| There are a lot of health conscious people who | | | | the antioxidant has protected the cell. Bruce |
| spend time and money researching and buying | | | | Ames, a well known scientist studying antioxidants |
| antioxidant supplements for the simple reason | | | | estimated that a cell will be hit up to 10,000 times |
| that they want the benefits that antioxidants can | | | | daily by a free radical looking to steal an electron. |
| provide for their health. The list of benefits we | | | | And to put that into perspective - consider the |
| derive from antioxidants is impressive and totally | | | | trillions of cells in our bodies. |
| legitimate. The problem is that simply taking | | | | This attack by free radicals contributes to (and |
| antioxidant supplements will not do the whole job. | | | | some will say primarily causes) many of the acute |
| The Role of Antioxidants | | | | and chronic diseases that we associate with aging. |
| To understand what antioxidants do and why | | | | Alzheimer's disease, acute and chronic |
| they're important, you need to understand free | | | | inflammation, coronary disease, cancer, type II |
| radicals, which are caused by rogue electrons. | | | | diabetes, Parkinson's disease, rheumatoid arthritis |
| Let's go to the big picture first and then focus in | | | | and some types of dementia have all been traced |
| on free radicals. | | | | back to free radical damage. And that's not the |
| The body has a system of organs - like your | | | | full list. |
| heart, lungs and liver which perform certain | | | | If you want to reduce your own production of |
| specific functions - every one of which is essential | | | | free radicals and get more antioxidants into your |
| for your health. The organs are made up of living | | | | body to help clean up the mess they cause, |
| tissue and the tissue is made up of cells - literally | | | | deciding to buy antioxidants supplements isn't |
| trillions of them. The cells are composed of | | | | enough. You need to: |
| molecules which are themselves composed of | | | | Stop causing the damage. Free radicals are |
| atoms which have neutrons, positrons and | | | | created through many processes. Many of which |
| electrons. The electrons of most atoms are in | | | | we can control. Air pollution, primary and second |
| pairs and the paired structure is essential for | | | | hand tobacco smoke, substance abuse, Junk |
| them to remain stable. If, for some reason, an | | | | Food, unnecessary chemicals and excessive |
| atom loses an electron (and it happens all the | | | | exercise (yes even good things than go bad) all |
| time) a free radical is formed. The atom will steal | | | | create free radicals and all are within our ability to |
| an electron from another atom. When this | | | | control. |
| happens, a new atom- which is part of a | | | | Eat more fresh foods and more fruits and |
| molecule, in its turn, becomes unstable (a free | | | | VEGETABLES. You can't tell me you didn't expect |
| radical) and is off to steal another electron from | | | | to see vegetables on the list? The list of foods |
| somewhere else. | | | | that we can take to boost our levels of specific |
| As you can imagine, a chain reaction occurs, that | | | | antioxidants is almost too long to mention. But |
| left unchecked will damage the structure of the | | | | think deep green and think blue and start your |
| cell. When this happens, the tissue of an organ | | | | research from there. |
| gets cluttered up with a lot of damaged cells | | | | Buy antioxidants and antioxidant supplements. |
| which left long enough will impair the function of | | | | Supplements like Vitamins C and E, Resveratrol |
| the organ. | | | | and Cordyceps are excellent examples of |
| Antioxidants are molecules containing atoms that | | | | antioxidants supplements that are available to buy. |
| can donate an electron to a free radical and will | | | | Research your choices first because sources, |
| either remain stable without it or will become too | | | | quality and usability will vary widely, but you can |
| weak to steal an electron from another atom. | | | | add them as part of your plan. |
| Regardless why, the chain reaction is stopped and | | | | |