Free radicals commonly referred to as radicals are simply molecules that are highly unstable in the body. Basically, molecules are made up of electron bonds. When these bonds are broken, what will remain, is a charged and an unstable molecular fragment, containing unpaired electrons. The unstable and reactive particles are the free radicals.
Oxidation Process
As these particles are alone, they will often break bonded molecules seeking a partner for companionship. In this process, the radicals will oxidize just anything in the body from enzymes, cell membranes, and even DNA. This process is known as oxidation. Even worse, when one of these radicals breaks a molecule, more radicals will form, causing a chain of reaction that may eventually cause diseases and premature aging. This process will recur millions of times in your lifetime and will slowly damage the body by causing it to lose its strength and elasticity. When preventive measures to protect the body from these free radicals are taken, scientists have shown that people tend to live healthier and longer.
Causes of free radicals
Some causes for radicals are completely out of human control, however, there are lifestyle and environmental choices that can be avoided for prevention. Some of the most common causes include but not limited to:
- Stress (both physical and emotional)
- Air pollution
- Smoke from cigarette
- UV Rays and Radiation
- Processed foods
- Both prescription and recreational drugs
As evident from these common causes, even your residence may have an effect to the amount of radicals you have in the body. If you stay in large cities, you’re more exposed to these pollutants and other industrial chemicals. Stress levels may also be higher with limited options to healthier foods leading to over-reliance of processed foods. This is different from countryside atmosphere, where you are more exposed to clean air, have reduced stress levels and healthier foods. All these can prevent you from having higher stress levels and premature aging.
How you can prevent free radicals
The best defense against radicals are antioxidants, and these are mainly found in various vitamins and phytochemicals. Antioxidants can be obtained from healthy sources of food such as fish, apples, pomegranates and blueberries. Each and every antioxidant plays a specific role in helping your body and this means that you need more than just one type of vitamin, but a complete diet. The more antioxidants you have in the body, the higher the chances of freeing the body from these radicals. Simple vitamin c supplements such as Emergen-C Tropical are a great source of antioxidants.
Another way of prevention is through oxygen and clean air. The body requires oxygen in higher amounts to stay healthy. Finding areas that have higher oxygen levels, for example taking a weekend trip upcountry, visiting tree-filled parks and/or having plants in your house may help prevent accumulation of these radicals. Avoiding harmful lifestyle habits such as drinking, sun tanning and smoking is equally beneficial. Topical antioxidants have also shown potential to lower damage to the skin mainly caused by these free radicals. Combining internally ingested and topical antioxidants is also vital to better results. To prevent your skin from radicals that may be caused by UV exposure, it’s recommended that you use antioxidants under your sunscreens.
References
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3249911/
http://www.consumerhealth.org/articles/display.cfm?ID=19990303172533
http://web.stanford.edu/group/hopes/cgi-bin/hopes_test/about-free-radical-damage/
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