Get anti-oxidation through hostile plants, not supplements

Outside Magazine - Poison Yourself-- It's Good for You

Despite the provocative title, this article focuses on comparing anti-oxidant supplements to plants and other foods that naturally stimulate the anti-oxidation process in humans. The idea here is that some plants (especially those that survive in "harsh" conditions) create chemicals that are meant to discourage insects and other creatures from eating them (the chemicals are named "antifeedants"). When humans eat the plants and therefore the chemicals, the body reacts as though it has been mildly stressed (or poisoned) and creates antioxidants and goes through other antigen-fighting processes. Thus stressing the body slightly creates an opponent-process "xenohormesis" that builds the body's natural defenses.