We all know that leaving a cut apple on the bench for a while will cause it to go brown, but do you know why this occurs? The reason that your apple goes brown is due to a process called oxidisation, which occurs when oxygen comes into contact with cells. This contact creates an oxidisation reaction and causes a change in the cells, hence rotting fruit. The process of oxidisation can also happen in your body, such as the healing of a cut on your arm as oxidisation kills off the cells so that new cells can form. Oxidisation is a completely natural process that is necessary to support cell regrowth and keep the body healthy. Whilst the human body is great at metabolizing oxygen, there are approximately 1-2% cells that can get damaged during oxidisation. These damaged cells are what are known as free radicals.
Free radicals can become problematic because when they become damaged they lose an essential molecule and are in a sense “free” to go searching for a replacement molecule. Think of free radicals as robbers who have no energy and are desperate to steal the energy from others. What then happens within your body, is that free radicals often steal their missing molecule from any healthy cell in your body. This causes the DNA of the healthy cell to become damaged and can often be the precursor for illness and disease as the cell will continue to grow abnormally. Free radicals have been found to contribute to the development of diseases such as diabetes, ageing and even cancer. Free radicals can develop in the body through a number of ways; including air pollution, poor nutrition, smoking, alcohol, UV rays and illness. It is important that you can do all that you can to maintain a healthy lifestyle and reduce the likelihood of developing free radicals in your body.
So what can I do? I hear you say. The best way to fight off free radicals is by consuming foods and beverages that are high in antioxidants. The aim of antioxidants is to reverse the damage that free radicals make and to prevent their development all together. For example, Vitamin C captures free radicals whilst they are floating and neutralizes them before they can attack another cell. Additionally, Vitamin E works towards breaking down the chain-reaction of free radicals. Whilst it is important to take care of yourself internally, it is just as important to take care of your skin as it often absorbs what causes free radicals, such as UV rays and air pollution.
This is where I come in.
My body scrubs are full of natural ingredients which host vitamins and antioxidant goodness. Even nasty chemicals in well-known skincare products can impact your cell health and that is why all of my ingredients are natural and free from harsh chemicals. Raw cacao is one of the richest sources of antioxidants on the market and contains more antioxidants than red wine, blueberries, acai, pomegranates, and goji berries COMBINED. It is also rich in Vitamin C, Omega 6 fatty acids and zinc which all work to support your skin health. My blends of sugar and sea salt softly exfoliate away dead or damaged skin cells helping to avoid the processes associated with developing free radicals. My coconut, grape seed and sweet almond oils are packed full of Vitamin E, A, B1, B2 and B6 which continue to provide your skin with much needed nutrients.
So as you can see, I’m more than just a cute scrub.