Antioksidansi – vitamini E i C za snažniji imunološki sustav

Za održavanje funkcionalnog imunološkog sustava važno je unositi dovoljno antioksidansa. Nekoliko vitamina i minerala ima antioksidativna svojstva, među kojima su vitamini C i E. Saznajte više o ovim vitaminima te koja ih hrana sadrži.

Antioksidansi štite tijelo

Antioksidansi su spojevi koji nas, između ostalog, štite od slobodnih radikala koji izazivaju oksidaciju. Taj kemijski proces oštećuje membrane i DNK stanica u našem tijelu.

Svježe voće i bobičasto voće bogati su antioksidansima, kao i kava. Različiti spojevi imaju antioksidativne učinke, uključujući vitamin C, vitamin E, selen i cink. Antioksidanse tijelo proizvodi i prirodnim putem.

Osim što se prirodno nalaze u raznoj hrani, antioksidansi se mogu dodavati i prehrambenim proizvodima. Konzumirate li preporučene dnevne količine kruha od cjelovitog brašna i drugih cjelovitih žitarica, unosit ćete antioksidanse poput vitamina E i selena. Konzumacijom oko 750 g voća (uključujući bobičasto voće) i povrća dnevno, osiguravate tijelu potrebnu antioksidativnu zaštitu.

Potreba za vitaminom E raste s dobi

Vitamin E topljiv je u mastima, a nalazi se u namirnicama poput biljnih ulja, žitarica, orašastih plodova, ribe, ulja jetre bakalara, pšeničnih klica, margarina, jaja, manga i avokada. Ovaj važan antioksidans štiti stanične membrane od slobodnih radikala te održava njihovu elastičnost.

Vitamin E zajednički je naziv za skupine spojeva tokoferola i tokotrienola, koji postoje u osam različitih oblika, a svi imaju antioksidativno djelovanje u tijelu. Alfa-tokoferol najaktivniji je oblik vitamina E i najčešći u životinjskim tkivima.

Ako ste bolesni ili izloženi zagađenju i drugim štetnim čimbenicima okoliša, povećava se proizvodnja reaktivnih kisikovih spojeva i slobodnih radikala, što povećava potrebu tijela za antioksidansima.

Pušači i sportaši izloženi su većoj količini slobodnih radikala u odnosu na prosječnu osobu, pa bi mogli imati povećanu potrebu za antioksidansima kroz dodatke prehrani. U slučaju sumnje, savjetujte se s liječnikom.

Potrebe za vitaminom E također rastu s dobi jer ovaj vitamin štiti stanice od štetnih nusprodukata metabolizma, kojih se količina povećava sa starenjem.

Nedostatak vitamina E danas je rijedak, no ugrožene skupine mogu biti nedonoščad i osobe s poremećenom apsorpcijom u crijevima. Dnevne potrebe za vitaminom E su 8 mg za žene, 10 mg za muškarce, nešto više za trudnice i dojilje, a manje za djecu.

Važno je napomenuti da je moguće pretjerati s unosom vitamina E. Za razliku od vitamina C, koji je topljiv u vodi i izlučuje se mokraćom, vitamin E se nakuplja u jetri i masnom tkivu.

Vitamin C povećava apsorpciju željeza

Vitamin C, poznat kao askorbinska kiselina, doprinosi stvaranju i održavanju vezivnog tkiva te jača imunološki sustav. Ovaj vitamin također povećava apsorpciju željeza iz biljnih izvora i do četiri puta. Iako većina životinja prirodno proizvodi vitamin C, ljudi ga ne mogu samostalno proizvoditi.

Uz snažno djelovanje na imunitet, vitamin C nužan je za normalno funkcioniranje živčanog sustava. Bogati izvori vitamina C su agrumi, crni ribiz, repa, krumpir, jagode, paprika, brokula, špinat i rajčica.

Zbog smanjene apsorpcije, pušači imaju gotovo dvostruko veću potrebu za vitaminom C nego nepušači. Preporučeni dnevni unos vitamina C iznosi 60 mg za odrasle, 70 mg za trudnice, 90 mg za dojilje te 30–50 mg za djecu. Te potrebe povećavaju se s godinama.

Predoziranje vitaminom C vrlo je rijetko jer se višak ovog vitamina topljivog u vodi izlučuje putem mokraće.

What is good health?

Body changes in later life call for changes in your diet

Do you have a good lifestyle?

Lifestyle simply means the way in which you live. Health and lifestyle go hand in hand. You might feel you have a good lifestyle if you are physically active, eat healthily and generally experience a sense of wellbeing. Conversely, if you want good health you should also have a good lifestyle.

Physical activity is the major contributor to a good lifestyle, but diet, drugs, stress, sleep and social conditions are also play an important role. Being able to use the body properly to avoid injury also affects lifestyle. Physical activity can also prevent depression and help you to recover more quickly from mental illness, both of which obviously affect your lifestyle.

How does the aging process affect your immune system?

Diet can be a difficult topic for many. Perhaps you eat too much or too little or maybe you find it hard to know what foods to combine to have a balanced diet. It’s also important to eat food that contains important vitamins, minerals and dietary fibre, omega-3 and antioxidants. On top of all this, you also need to get enough energy, protein and the correct fatty acids. The requirement for these nutrients changes throughout your life. When you are older you also have different requirements than children and younger adults. Women also have different requirements than men. Pregnant and breastfeeding mothers also have special requirements.

When you get older, you lose muscle mass and your body requires less energy and therefore less food. You may lead a less active life than you did before, which is why you require less food. However, your need for minerals, vitamins and other nutrients remains the same. Of course, there are plenty of healthy and active older people, but when you reach 70 to 80 years of age, it’s easier to become ill, especially during flu season.

Some steps you can take to improve your lifestyle and health are to:

eat a healthy and varied diet
stay active
watch your weight
avoid too much alcohol and don’t smoke
get enough sleep
think positive
practise good hygiene

What is good quality of life?

The World Health Organisation (WHO) defines quality of life as a state where the individual can realise their potential, cope with normal stressful situations, work in a rewarding and positive way, and be able to contribute to others and society.

Quality of life is a wide and somewhat diffuse concept that includes joy in, and a desire for, life. These are values that are rather felt than measured, which in turn are based on personal environment and choices. Quality of life doesn’t necessarily depend on being healthy or sick. It’s the moments between worries, sorrows, problems and ailments that matter. For example, if you have a chronic illness, a feeling of mastery can be important when talking about quality of life.

To sum up, quality of life is a combination of health, lifestyle, networks and social support. It’s about experiencing joy, meaning in life, satisfaction, security and a sense of belonging, as well as being able to use your strengths. It’s also about feeling interest in life, coping with everyday situations and a being committed to something or someone. If you have good quality of life, you will be able to cope better with the inevitable stressful situations in life.