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When we find winkles on our forehead and notice the ripples showing up around the corners of our eyes, our face tells us that we are growing old. No one likes these lines to appear on face, particularly women. We surely don't want to grow old, and we hate that we look much older than we really are. Therefore, we start to find ways to improve our appearance. Is there any way to fight against aging? Yes, you can seek help from antioxidants.

Antioxidant compounds include vitamin C, Vitamin E, polyphenolic antioxidants, and carotenoid. They can be nutrients and enzymes. The former are common in some fruit, vegetable, and food; the latter are proteins in body that help the chemical reactions. The antioxidants can be made by chemical reactions, too. Since there are risks to take in chemically processed antioxidants, we will focus on the "organic" antioxidants.

We need oxygen to be alive, but the paradox is that oxidants destroy the body cells. We grow up with oxygen, and we "burn down" with it, too. Though there are arguments about if antioxidants can prevent us from aging, the evidences show that oxidants work, together with other minerals and vitamins. A person who keeps a diet with balanced nutrition and rich antioxidants lives longer than the person who doesn't. Amazingly, those who like fruits and vegetables containing rich antioxidants are more likely to have health and shining skin.

We know that the cells of our body become less active and vigorous after we pass the middle age in life. Our skin becomes loose, and then we have winkles. However, if the cells of our body can remain "young" for ever, we can live a very long life. Therefore, the key to keep young is to let our body cells "young". According to a report from youngnhappy.com, "the National Eye Institute conducted a study in 2001 on 3,600 test subjects that showed that high levels of antioxidants (and zinc) reduced the risk of developing age-related macular degeneration by 25%."[1] Other studies show that some antioxidants can help fight aging. Therefore, we can take in antioxidants to keep the youth with us for a longer time, and we can enjoy longevity.

Food containing antioxidants can assist the body to repair the destructive molecules, which can speed the aging process of the body. The following food is rich in antioxidants: small red beans, wild blueberry, red kidney beans, blueberry, cranberry, artichoke hearts, blackberry, prune, raspberry, Fuji apples, etc. Vitamin C can be found in fruits and vegetables, and vegetable oil contains vitamin E. Polyphenolic antioxidants are rich in tea, coffee, soy, fruit, olive oil, chocolate, cinnamon, oregano and red wine [2]. We can take in carotenoids fruit and vegetables, too. Generally, the berries have more antioxidants.

That's why the women who like berries, usually, have shining and health skin. Wolfberry (goji berry) is popular for its anti-aging function. Li Qingyun [3], who lived for over 200 years during Qing Dynasty in China, liked wolfberry very much. It is said that one of the reasons of its longevity is that he kept drinking wolfberry tea. This shows that we can fight aging with the help of antioxidants.

References and sources: 1. http://www.youngnhappy.com/ant i-aging-articles/best-anti-oxi dant-supplement.htm 2. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, List of antioxidants in food, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L ist_of_antioxidants_in_food 3. An herbalist, Born 1677 or 1734? Szechuan, China, Died May 6, 1933 (aged 256?), Szechuan, China

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