We've all heard the term "antioxidants" thrown around. Lemons, turmeric, spices, etc., all have antioxidant properties, but how do antioxidants really help you? To understand the purpose of antioxidants, you need to know what oxidative stress is. Without going into complex medical terminology, the best way to explain it will be to say that these are volatile molecules in your body. When these molecules are in excess, they affect your tissues and cells negatively.
All kinds of dysfunction and problems can arise in the body when this happens. Cancer, diabetes, heart disease, etc., are just some of the health issues caused by oxidative stress. The beta cells in the pancreas can be damaged due to oxidative stress, and this will affect glucose metabolism. This can cause diabetes complications. The best way to prevent or manage oxidative stress will be to use antioxidants that neutralize the free radicals in your body.
In this article, we'll look at a few potent vitamins and foods that are rich in antioxidants to prevent and reverse diabetes. Including them in your diet will benefit you immensely. We will discuss vitamin E, vitamin C, and then other supplements and foods that contain antioxidants.
1
Vitamin E
This potent vitamin can be found in many foods, including some that you may eat often. Some of these foods include almonds, sweet potato, sunflower seeds, avocado, wheat germ, and palm oil. Just like vitamin C, you could just get the supplement from the health store if it's too much trouble to monitor the foods that you're eating to meet your vitamin requirements.
Vitamin E has several beneficial properties. It prevents the formation of arterial plaque and is an anticoagulant. People with diabetes are also at risk of heart disease. Vitamin E prevents heart disease. It also maintains your blood pressure by aiding the kidneys in the removal of sodium.
2
Vitamin C
Whether or not you have diabetes, this vitamin should be consumed daily. The body is unable to store vitamin C. So you should take a vitamin C supplement daily, or you could consume foods rich in vitamin C.
There are many foods full of vitamin C. Some foods rich in vitamin C are strawberries, oranges, kiwi fruit, pineapples, mangoes, brussels sprouts, broccoli, papayas, bell peppers, black currants, guava, etc. Including these fruits and vegetables in your diet will ensure that you're getting vitamin C in your diet.
2
Other Supplements
Besides the vitamins above, you may wish to consume a fish oil supplement that is high in omega-3 fatty acids. This is one of the best things that you could do for your health. Alternatively, you could get more servings of oily fish, such as salmon, tuna, mackerel, or sardines, in your diet.
Green tea is an excellent antioxidant, too. You'll need to drink it about five to six times a day without sugar. If the taste of green tea doesn't agree with you, you can take a green tea extract supplement.
It has been shown that antioxidants prevent inflammation in the body, which causes insulin resistance. The key to managing diabetes is glucose control and insulin sensitivity. If you can improve your insulin sensitivity, your diabetes will be much easier to manage. Antioxidants help you to do just that.
To wrap things up, it must be mentioned that antioxidants are just one weapon in your arsenal. You'll also need a clean diet, regular exercise, and a sensible weight loss program to help you reach your ideal weight if you wish to truly prevent diabetes or reverse it. We discussed vitamin E, vitamin C, and then other supplements and foods that contain antioxidants.
