What Are Free Radicals?
"Learn how to battle them..."
Free radicals is a term we have heard many times when it comes to our health but what are they? According to dictionary.com, a free radical is "an atom or molecule that has an unpaired electron and is therefore unstable, capable of causing chain reactions that destabilize other molecules and generate more free radicals."
In layman's terms, free radicals are unstable little things we can?t see in our bodies that can cause all sorts of bad things and damage to our health if we don?t keep them in check.
The Good news? our bodies have built-in defense systems for dealing with them - that said, you still need to be aware of them and the effects they present.
The Bad news? Modern day society and our daily habits contribute to the accumulation of these reckless little guys so it is in your best interest to eliminate these habits for better health
Let?s dig in a little deeper?
Okay we just learned that free radicals are atoms and molecules that have an unpaired electron. This means that they are unstable and free to grab onto other molecules in your body. These events have a ripple effect as when a free radical latches onto the nearest molecule, it steals its electron. Now that molecule that just got robbed - it just became a free radical.
Crazy stuff as it?s like we have a bunch of little pickpockets running around our body.
The problem here is natural to all humans, but once it starts and not slowed down, it can mushroom out of control and cause an abundance of negative changes in the organism causing you potential health issues.
So Why Are These Free Radicals Acting Up?
Great question? there are several factors that cause free radicals to accumulate and start their damaging behavior and it starts with our habits and also some environmental factors.
Here are some things that can contribute to what we call Pro Free Radicals:
- Alcohol
- Processed Foods
- Environmental air pollution
- Smoking Tobacco
Makes me think that I probably shouldn't be drinking a glass of wine and eating a frozen pizza while I write this!
This is very important to understand: A surplus of these free radicals changes the way your cells function, damaging lipids, proteins and believe it or not, they can even damage your DNA.
A damaged DNA can wreak havoc on your immune system which potentially leaves you vulnerable to diseases.
It?s not all doom and gloom though so don?t worry. It is very possible that you will never experience any serious conditions but you will most likely age more rapidly.
That?s a bummer
Antioxidants To The Rescue
So far we have learned that free radicals can be pretty mean and nasty. But as I mentioned earlier our bodies do have a natural defense system and it?s called antioxidants.
Antioxidants act as a protective shield to help neutralize any potential damage these free radicals may cause. Like in the name they battle against oxidative reactions inside your cells.
Your body produces some pretty powerful antioxidants like alpha lipoic acid and glutathione. But here is the fun part? a variety of food also has antioxidants too.
Primary Food antioxidants:
- Vitamins A, C, E
- Zink
- Copper
- Manganese
- Beta-carotene
We have to understand that in normal circumstances our body?s natural defense system used to be enough to fight the battle. Modern day life and environmental conditions are just not what our bodies were meant to endure.
That means we have to help our natural defense system by doing our best to minimize these modern life factors and focus on macro and micronutrient rich foods.
Combining a macro and micronutrient rich diet can help our bodies fight these free radicals while also getting the nutrients you need to help cells recover and grow.
Great sources of antioxidants:
- Carrots
- Walnuts
- Turmeric
- Apples
- Broccoli
- Grapes
- Multivitamin supplements
Final Thoughts
It comes down to this?
Free radicals are bad, causing damage to your cells and DNA.