Are you eating enough fruits and vegetables? You may think you are, but a new hand scanner can indicate whether you are truly getting enough.

"The average person does not have the foggiest idea what his or her antioxidant defense system is, and we need to get people to eat more fruits and vegetables and, if necessary, take supplementation,” says Dr. James Rippe, a cardiologist who developed the Biophotonic Scanner, which measures the body's antioxidant level.

Antioxidants are the body's protectors from everyday exposure to “free radicals,” such as tobacco smoke, toxic chemicals and sunlight — all driving forces behind aging and harmful health conditions. Higher levels of antioxidants in the body indicate a higher level of protection from environmental pollutants.

“This piece of information is a very powerful educational tool to convince people that they need to pay more attention to what they eat and maybe even take a supplement,” Dr. Rippe says.

To use the Biophotonic Scanner, you simply place the palm of your hand in front of a low-energy blue laser that scans for antioxidant pigments, known as carotenoids. Once the scanner begins to detect the pigments in the skin, the light turns from blue to green, and you eventually get a "body defense score," a measure of your body's ability to withstand free radicals.

A score below 16,000 indicates a weak antioxidant defense; 19,000 to 31,000 is good; and over 40,000 is great.

Dieticians recommend eating five to nine fruits and vegetables a day, along with supplements to build a high level of antioxidants. Only 2 percent of Americans actually meet those requirements, according to studies.

- Cheryl Wills

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For more information on the Biophotonic Scanner, go to www.pharmanexscanner.com.