This week we would like to turn our attention back to oxidation. Notice when you slice an apple it starts to brown, or eggs begin to smell if left out of the fridge - this is a result of oxidation.
Oxidation is a natural process that happens inside and outside the body. Your body has its own in-built mechanism for dealing with oxidation in addition to the external compounds found in fruit and vegetables, these are known as antioxidants. Antioxidants are critical to our survival, they inhibit the oxidation of molecules within our vital cells - without which our bodies would be destroyed very quickly. Oxidation takes place when oxygen interacts with cells of any kind and changes it's structure - just like the cells on that rotting apple.
The process of oxidation happened during normal cellular functions and metabolism, such as breathing, exercising and digesting food. However, as the body metabolises oxygen, a bi-product is formed called a free radical - this is the key to oxidation. Free radicals are missing an essential electron and go scavenging the body for a replacement - stealing from a healthy cell and turning that into a chain reaction which causes dysfunction within the cells - brain, liver, skin etc. This causes damage at the molecular level and therefore to the cell and your DNA !
Free radicals rob any cell of any electron to satisfy their craving, which can lead to DNA deformation which can affect ageing and lead to degenerative diseases and cancer.
To prevent free radical damage the body combats this by using anti-oxidants that are able to sacrifice an electron to the scavenging cell.
While there are several enzyme systems within the body that can neutralize these harmful oxidants, the main external forms are taken in via Vitamins A, C and beta-carotene via food.
So, getting anti-oxidants from your food is essential on a daily basis - our life depends upon it - your body simply does not produce enough.
Here at TAWC we will ensure we provide the correct nutritional plan to help combat these free radicals and help prevent premature ageing. Next time, we'll talk about those anti oxidant rich foods that are vital for longevity and disease prevention.
Was this information useful ? Are you optimising your nutrition to improve your health ? Do you undertake a holistic functional lifestyle? Let us know at TAWC.
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