subject: Anti-aging: Your Body Under Attack [print this page] We have all heard about anti-aging, cellular health and free radicals. The good thing is that we do not have to be victims to the environment, toxins or aging. We can all add quick and simple protective steps to our diet and lifestyle that will keep us healthy, youthful and thriving.
Because there are a number of environmental effects that are detrimental to our bodies, it is important to remove harmful stressors from our lives such as a poor diet, inadequate sleep, and tense situations.
Even when we think we are eating healthy, sometimes there are invisible threats that attack our foods, such as apples and other fruits which may be coated with harmful pesticides that enter our bodies. It is also important that you are careful with the makeup you use.
We all want to enhance our beauty, but at what cost will you go to achieve this?
Try to use natural and organic makeup since anything we put on our skin eventually enters our bloodstream and can cause a number of harmful effects. The reason you need to avoid pollutants in your food, get the proper amount of rest, and take care with chemicals you put on your skin, is because each time your body comes into contact with toxins, free radical activity is increased. This means that your healthy cells receive at least 10,000 damaging attacks from these free radicals every day.
Free radicals are not entirely bad, because certain amounts are needed in order to ward off germs and bacteria, but issues develop when one's body creates too many free radicals and the body is not able to process the massive amount.
Free radicals are truly not as complex as they are often described, for they are simply a result of oxidation within the body. Basically, oxidation is what causes cars to become rusted as well. Free radicals are also formed by many external factors such as, pesticides, pollution, smoke, fumes, and ultraviolet rays.
The reason why free radicals are such a "hot" topic is because research has pointed to evidence that suggests they speed up the aging process while also possibly contributing to a number of diseases: coronary heart disease and cancer to name a few; estimates have listed at least 50 other diseases where free radicals might be a major factor.
Antioxidants are another "hot" topic, because they have been touted as a crucial step in fighting and actually blocking free radical damage. Some antioxidants naturally occur in our bodies, such as estrogen, the female hormone. Other antioxidants include vitamins E, C, and beta-carotene (Vitamin A) which occur in our foods.
The main function of antioxidants is to basically mop up free radicals while they are forming and to block them from causing harm to the body. Antioxidants can be effective either orally or topically and there has been some debate on which is better for blocking free radicals.
Face creams that have antioxidants in their formulas, help to protect the skin from negative environmental elements. Antioxidants that are found in supplements or foods help to neutralize the effects of oxidation within the body.
So it's important to work towards minimizing or eliminating as many free radicals in your life as possible while increasing your intake of antioxidants that are found in foods such as blueberries, goji berries, and salmon. Eat well for a lifetime of lasting beauty!
