An Antioxidant Cocktail

In the past, I’ve reported that the risk of various cancers can be reduced around 50% simply by exercising regularly and by eating the recommended 5-13 servings of fruits and vegetables.  I saw a recent study proving that drinking three cups of green tea each day also cuts the risk in half of numerous different cancers.  If you do the math, performing these three simple habits from an early age dramatically decreases the risk of this still prominent disease.

Drinking green tea has been known for its health benefits for over 5000 years and the reason is thought to be its high antioxidant concentration.  Antioxidants are molecules that neutralize the free radicals in the body known to steal electrons from other molecules ultimately damaging different proteins, enzymes, and genetic material such as DNA.  Another common household antioxidant is brown apple cider vinegar.  I’ve talked about using a couple tablespoons of this to ease arthritic pain in previous columns, but the reason it works also seems to be due to its high content of beta carotene and pectins that serve as antioxidants.  You have to be careful with this vinegar as it is very acidic and can irritate some stomachs if you don’t dilute it in water or juice.

In the past, I’ve made what I refer to an antioxidant cocktail to start my mornings consisting of a cup of green tea with a couple spoons of cider vinegar, the juice of a half lemon, and a dash of raw honey.  The lemon adds flavor and also serves as an effective detoxifying agent for the liver, while the honey sweetens and add some of its own health benefits.  I’d skip the honey if you have any blood sugar problems, however.  This concoction has been reported to ease constipation, lower blood pressure, increase energy, help with weight loss, and decrease joint pain by dissolving uric acid deposits around the joints.  You may need to play with the recipe as it’s a bit of an acquired taste, but give it a try and let me know if you receive any benefits.