Does Life Create Free Radical Damage?
What is Free Radical Damage?
Oxidative stress is what happens in your body when you have too many free radicals. Specifically this damage is caused by an unstable molecule that steals another electron. The molecule gets unstable because an electron was taken away from it, and this creates a domino effect where one molecule damages another and so forth.
The physical effects we call aging – result from FRD. The sources of this are metabolism, pollution, poor diets, exercise, and stress.
Should you worry about this?
The damage to cells accumulates and leads to serious health concerns later in life.
Is there anything you can do about reducing Free Radical Damage?
The good news is that there is. Research suggests supplementation with antioxidants may provide added protection against increased free radical exposure.
”The amount of antioxidants that you will maintain in your body is directly proportional to how long you will live.” ~ Dr. Richard Cutler, director of anti-aging research at the National Institute of Health.
What do antioxidants do?
Antioxidants donate an electron thus neutralizing damage. They are particularity abundant in veggies and fruits. A healthy diet contains 10-13+ servings of veggies/ fruit per day. If you are under 50 years old aim for 10 servings. If you are older than 50 you should consume 13 plus servings per day. I mostly recommend vegetables rather than fruit. To read more about why you should limit your fruit consumption click here.
Can you get all your vitamins and minerals from food alone?
For most of us – no. If you eat 10 plus servings of fresh organic produce a day, which you grow in rich nutrient soils, lived in a pollution free area, drink uncontaminated water and have no stress in your life than you possibly could. The reality is that most of us buy compromised foods, breath polluted air, drink contaminated water and have stress in their lives. Even if you buy organic food it often comes from afar and loses many nutrients while it’s been stored. Plus we tend to buy the same foods weekly and miss out on some nutrients. Air and water pollution is everywhere in the world, even the polar caps. We can’t escape it nor can we filter it all out.
Can you find out if you are getting enough antioxidants from your food or supplements?
Yes, through innovative technology you can determine your current antioxidant levels. This noninvasive scanning device provides a convenient and useful indicator for monitoring oxidative stress in the body’s tissues. The 30 second hand scan uses a safe, LED blue light to measure skin carotenoid levels. Research suggests that the skin’s carotenoid level is a good indication of your body’s overall antioxidant defense system.
Your score can be tracked over time as you increase consumptions of nutrients. Tracking the score empowers you to make positive lifestyle changes to improve your health. If you are already taking supplements, tracking your score is an effective way to determine if the supplements are working. Not all supplements are equally effective. Scanning will reveal how well your supplements are protecting you. To schedule a scan please contact me.