I have been trying to find an easy to understand explanation of antioxidants and free radicals without all that tech talk. I think I found it.
This is from researcher Jeffrey Blumberg’s study on antioxidants and free radicals. In Blumberg’s research he said, “1% – 2% of cells will get damaged in the process of *oxidation and turn into free radicals. Free radical is a term often used to describe damaged cells that can be problematic. They are ‘free’ because they are missing a critical molecule, which sends them on a rampage to pair with another molecule. These molecules will rob any molecule to quench that need. Normal cell functions produce a small percentage of free radicals. Those free radicals are generally not a big problem. They are kept under control by antioxidants that the body produces naturally. External toxins, especially cigarette smoke and air pollution, are ‘free radical generators’. In fact, our food and water also harbor free radicals in the form of pesticides and other toxins. In the 21st century, people need to get more antioxidants in their diet to offset all these assaults”.
“Antioxidants work to stop this damaging, disease-causing chain reaction that free radicals have started. Each type of antioxidant works either to prevent the chain reaction or stop it after it’s started. Free radicals trigger a damaging chain reaction and that’s the problem. Free radicals are dangerous because they don’t just damage one molecule. If free radicals simply killed a cell the body could just regenerate another one. By injuring the cell, they damage the DNA which creates the seed for disease. One free radical can set off a chain reaction. When a free radical oxidizes a fatty acid,
it changes that fatty acid into a free radical, which then damages another fatty acid”.
“The role of vitamin C is to stop the chain reaction before it starts. It captures the free radical and neutralizes it”.
“Vitamin E is a chain-breaking antioxidant. Wherever it is sitting in a membrane, it breaks the chain reaction”. “The body needs a mix of vitamins and minerals, such as vitamins A, C, E and beta-carotene, to neutralize this free radical assault. We need to eat many different types of foods. Each type works in different tissues of the body, in different parts of cells. You can’t rely on only a few foods to do the job. When you have appropriate amounts of different antioxidants [from different foods], you’re doing what you can to protect yourself from free radicals”. (1)
“Excessive free radical damage in your cells harms your DNA and results in some cells mutating into cancerous cells. Every toxin in your body causes free radical damage. The carcinogenic ones cause even more. Combined with high acidity and low oxygenation, you have the perfect recipe for cancer. Another reason we have so much free radical damage is because we eat too much processed foods”. (2)
If you have a health issue (like cancer), your body is most likely acidic. Research has shown that unless your body is alkaline it cannot heal itself. Make a choice to gain control, start a healthy diet and make your body alkaline. If your body is not alkaline, it will have a very hard time absorbing vitamins and minerals from the foods you eat.
Total healing of chronic illnesses will only take place when and if the blood is restored to a normal slightly alkaline level. An acidic body can cause serious health issues, including, but not limited to:
**acceleration of free radical damage
hormone concerns cardiovascular weakness
weight gain / loss bladder and kidney problems
immune deficience
structural system weakness, including:
brittle bones,
hip fractures and joint pain
stressed liver function
low energy slow digestion and elimination yeast/fungal overgrowth
tumor growth (3) Everyone has different nutritional requirements, but we all have one thing in common – WE ALL NEED TO HAVE ALKALINE BLOOD TO STAY HEALTHY.
(1) http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/how-antioxidants-work1 (2) http://www.CancerFightingStrategies.com/antioxidants-for-cancer.html (3) http://altered-states.net/barry/update178/index.htm
*Oxidation is a process in which a chemical substance changes because of the addition of oxygen.