What Are Free Radicals and their Implications Involving Anti-Aging Therapy?

By Paul Crantz

Just what exactly are Free radicals and what do they do to our bodies?

Free radicals or oxidants are produced when cells in the body burn oxygen to produce energy. They are also caused internally by normal metabolism. So, what's so bad about them? It's their Chemical Instability, caused by one or more Free Electrons. A good analogy is that free radicals are a rogue band of angry little particles, roaming around in the body, desperately looking for homes. Because of needing to reattach themselves, they damage the healthy cells. Without getting too technical, Free radicals are unstable because they have one or more unpaired electrons. These rogue electrons, or radicals, are constantly looking to attach themselves by grabbing electrons of good cells, and thereby damaging good cells. You could liken the process to an old rusting car, as oxygen radicals reacting to the iron in the car.

Over time, our cells, being under attack, tend to oxidize, or rust, if you like, and the signs of aging such as wrinkled and sagging skin, graying hair,etc begin to appear. While these results are not aesthetically pleasing for many people, a similar process is occurring inside the body and affecting all body systems, leading to a variety of health problems. So, what can we do to slow the process?

By being aware of factors such as pollution, sunlight, x-rays, smoking and alcohol consumption contribute to the formation of free radicals, we can each take immediate small steps to begin reducing and, in some cases, reversing the effects. Furthermore, modern Western diets, the use of recreational drugs and prescription medicines also take their toll on health at a cellular level.

Antioxidants can help counteract the damage of good cells in the body caused by oxidation, neutralizing free radicals and help to prevent cell damage and therefore slow the symptoms of aging. Many of the so-called anti aging vitamins are antioxidants. Free radicals are always being produced in our bodies, so a continuous supply of antioxidants is needed to prevent cell damage. Here are some examples of foods are being identified as potent antioxidants: Acai berries, blueberries and chocolate are some of the best examples. Vitamins and minerals included in the antioxidant group include vitamins A, B-6, B-12, C, E, and selenium.

There are many valuable sources of information available, especially from nutritional and health professionals, magazines and websites. Just being aware of free radicals and antioxidants can be a tremendous first step in maintaining your overall good health.

I specialize in general interest short article content, especially for my own content sites. I love to write and I look forward to contributing many many more submissions, hoping people will find some useful or entertaining info - http://www.healthcontentsite.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Paul_Crantz