Antioxidants: What They Really Do & My Go-To Food, daily tea, & Supplement Picks
Hello Reader,
Let’s talk antioxidants: what are they, really?
In simple terms:
Antioxidants are your body’s little protectors. They help neutralize free radicals, unstable molecules that build up from stress, pollution, UV exposure, and even just living and breathing.
Your body actually makes its own antioxidants (like glutathione!). But the colorful foods and herbs you have daily boost this defense system: helping your skin glow, your hormones stay balanced, and your cells stay resilient.
Why antioxidants matter for whole-body health
So what does this look like in everyday life?
Balanced antioxidant intake can help you:
✅ Keep skin looking youthful and protect against sun damage (Hello, gracefully aging!)
✅ Support egg (and sperm) quality when you’re trying to conceive
✅ Calm inflammation that can trigger chronic health issues
✅ Protect your brain and eyes (especially if you’re in front of screens a lot!)
✅ Keep your heart and metabolism healthy
✅ Strengthen your immune system so you bounce back faster
It’s never about zero free radicals (your body actually needs a few!). The goal is a healthy balance: enough antioxidants to keep damage in check, while letting your body do its natural healing work.
My everyday rule, for my patients and myself: eat the rainbow
All that color? It’s nature’s way of telling you: this food is bursting with protective antioxidants.
Some favorites to sprinkle into meals:
🍓 Berries: blueberries, raspberries, goji berries
🥬 Leafy greens: spinach, kale, Swiss chard
🍊 Vitamin C-rich fruits: citrus, kiwi, guava
🍇 Purple & red produce: grapes, pomegranate, purple cabbage
🥕 Orange & yellow veggies: carrots, pumpkin, sweet potatoes
🍵 Teas: green tea, hibiscus, rooibos
🍫 Dark chocolate & raw cacao
🧄 Herbs & spices: turmeric, rosemary, oregano, garlic
Each color offers unique polyphenols and carotenoids, so variety matters more than perfection.
A gentle daily ritual: My "Beauty Brew" Antioxidant Tea
I formulated this antioxidant-rich tea to be a new addition to my morning routine: something deeply nourishing, stunning in color (gorgeous ruby red), and functional beyond just taste. (BTW, I don't think it needs any sweetener because the taste has the perfect amount of natural sweetness and tartness from the berries and hibiscus, but honey would be a great addition if you want it a bit more sweet.)
What's the tea?
- Hibiscus brings its vibrant color and anthocyanins to support healthy blood flow and gentle detox.
- Rosehips add a generous dose of food-based vitamin C for collagen support and immune resilience. Fun fact: rosehips have ~40x more vitamin C than oranges!
- Amla berries offers one of the highest natural sources of heat-stable vitamin C plus polyphenols for skin and hormone balance.
- Goji berries contribute carotenoids, trace minerals, and traditional adrenal-nourishing properties.
Together, these herbs create a blend that hydrates, protects against oxidative stress, supports skin, hormones, and whole-body health.
The beauty about my recipe is that you can have it as a warming tea or iced for a more refreshing beverage:
Herbs (The measurements listed are perfect for multiple servings):
- 2 cups organic hibiscus flowers
- 1 cup goji berries
- 1 cup dehydrated amla berries
- 1 cup rosehips
*Mix all the herbs together in an airtight container until you're ready to brew!
*I purchase my herbs in bulk from Mountain Rose Herbs*
Hot brew instructions: Use ~1-2 tbsp of herbal mixture per teapot or French press and add just-boiled water to fill teapot or French press. Steep 10–15 min, strain, add honey (optional), sip, and enjoy!
Cold brew instructions: a cold brew coffee/tea maker or large mason jar would be ideal for this application
- In a large mason jar, pour 1 cup just-boiled water over herbal mixture (2-3 tbsp); steep 5–10 min.
- Top up to ~1 quart with cold, filtered water.
- Refrigerate 8–12 hrs, strain, serve over ice, and enjoy.
My favorite way to have this tea is cold. I brew a large batch every 2-3 days and drink about 16oz every morning in addition to my water and before having coffee.
When supplements make sense
Even with the most colorful plate and all the antioxidant rich teas, real life happens: stress, travel, or specific goals like fertility, skin health, or weight loss can mean your body needs extra support through supplements.
Some antioxidant supplements that are benefitting my patients (and myself) lately:
✅ Astaxanthin – powerful for skin elasticity, eye comfort, recovery, and even egg quality
✅ Reds and Greens powders – a quick scoop can add polyphenol diversity on busy days. I mix this to my tea (above) in the morning for added nutrients.
✅ Glutathione & NAC – your body’s master antioxidant and its building block; great for detox, hormones, and inflammation
Supplements can’t replace whole foods, but they can strategically help your body stay resilient.
You don’t need more antioxidants, you need smarter antioxidants: colorful meals, daily herbal rituals, or thoughtful supplements when life or health goals call for it.
In health and wellness,
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Accepting new patients
I am so excited to announce that I have joined the Oasis Health and Medicine team in Encinitas starting Thursday, July 3.
I joined Dr. Pedi Mirdamadi, ND, Dr. Dan Sullivan, ND, and Dr. Chelsea Azarcon, ND at Oasis, and I have brought my knowledge and love of women's wellness and hormones, and skin and digestive health to the Oasis team.
I am eager and excited to expand my reach to the Oasis community and I welcome you to make an appointment with me so we can get to the root causes of your symptoms and have you feeling your best again.
Click here to learn more about Oasis Health and Medicine and to make an appointment.
For my current patients, nothing has changed!
I will still be keeping my schedules and seeing patients at Olympus Movement in Vista, CA (Mon and Wed) and The Adapt Lab in Solana Beach, CA (Tues). I am just adding another location to fill up my Thursday schedule. I am truly blessed having to expand my schedule to accommodate the demand of new patients who wish to see me.
*Please note, I am no longer taking patients at The Adapt Lab on Friday afternoons*
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