The Battle Against Free Radicals

by Steven A Johnson

Posted on Sunday 30th of August 2009

We all live in a toxic environment. No matter where we live or how careful we are, we can’t avoid environmental toxins. They are in the air we breathe, the food we eat and the water we drink all over the planet.

Reason being, did you know that when we breath oxygen, it interacts with certain molecules in our bodies to create free radicals and that these free radicals damage important cellular structures such as DNA and cell membranes? Well, this is the truth and this damage can cause cells to function poorly and change. This free radical damage can lead to disease and aging.

Cell membranes are made of unsaturated lipids. The unsaturated lipid molecules of cell membranes are particularly susceptible to this damaging free radicals process and willingly contribute to the uncontrolled chain reaction. Oxidative damage, a different name for the chemical reaction that free radicals cause can lead to a breakdown or even hardening of lipids, which makeup all cell walls. It becomes impossible for the cell to get its nutrients properly if the cell wall is hardened. Also the cell walls are at risk to damage, including RNA, DNA and protein enzymes.

Free Radicals chip away at cell walls, molecule by molecule, making holes. The cells leak and lose their chemical balances. Following they are able to chip away at DNA, making cells dysfunctional. If this damage affects cellular DNA, the cell might malfunction and this is that happens cell by cell over the time of your life, ultimately causing entire organs to malfunction, because their cells malfunction.

If the DNA of basal kerantinocytes is damaged the cells may become dysfunctional and the basal cells will reproduce cells that are equally as damaged and dysfunctional, resulting in the aging and dysfunction of the skin and its various components. Aging is simply the progression of damage, caused by free radicals.

Free radicals are produced when our cells create energy and when we are exposed to pollutants or toxins such as cigarette smoke, alcohol, stress, ultra violet lights, and over eating. These are some of the silent killers, taken for granted as part of day to day life we meander unaware to the offenders. These can all damage our body’s cells that line our arteries, the fat cells in the blood, the immune cells and so on. Free radical damage may lead to cancer, cardiovascular disease, cataracts and the aging process.

Antioxidants interact with and stabilize free radicals and may prevent some of the damage free radicals might otherwise cause. Antioxidants are molecules which can safely interact with free radicals and terminate the chain reaction before vital molecules are damaged. Antioxidants are very important to fight damage to cells, they aid in the prevention of cancer, aging, and many diseases.

Nature’s most nutritionally dense food containing a wide variety of powerful antioxidants and phytochemicals unmatched by any other fruit, is trying Apothe Cherry, this reduces your risk of coronary heart disease, cancer, and other age related illnesses. Its powerful nutrients can prevent and repair the oxidative damage to our body.