Anti-oxidants can be vitamins, minerals, or proteins (enzymes) that assist in reducing the damage caused by free radical activity.
Free radicals are groups of atoms that come to us through food, chemicals, the environment, radiation and stress. In part, they are a necessary and natural by-product of our bodily functions and metabolism. But when the production of free radicals is beyond the capability of our natural anti-oxidant defenses they can have damaging effects on our body cells and immune systems and can be extremely aging.
Skin is especially vulnerable to damaging free radicals, which can cause wrinkles (cross-linking) sagging and in extreme cases, when over exposure to UV light is involved, cancer.
Here is a list of ways to fight free radical activity:
Make sure your skin care products contain high levels of anti-oxidants and when having spa treatments have your aesthetician include vitamins along with hydrating and anti-aging ingredients that maintain the skin’s general well being.
Eat organic foods that have a high antioxidant level. Include lots of color in you daily food intake of fruits and vegetables – dark green, yellow, red and orange are the best – and eat moderate amounts of nuts and oil. (Extra virgin olive oil, flaxseed and hemp are excellent.) Make sure when you shop, you add carrots, kale, broccoli, avocados, spinach, citrus fruits, onions, walnuts, berries and tomatoes to your basket.
If you feel the need during extremely stressful times, add supplements, especially vitamins A, C and E, which speed up the skin’s natural repair systems by directly inhibiting further damage. B vitamins prevent itchy, dry skin and drinking green tea and eating dark chocolate keep skin soft and supple. There is also some proof that both may help protect the skin from cancer.
We cannot fully influence the environment or the level of radiation around us. But we can control what we are putting in our own internal environment – our bodies.