Free
radicals and antioxidants antiaging properties, oxidative damage
Severe caloric restriction has been found to reduce reactive oxidative species and to increase the life-span of rodents, possibly by promoting mitohormesis. Studies have shown that both calorie restriction and reduced meal frequency or intermittent fasting can suppress the development of various diseases and can increase life span in rodents by 30-40% by mechanisms involving stress resistance and reduced oxidative damage[3].
Free radicals damage explains cell death in number of circumstances.
However, free radicals are naturally produced by some systems within the body and have beneficial effects that cannot be overlooked. The immune system is the main body system that utilizes free radicals. Following recommendations may help with protection against free radical damage:
5-8 servings
of vegetables everyday Allocate 10-15
% of your daily intake to nuts Reduce the
stress by: Regular exercise, relaxation techniques such as Yoga and ThiChi Avoid overexposure
to sun Avoid smoking
Green tea and
other teas are good examples of antioxidants Liver and brewer's
yeast, anchovies, artichoke are good sources of alpha lipoic acid Acupuncture, an ancient science that can help with decreasing
amount of epinephrine, norepinephrine around the cell and lessen
oxidative stress
Long term benefits of taking high dose of vitamins is not proven yet. Some studies suggest that the addition of antioxidants can lead to a decrease of normal biological response to free radicals and lead to a more sensitive environment to oxidation. it seems supplying body with antioxidants through a balanced diet rich in fruits, green leafy
vegetables, nuts and whole grains provides a more natural way of protection against free radicals.
5-8 servings
of vegetables everyday
