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Ever wondered about the brown spots on an uneaten apple? This is the effect of a process called oxidation. Oxidation happens to all kinds of cells that interact with oxygen—including the cells in your body. A lot of processes in the body includes oxidation of substrates . Unfortunately, oxidation also leads to the creation of harmful free radicals.
Free radicals
Free radicals are oxygen molecules that harm the healthy cells in the body. Think of them as unstable molecules. To become stable, they get an electron from a neighboring healthy molecule. The healthy molecule then becomes unstable and causes a chain reaction in neighboring molecules. This cellular damage leads to cancer, aging and other diseases, including heart diseases, diabetes, Alzheimer’s and many more.
Sources of free radicals
Because they are made of oxygen, free radicals are present in our bodies. But they are also brought about by pollutants (like tobacco smoke), radiation, ozone and the sun itself. They are also created when the body catches a disease. Refined or manufactured food (such as canned goods) also generates huge amounts of free radicals inside the bodies. Emotional stress also leads to the production of free radicals.
Dealing with free radicals
There are only two ways to keep the number of free radicals inside the body in a manageable level. One is to avoid the things that create free radicals. The other is to boost your body’s defense with antioxidants.
Antioxidants
Antioxidants turn free radicals into harmless molecules, thereby stopping them from doing more damage. Antioxidants play a big role in the regeneration of healthy cells. They help protect the body from cancer. They also help slow down aging.
Sources of antioxidants
Our bodies are able to form only a few antioxidants. Important antioxidants, such as vitamin A, C, E and selenium, must be acquired from the food you eat. Green leafy vegetables, colorful fruits and vegetables and seafood are rich in antioxidants. Another great source is vitamin supplements.
I’m 100% sure you wouldn’t want free radicals to get the best of your child. So here are a few tips:
- Raw fruits and vegetables contain more antioxidants than cooked or heated ones. So, have your child munch on apples, bananas, grapes, nuts, carrots and other healthy food. Fresh salads are also a great idea. Also, you might want to introduce more seafood dishes in your weekly menu. And don’t forget to lessen, if not eliminate, junk food and other refined food from your diet!
- A happy healthy lifestyle is important. Make sure that your child gets enough rest, regular moderate exercise and lots of TLC. Remember that stress is related to a lot of diseases.
- Give your child the right vitamins. Among the many vitamins, two of the most common and most powerful are vitamin c and zinc. Vitamin c protects the body from cellular damage. (In fact, if you dip the apple in pure lemon or lime juice, the browning process would be much slower.) Zinc is an antioxidant important for cell growth and helps boost the immune system.
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