Our bodies are put through a host of toxic exposure on a daily basis because of our environment, the food we eat, and the other chemicals we ingest. Our bodies have become more diseased as the decades have past.
Diseases such as cancer, heart disease, and diabetes have sky rocketed during the 1900’s and into the 2000’s. There are two factors that play a major role in our health; food quality (lack of antioxidants) and toxicity in our bodies. We are losing the battles between our safety nets the overwhelming toxins or free radicals throughout our bodies.
This article explains exactly what free radicals and antioxidants are and how to appropriately detoxify the through the use of antioxidants.
What are free radicals?
Free radicals are created from two occurrences; 1) normal essential metabolic processes in the human body and 2) from external sources such as exposure to X-rays, ozone, cigarette smoking, air pollutants and industrial chemicals (pesticides, anesthetics, industrial solvents).
Free radicals are organic molecules responsible for aging, tissue damage, and possibly some diseases. Free radicals are very unstable molecules that look to bond with other “good” molecules in our systems. By latching on to other molecules, they end up destroying the “victim” molecule.
Dr. Denham Harmon, the actual doctor that discovered free radicals, explains it in common terms; “The nucleus of an atom is surrounded by a cloud of electrons. These electrons surround the nucleus in pairs, but occasionally an atom loses an electron, leaving the atom with an “unpaired” electron. The atom is then called a “free radical”, and it is very reactive. When cells in the body encounter a free radical, the reactive radical may cause destruction in the cell by hooking on to the healthy cell’s molecules”.
Not only can free radicals cause disease, but also enhances the process of aging. According to Dr. Harmon’s Free Radical Theory of Aging; “Cells continuously produce free radicals, and constant free radical damage eventually kills the cell. When free radicals kill or damage enough cells in an organism, the organism ages”.
As you can see, the more free radicals our bodies encounter, the quicker we age. Go do research on the chronic disease percentage increase PER PERSON in our world compared to 100 years ago. Now add in the fact that we are all exponentially exposed to these toxins on a daily basis compared to the “old days”. Add in two more factors; the depleted soil and the processed food we eat. What do we have? CORRELATION and a continual increase in the rate of disease and aging for all of us.
Free radical diseases
A well documented fact is the increasing frequency of disease with advancing age. A likely explanation for the relationship of age and disease is based on the inference of free radical reactions in the generation of several diseases and disorders.
Free radical reactions produce increasing unfavorable changes that accumulate with age throughout the body. Normal changes with age are common to all. However, there are also patterns influenced by genetics and environmental differences that can change free radical damage for the good or bad. The combination of genetics, environment, free radical existence, and food quality perpetuates diseases as we age.
Cancer and Heart Disease, two major causes of death, are leading “free radical” diseases. Cancer is linked with chromosomal defects and oncogene activation (a gene that disposes normal cells to change into cancerous tumor cells). It is highly possible that free radical reactions may start tumor formation.
Studies on Heart Disease reveal the likelihood that the disease may be due to free radical reactions involving diet caused lipids in the arterial wall and can create more free radicals. These free radicals encourage endothelial cell (the thin layer of cells that lines the interior surface of blood vessels) injury and produce changes in the arterial walls.
What are antioxidants?
Because free radicals literally attack the body’s own cells, we need something to combat the killers as much as possible. This is where antioxidants come into the picture.
By design, there are minerals, vitamins, and enzymes in our food that help to fight free radicals. These nutrients that provide this function are called antioxidants. Antioxidants’ job is to destroy these harmful free radicals by counteracting the damage to tissues and subsequently, reversing the aging process or causing its retardation. It also is a main factor in preventing chronic diseases such as cancer.
Antioxidants are abundant in more familiar vitamins such as retinol or Vitamin A, ascorbic acid or Vitamin C, tocopherol or Vitamin E, and selenium. They can be nutrients (vitamins and minerals) as well as enzymes (proteins in your body that support in chemical reactions). Research has confirmed that a balanced diet rich in whole grain cereals, nuts, seeds, fruits and vegetables provides essential vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and other nutrients can decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer. This is great news EXCEPT, our food no longer contains the nutrients it once did. Please see article on FOOD QUALITY.
Antioxidants can act as an important role in preventing the development of such chronic illnesses as heart disease, stroke, cancer, Rheumatoid arthritis, Alzheimers disease, and many others.
Although antioxidants cannot totally free our bodies of free radicals, they can decrease the damage caused by them. Antioxidants obstruct the process of oxidation by taking the place of free radicals during the oxidation process. Therefore, we need to continually have a stream of antioxidants entering our bodies.
How antioxidants work is a two-fold action; Stabilization and Prevent. Stabilization means that the antioxidant literally stops the reaction of the free radicals turning our “good” molecules into free radicals also. The antioxidant is working against the free radical trying to multiple.
The second important part, “Prevent”, is where the antioxidant enzymes actually prevent the oxidation by reducing the rate of chain reactions. In other words, instead of waiting for the free radicals to start attaching to molecules, the antioxidants destroy them before oxidation even starts.
These two important roles of antioxidants delay the aging process and help to prevent the chronic diseases and other illnesses caused by harmful free radicals.
Getting enough antioxidants?
Bottom line is that dietary supplementation is essential to a healthy body. A healthy body is a product of the least amount of free radicals in our system as possible. Antioxidants get rid of free radicals created by chemicals, alcohol & drugs, pollution, and eating processed foods.
Many do NOT realize that the food we eat can contain chemicals such as preservatives, additives, colorings and pesticides. We also spike up our free radical content through the air we breathe; fumes from cars, paints, aerosols and indoor chlorinated pools are also contributors to the proliferation of radicals. Our skin, the largest organ in the body, absorbs free radicals from skin care products, hair products, make-up, and sunscreens. All of these contribute to the free radicals which research has shown to cause chronic diseases such as cancer.
The primary antioxidants include familiar nutrients such as vitamins (vitamin E and vitamin C), carotenoids (b -carotene, lycopene), thiols (glutathione, lipoic acid), ubiquinols, flavonoids and polyphenols (from herbs, teas) and a variety of enzyme systems (catalase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase).
The best way to supplement is to find one that is a whole food product, meaning the product is derived from super foods located in areas of the world that are not depleted in nutrients. Two of these super foods that also contain the antioxidant compounds discussed are Aloe Vera and Ocean Botanicals. Also make sure that the product is cold processed, has no additives, and is a liquid for optimal absorption.
The three products that we feel give you everything you need are Body Balance, TrueGreens, and Vitali-C Plus by Life Force International.
We hope this was helpful.
Detox the Body from Free Radicals…
The very best way to health supplement is to discover a single that is a whole meals item, meaning the merchandise is derived from tremendous meals situated in spots of the earth that are not depleted in nutrients….