Article on Free Radicals from Fitmag Fitness Equipment, Northampton, UK

The Effects of Free Radicals on our Health

With Christmas in mind and its associated excess, perhaps we should take a look at the
effect this pleasurable experience can have on your body. Increased eating, alcohol, smoking, lack of sleep
etc, could not only put pounds on your next visit to the scales, but also extra years on your general appearance.

Depending on the level of physical or mental stress you are currently under, a respective amount of free radicals will pass through your body. With an unhealthy diet, bad air, misuse of alcohol, nicotine, caffeine, medication, poor sleep, smog, UV-rays and so on, the body will be under attack from free radicals around 80,000 times per day. We notice quite clearly when we have celebrated for an evening with alcohol and nicotine, our general performance and mental agility on the following day has been reduced. With every sip of alcohol and every cigarette we smoke, we take unpleasant guests into our anatomy, "free radicals", which, in their own way, have also celebrated, destroying healthy cells in our body.

Free radicals are produced as a waste product of our metabolism or reach into our organism from atmospheric pollution. We concern ourselves here with the aggressive oxygen formulas, which work as poison to our healthy
cells. These highly reactive elements damage the protective membrane surrounding the cell and proceed through
to the center of the cell. Once there, they concentrate themselves on the core of the cell, which comprises of DNA
and certain proteins. Free radicals feed from the core of the cell, and so, the cell is destroyed. As a result of this cell mutation, the surrounding cells will also be degenerated. This high rate of destruction produces an abnormally large amount of dead cells. The immune system can normally transport this waste from the muscle tissue in the usual way, but as the level of destruction increases, the natural disposal system can no longer cope. With no chance of escape, these cells can group and be the foundation for further problems, a cist for example. In fact, after the free radicals have successfully weakened the immune system, a host of illness related pathogens could follow, such
as bacteria, viruses, parasites, fungus etc. At this stage in the degenerative process, the real cell destruction
begins, and with that, a general acceleration of the aging process.

Our body cells can be protected against free radicals, and the level of cell destruction reduced with the help of immune substances, so called "antioxidants". As a balanced team, they protect our cells through a process of naturalizing free radicals. Among the most well known of the cells own immune substances are Vitamins A, C, E,
B1, B5, B6, Bioflavonoide, the trace elements Selen, Zinc and the amino acid Cystine. To be young and healthy once again, means nothing more than to repair the damaged cells. Only the destruction of the cell center will make you look old, if the cell is renovated, you will once again look young. Although we currently have no possibility to reverse the aging process, there is an alternative; the simplest way is to slow and control the destruction of cells by free radicals, through correct nutritional intake.

Vitamin E damages the oxygen-related free radicals, peroxide and hydroxyl, in the cell membrane.
Vitamin A (carotene) renders the most dangerous oxygen related free radicals, "harmless"
Selen works inside the cell, killing various free radicals.
Vitamin C protects the cell fluid and keeps the fatty acids inside the cell wall, young and healthy. It builds vitamin E molecules in replacement of those, destroyed fighting free radicals.

Immunity protection is necessary, should you want to avoid getting old early. The body cells are under daily attack from free radicals or other illness arousing elements. From 170 scientific publications 132 have written positively regarding the supplementation of vitamins against free radical pollution and eventual cancer. It is not possible for the human anatomy to synthesize any other vitamin, except vitamin D; therefore, we are dependent on a dietary source for our essential daily requirements. Each meal you miss or each piece of junk food you eat is a missed opportunity to do something good for yourself. Why own a Ferrari and drive only at 30mph, get the best out of yourself.

Eat less and live longer

Perhaps the best possibility we have to assist our organism in slowing the aging process and reducing free radicals is to eat less food and expose ourselves to as little pollution as possible, but we also need to ensure that the quality of the food we eat is high and the diet is balanced. It has been scientifically proven that smaller and more frequent meals cause less damage to our immune system. If the amount of your nutritional ingestion is in excess of your physical requirement, the production of free radicals will be higher than is necessary, as you will digest all that has been consumed. The correct amount and the right quality of food can ensure that digestion and free radicals are kept to a minimum, the immune system can admirably cope with the daily task and the nutritional requirement of your body has been satisfied.

1. Eat something fresh every day, (fruit, salad or vegetables)
2. Reduce fat, sweet substances and alcohol.
3. Eat a maximum of two meat meals per week.
4. Instead of eating meat, drink more milk; eat more cheese, yoghourt, Soya protein, etc.
5. Drink plenty of fluid (non alcoholic)
6. Spice heavily if required, especially with plant spices, but be very sparing with salt.
7. Resist diminishing mental vitality, with the use of nutrients essential for the brain. *

* The function of your brain and the general state of emotional well being is dependent on so called "Neurotransmitters", these are produced from the nutrients Acetylcholine and Norepinephrine. These substances have a positive effect on the sexual emotion, learning capability and the memory capacity of your brain. A low Acetylcholine level can lead to forgetfulness, poor concentration, sleeping problems and poor muscle coordination. To little Norepinephrine can lead to bouts of depression.

The body synthesizes Acetylcholine from Choline, a substance found primarily in fish and Lecithin. Norepinephrine
is synthesized from the amino acids, Phenylalanine and Tyrosine, which are to be found particularly in high value proteins. The same applies to the amino acid Tryptophane, which the organism synthesizes into Serotonin This has a calming effect, and can also ease sleeping difficulties and improve the overall state of well being.

Don't see Christmas as an excuse to eat, but the golden opportunity to spend some time and attention to your well being. Christmas has not been the success we imagine, when we suffer for three months after with weight problems, the effect of being polluted by free radicals and feeling 80% our usual selves, both physically and financially.

Don't drink alcohol to excess; this form of poisoning is very unpleasant. Vomiting will also damage the enamel on your teeth, due to the powerful acids within our digestive fluids, and the amount of free radical in your body will be far greater than normal.

Although the above list is not complete, we can assume that drinks containing mixers such as Alco pops or cocktails have a higher caloric value than more conventional products.

Don't eat sweet or fatty foods because they find themselves conveniently under you nose. Have the strength to say no and control your own caloric intake.

Don't eat large portions of food to the point of immobility, keep the portions small and do something else this Christmas other than digest!