Polyphenols – adding life to your year

This is a reprint from my friend Barb Jarmoska’s health food store pictured below in Williamsport, PA where I lived in the 1980s. Reprinted with her permission.
FreshMailFeature Article

 

Some of the best protection against age-related disease comes from a group of nutrients known as polyphenols, a class of antioxidants found in whole foods.

Polyphenols protect cells against damage caused by free radicals, the unstable, reactive atoms that damage healthy cells. One example of a free radical: oxidized LDL (bad cholesterol) that promotes the formation of sticky plaque that can damage arteries and lead to cardiovascular disease.

Polyphenols can also block the action of enzymes required by cancer cells, and deactivate substances that promote the growth of cancer cells.

Recently, a group of German researchers studied the effects of five polyphenols on the body’s ability to maintain cell growth, development and homeostasis. The scientists were particularly interested in the degradation process, the removal of excess proteins and other cellular debris. As this process declines with age, disease states such as Alzheimer’s and cancer are more likely to occur.

In testing the cellular activity of various polyphenols, these scientists devised a list of polyphenol-rich foods that offer your best defense against age related diseases. In addition to food sources, Freshlife offers each of these nutrients as a dietary supplement:

1. Resveratrol: This polyphenol is great for lowering cholesterol and fighting off cancer. Best food sources include: red and purple grapes, berries, and pistachio nuts.
2. Catechins: Potent polyphenols found in green tea that could play a role in preventing cancer and heart disease.
3. Quercetin: A favorite of allergy sufferers, this antioxidant member of the Vitamin C family is found in red wine, citrus, onions, and parsley. Quercetin also shows promise in helping to prevent prostate inflammation, interstitial cystitis, atherosclerosis, and cataracts.
4. Silibinin: A polyphenol found in herbs, especially milk thistle. Research demonstrates silibinin’s strong propensity to offer protection to liver cells against damage from exposure to toxins. Silibinin has also demonstrated anti-cancer effects against human prostate adenocarcinoma cells, estrogen-dependent and -independent human breast carcinoma cells, human ectocervical carcinoma cells, human colon cancer cells, and human lung carcinoma cells.
5. Curcumin: An antioxidant found in turmeric that has many applications in helping to decrease inflammation in the body. Unlike NSAIDs, curcumin reduces inflammation while exhibiting a positive effect on the digestive system.

The ever-expanding body of knowledge provided by nutritional research allows us all to choose the best whole foods and supplements for our unique health needs. When it comes to your health, guesswork is never the best plan. Talk to a Freshlife wellness coach about which foods and supplements are right for you.

Barb Jarmoska

P.S. Freshlife’s phone number for more information: 570-322-8280