Why Spinach is Bad For You
Submitted by SharpHealth Team on Tuesday 12th October 2010- Why do American men die before their wives?
- Eat foods and take supplements rich in those elements that reduce the presence of iron and copper.
- Be a good American and give blood at least once a year.
Why do American men die before their wives?
Because they want to, is the old joke. But the medical facts are simple — the answer is iron and copper.
Recent studies have shown that an excess of iron and copper can be extremely detrimental to body function. Both iron and copper promote the development of "free radicals", essentially, destructive elements that are now understood to promote everything from heart disease to cancer, in addition to most age-related diseases. In fact, iron and copper promote the development of the most aggressive forms of free radicals.
Perhaps you have heard of alternative medicine’s new darlings, the "anti-oxidants". Anti-oxidants are essentially the opposite of free radicals. The more free radicals you have, the more problems you have. Alternatively, the more anti-oxidants you can get — either through anti-oxidant-rich foods or supplements — the fewer free radicals (and, therefore, health problems) you have.
Now you say: "Iron is good, isn’t it? Aren’t I supposed to eat my spinach?" This is a common misperception. Many men believe that they must seek out additional sources of iron and copper. Unfortunately, this same attitude is to blame for the excess of these elements in the average American male body. In fact, both men and women receive enough iron and copper in the foods they eat every day — in fact, often they receive too much. An excessive presence of iron and copper promotes the development of free radicals, and ultimately shortens the human life span.
Fortunately for women, their physiological make-up allows them to remove excess iron and copper from their bodies on a monthly basis. For better or worse, men’s bodies do not have this function. As a result, the average American male body has far too much iron and copper in its system — and therefore may have greater levels of free radicals.
How can men equalize what nature has not?
Eat foods and take supplements rich in those elements that reduce the presence of iron and copper:
- Magnesium, RNA, and N-Acetyl Cystein ("NAC") Supplements
- Sardines (rich in Omega 3 Fats)
- Cilantro Herb
- Green Tea
Eat and drink foods and beverages that promote the growth of anti-oxidants which specifically counteract the presence of excessive iron and copper:
- Ginger Root
- Garlic
- Curcumin (the active ingredient in the cumin spice).
- Lycopen, Quercitin and the Alpha and Gamma forms of Vitamin E ("Tocopherol") Supplements
Be a good American and give blood at least once a year.
- This practice will reduce levels of iron and copper through the regeneration of new blood.
By watching your intake of iron and copper and increasing the anti-oxidant promoting foods in your diet, you will be doing as much to promote your daily good health and performance, not to mention longevity, than any number of trips to the gym.
This article last updated on Saturday 9th July 2011