Free Radicals and Anti-oxidants

It is really funny when you think about it but I have been hearing a lot of people talk about "free radicals" and "anti-oxidants". As a matter of fact, you can see this on a lot of packaging of products nowadays. I really wonder how many people really know what any of this means. The way I hear these words thrown around tends to make me think that most people may have an idea but really don't know.

Scientifically speaking, free radicals are atoms or groups of atoms with an odd (unpaired) number of electrons and can be formed when oxygen interacts with certain molecules. The body naturally produces these free radicals because of stress from our environment.

So what does this mean? Well, to start, once these free radicals are formed they start a chain reaction. The chief danger comes from the damage they can do when they react with important cellular compenents such as DNA, or the cell membrane. This causes aging of the body and is linked to one of the causes for some cancers.

Anti-oxidants are the body's defense against free radicals. Anti-oxidants are molecules which can safely interact with free radicals and terminate the chain reaction before vital molecules are damaged. The principle micronutrient (vitamin) anti-oxidants are Vitamnin E, beta-carotene, and Vitamin C. There are studies which show that there is a lower cancer rate in people whose dites are rich in fruits and vegetables.

The Federation of European Biochemical Societies Journal reported that they found that melatonin reduces inflammation and oxidative stress, and protects the brain and spinal chord from age-related decline. Researches say the best way to get melatonin is through food sources such as cherries, walnuts, bananas, oats, rice, ginger, green tea, sage and thyme.

What about exercise and oxidative damage? Regular exercise enhances the anti-oxidant defense system and protects against exercise induced free radical damage. This shows how smart the body is in adapting to the demands of exercise. These changes occur slowly over time and appear to parallel other adaptations to exercise. However, intense exercise in untrained individuals overwhelms defenses resulting in increased free radical damage.

What we have learned here is that oxidative damage is a natural process of aging but we do not have to sit back and accept that. Regular exercise, not periodic exercise, can help reduce free radical damage along with proper nutrition.

Find a good trainer who understands these concepts and will set up an exercise program that will gradually increase in intensity. Also find one that will be able to provide proper nutrition guidance or seek the advice of a certified nutritionist. Or, go to an Express train Fitness location where all of this can be provided. Some locations even have a FAR infared sauna that will actually release some of these free radicals from your body.