ANTIOXIDANTS AND FREE RADICALS - Simply explained 

 

 

There is a lot of talk about antioxidants, free radicals and disease, but…

…Few people know what they are or how they work.

It is important to understand so that you know the huge impact your vitamins have on your long term health.

What is a Free Radical?

Free radicals are unstable atoms in our body because they are missing electrons.  The unstable atoms cause our cells to break down and age.  They are also a huge contributor to diseases like hardening of the arteries, cancers, inflammatory joint disease, asthma, diabetes, Alzheimer’s/ dementia and degenerative eye disease.

The unstable atoms (free radicals) are highly reactive and they scavenge the body to look for replacement electrons.  They will raid your healthy cells and cause damage to your cells, proteins and your DNA.  Over time, your body ages and disease begins.

 

What causes Free Radicals?

😦 your diet (processed food, deep fried food, BBQ, cured meats)

😦 pollution from daily living

😦 smoking

😦 Exposure to the sun

😦 X-rays

😦 alcohol

😦 intense exercise

😦 even your body’s own metabolism

How do you stop Free Radicals?

Your body has an amazing way to fight free radicals by MAKING ANTIOXIDANTS!  These antioxidants are called Glutathione and Alpha Lipoic Acid.

Without antioxidants, free radicals would cause serious harm very quickly, eventually resulting in death.

There is a balance that exists between free radicals and antioxidants, but when that balance is disrupted, the free radicals cause damage and this damage is called OXIDATIVE STRESS. 

After the age of 40, our body doesn't produce the antioxidants at the same level that they used to when we were younger.

Oxidative Stress accelerates

❌ Aging

❌ Cardiovascular disease

❌ Arthritis

❌ Alzheimer’s disease/dementia

❌ Diabetes

❌ Degenerative eye diseases 

To counteract oxidative stress, a diet rich in 

Vitamin C

Vitamin E

Phytonutrients (nutrients found in plants) 

will help to restore the balance.

🌟IMPORTANT FACT🌟

Our body needs to have some free radicals because they play an important role in killing viruses and bacteria.  As well, the free radicals that are produced during exercise help the body keep the cells sensitive to insulin which helps prevent diabetes.

For this reason, it is very important not to take an excessive amount of antioxidants in your diet.