically high in antioxidants; the Maqui or Acai berry and Resveratrol are all great examples.
As scientific understanding increases, their role in maintenance of health and prevention or mitigation of disease (along with conventional therapies) has never been better appreciated.
So what can you do? As I said at the start of my article, a diet rich in antioxidants along with regular exercise can act as your insurance policy against future health problems.
Stack the cards on your side!Look for foods which are high in Orac value (this is the rate at which antioxidants are measured - their ability to prevent oxidisation of cells - which causescell death) and you won't go wrong.
Don't give up because you can't see much difference.
The difference is inside your body; you are fortifying your cells against future damage.
You will eventually see the difference in your energy levels, digestive health, and mental focus.