The Battle Against Free Radicals

Every one of us lives in a toxic environment. NoIf the DNA of basal kerantinocytes is damaged
matter where we live or how careful we try tothe cells may become dysfunctional and the basal
be, we can't avoid environmental toxins. Toxinscells will reproduce cells that are equally as
are everywhere in the world, in the air wedamaged and dysfunctional, resulting in the aging
breathe, the food we eat and the water we drink.and dysfunction of the skin and its various
They are all over and impossible to run awaycomponents. Aging is simply the progression of
from. Did you know when we breathe in oxygen;damage, caused by free radicals. Free radicals are
it acts together with certain molecules in ourproduced when our cells create energy and when
bodies? These molecules create free radicalswe are exposed to pollutants or toxins such as
which then these free radicals damage ourcigarette smoke, alcohol, stress, ultra violet lights,
important cellular structures such as DNA and celland over eating. These are some of the silent
membranes. Damage by free radicals can causekillers, taken for granted as part of day to day
cells to act poorly and change, this could also leadlife we meander unaware to the offenders. These
to disease and aging.can all damage our body's cells that line our
Cell membranes are made of unsaturated lipids.arteries, the fat cells in the blood, the immune
The unsaturated lipid molecules of cell membranescells and so on. Free radical damage may lead to
are particularly susceptible to this damaging freecancer, cardiovascular disease, cataracts and the
radicals process and willingly contribute to theaging process.
uncontrolled chain reaction. Oxidative damage, aAntioxidants interact with and stabilize free
different name for the chemical reaction that freeradicals and may prevent some of the damage
radicals cause can lead to a breakdown or evenfree radicals might otherwise cause. Antioxidants
hardening of lipids, which makeup all cell walls. Itare molecules which can safely interact with
becomes impossible for the cell to get itsradicals and terminate the chain reaction before
nutrients properly if the cell wall is hardened. Alsovital molecules are damaged. Antioxidants are
the cell walls are at risk to damage, including RNA,very important to fight damage to cells, they aid
DNA and protein enzymes. Free Radicals chipin the prevention of cancer, aging, and many
away at cell walls, molecule by molecule, makingdiseases. Nature's most nutritionally dense food
holes. The cells leak and lose their chemicalcontaining a wide variety of powerful antioxidants
balances. Following they are able to chip away atand phytochemicals unmatched by any other fruit,
DNA, making cells dysfunctional. If this damageis trying Apothe Cherry, this reduces your risk of
affects cellular DNA, the cell might malfunction andcoronary heart disease, cancer, and other age
this is that happens cell by cell over the time ofrelated illnesses. Its powerful nutrients can prevent
your life, ultimately causing entire organs toand repair the oxidative damage to our body.
malfunction, because their cells malfunction.