just so you know ..

Hello!

So much for being back to the internet world. I really shouldn't make promises I can't keep, but hey, it's the last two weeks of the semester and my schedule is crazy. Please forgive me.

Anyway, I want to talk about antioxidants and oxidation of cells today. Oxidation is a serious thing and it can/will lead to cancer, heart disease, and aging.

Unfortunately, there isn't too much we can do to avoid oxidation. It is a naturally occurring process that happens as a result of living in an oxygen environment. However, there are ways of decreasing the effects of oxidation and reducing the amount of oxidation that occurs!

So, what's so dangerous about oxidation?

Oxidation leads to the development of free-radicals. Free-radicals are molecules that have been stripped of an electron, which makes them very unstable. When free-radicals are produced, they wreak havoc on the body and cause oxidative damage.

Antioxidants work their magic by donating one of their electrons to a free-radical. This stabilizes the free-radical and reduces the amount of harm it can cause.

Antioxidants work together to regenerate each other as they donate their electrons.

Honestly, the process is pretty badass.

So, what's the point?

If you aren't consuming foods that are high in antioxidants, you can't slow down or decrease the effects of oxidation. If oxidative damage occurs to your DNA or proteins, it results in cancer. If oxidative damage occurs to your LDL or cholesterol, it causes heart disease. Oxidative damage also causes aging by having an effect on your cognitive functions and leads to cataracts. 

Luckily, most of the foods that are high in antioxidants are delicious and shouldn't be difficult to incorporate into your diet! 

A few other factors/habits that cause oxidation of cells and create free-radicals are smoking, air pollution, alcohol, and PUFAs (polyunsaturated fatty acids). So, while this isn't a process we can completely avoid, we can make lifestyle choices that decrease the amount of oxidation that occurs!

I hope you guys will keep all of this in mind the next time you're at the grocery store. 

Make sure you're getting your antioxidants.

Have a great weekend!

xo

[photo found on pinterest]