The Power of Antioxidants for Your Health and Vitality

We are going to explore a very important subject that is directly related to both aging and disease: Free Radicals. You are probably familiar with free radicals, also called Oxygen Radicals. Basically, they are highly unstable molecules that are missing one electron. What they do is travel throughout your body attacking cells, trying to steal the electron they are missing.

This electron thieving is very detrimental and damaging to your body's cells. It creates one of two outcomes: 1- the cell dies, or 2- the cell is damaged but continues functioning. Once damaged, the cell has a much higher likelihood of becoming cancerous and causing other diseases and disorders.

Each time a cell is attacked by a free radical and continues living, it draws closer to becoming a cancer cell. This is because over time free radicals will actually mutate the genetic code of that cell, causing it to become cancerous.

I hope you are starting to see the serious implications of having free radicals loose in your body. And it is important to understand that free radicals are very prevalent in today's society. They come from pollution, processed foods, the very air we breathe, and even from our own bodies. It is impossible to live in a world free of free radicals.

So is there a solution that is capable of dealing with free radicals before they damage the cells of your body? Yes. Antioxidants are the solution. An antioxidant is a substance that has an extra electron it can freely give away. So, when a free radical finds an antioxidant molecule it is able to steal the extra electron it is missing and then it becomes neutralized.

The true king of antioxidants is a flavonoid called EGCG (Epigallocatechin gallate). It is the antioxidant found in green and white tea, which is why studies of late have revealed the incredible health benefits people receive when they drink green and white teas. This amazing antioxidant actually seeks out free radicals and neutralizes them, and it finds and kills cells that are already cancerous.

Now, it is important to know that an antioxidant molecule can only provide the missing electron a free radical steals one time. This proves the critical importance of having a continuous stream of antioxidants flowing into your body. Ideally, you want to have more antioxidants present than free radicals. This will keep your cells healthier, longer which greatly slows the aging process and makes you much more resistant to disease.

If you want to look and feel great for the rest of your life it is critical that you take in liberal amounts antioxidants everyday. This practice alone will make a great impact on your overall health and well-being.