You may have heard that oxidative stress from free radical oxidative damage causes your body to age quicker and may play a detrimental role in the process of various health conditions. This health blurb offers a simple rundown on how oxidative damage of free radicals relates to your health and the impact your lifestyle choices may have on oxidative stress.
A free radical essentially means a molecule is unstable because it has an unpaired electron. Electrons prefer to be paired, so solo ones indiscriminately attract an electron from another whenever possible. And it’s from where electrons are taken that can make a health related difference.
Stealing an electron from one molecule causes that molecule to become unstable and look to another for electron pairing. An excessive amount of free radicals can ultimately cause damage to cells or tissue when the stolen electrons are from molecules that are vital cell components, for instance part of the membrane, proteins or DNA.
This free radical caused damage is referred to as oxidative damage. Oxidative stress is the term used for the total effect of oxidative damage. It’s believed that oxidative stress impacts your body’s aging process and development of some health conditions, e.g. cancer, Alzheimer’s, heart disease, cataracts and age-related macular degeneration.
Free radicals are perpetually being produced in your body as a natural consequence of certain processes, for one they are a by product of oxygen used in energy metabolism. Not much you can do about the natural causes of oxidative damage.
However, there are some other circumstances that can cause free radical production for which lifestyle adjustments may do some good, including:
- toxins
- sunlight
- smoking
- radiation
- pollution
- asbestos
- inflammation
- excessive alcohol consumption
- infections ~ bacteria, virus, fungus
Fortunately, your body has several mechanisms that defend against oxidative stress, specifically containment, enzyme neutralization, cell repair or death and electron donation. For the most part, these various mechanisms are governed by your own unique hereditary factors. But, your lifestyle choices might also have some influence, particularly on electron donation.
One way your body combats oxidative damage is through an inessential molecule that readily donates an electron to a free radical. These free radical quenching substances are called antioxidants.
Emerging evidence indicates that maintaining a substantial dietary intake of antioxidants and limiting your exposure to the free radical triggers helps your body defend against oxidative damage over time. Therefore, with every bite you take and everything you do perhaps consider how it contributes to your body’s defense against oxidative stress.
Does eating a healthy diet rich in fruit and vegetables guarantee slower aging without disease? Not a scientifically proven guarantee yet, but why not try it and find out!