Hooray for Antioxidants!

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In my quest to improve my fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue symptoms I had already gotten the harmful chemicals out of my food and environment and started putting helpful things into my diet.

It didn't take me long to become a huge fan of foods with antioxidants.  Oxidation is what happens to iron when it is exposed to the air and develops rust.  In our bodies the rust equivalent is known as free radicals.  They are created when we use oxygen.  If the air we breathe is polluted by chemicals from industrial waste, cigarette smoke, cleaning products, and other chemicals in our environment then the damage to our cells from free radicals gets worse.

Fortunately, there are many foods which are loaded with antioxidants.  These foods not only help prevent destruction to our cells from free radicals, they also help repair damage that is already there.  Foods loaded with antioxidants help prevent disease, repair damaged cells, and boost our immune systems.  

If you Google the terms antioxidant foods or super foods, a whole lot of different lists will pop up. There are many delicious foods for you to choose from.  If you have trouble remembering all the different foods on the lists, just think colorfully.  Usually the foods with the deepest, richest colors have the most antioxidants.

My Favorite Fifteen

Almonds - plain with no salt

Apples - try to find organic ones

Beans - especially black and dark red

Berries - blueberries are my favorite

Broccoli - steamed is delicious and nutritious 

Carrots - eat them raw in salads

Grapes - red and dark purple

Green and red peppers - try them in fajitas

Oranges - the easy peel, no seed variety are a fun snack

Raisins - eat by the handful

Sweet Potatoes - eat instead of white potatoes

Tea green or black - drink several cups a day

Tomatoes - very versatile raw or cooked

Walnuts - sprinkle on cereal and yogurt

Yogurt - Greek yogurt has more protein than regular

By the time I got to this step in my journey, my fibromyalgia pain was vastly improved.  I still had occasional flareups which were especially severe when the weather changed or if I did too much in one day.  My chronic fatigue symptoms were still quite debilitating.  It was depressing to be so tired all the time.  I kept on praying that God would show me new possibilities for coping and recovery.