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Free radicals vs. antioxidants: the battle for balance

  The human body is an amazing creation that is comprised of body, soul and spirit, that the individual seeking health is best served to strike a balance with. Balance is in the very core of human life, right down to the molecular level.  Atoms seek to reach balanced stability by gaining or losing electrons to either fill or empty it’s outer shell, to ensure molecules retain even paired electrons which creates a healthy cellular balance.

When weak bonds are formed by a split that leaves a molecule with unpaired odd numbers of electrons, a free radical is formed. This creates an unstable form which will quickly react to other compounds in an effort to capture the needed electron to gain stability and restore balance. Much like a mini-scale battlefield, the free radicals will attack the nearest stable molecule and take it’s electron hostage, to strengthen itself. The wounded molecule that has just lost the needed electron, becomes a free radical itself, which causes another battle for electrons to begin. Once this battle begins, it can escalate to a war on the cellular level that can cause damage, aging and even disease.

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Scientists and Physicians alike, have known for many years that the vitamins C and E are able to protect you from free radicals winning the battle against your body’s design of health and balance, while also promoting youthful cells and thwarting premature aging. These vitamins are well known for their antioxidant activity, and are able to donate an electron without becoming a free radical themselves, because they remain stable in either form.

Vitamin E is known to be the most abundant fat-soluble antioxidant, while vitamin C is known as the most abundant water-soluble antioxidant, that seem to work together to defend the body. On one battlefield these vitamins form a protective shield around molecules to guard against peroxidation (molecules that contain too much oxygen) and on another front they protect the body against environmental toxins, like smoke and other pollutants. In a symbiotic expression, vitamin C is responsible for helping vitamin E return to its active form.

Researchers in the Medical Industry have found a direct connection of the antioxidant activity of vitamin E and a healthy heart. It is believed that vitamin E may protect against cardiovascular disease by defending against LDL oxidation and plaque formation responsible for clogging arteries in the heart.

Additional research has shown that a healthy consumption of vitamin C appears to lower the rates of Cancer, with specific correlation to Cancer of the mouth, larynx and esophagus. The overall health benefits of these two vitamins far exceed this limited scope, however, and can be found in a multitude of varieties of fruits and vegetables. Indications that diet alone does not provide a sufficient supply, promotes supplementing one’s diet with these vitamins. For additional avenues in finding suppliers of nutritional supplements click on http://www.EliyahLife.com In summation, beginning a vitamin regimen from a reputable nutrition company would be a health battle plan worth implementing.  

* Resources: Wikipedia / http://www.healthchecksystems.com/antioxid.htm, Dr. Alan Sears, MD and Dr. David Jockers

, Natural Health Examiner

Linda Johnson is married with four adult children and six grandchildren. She is a former Editor ...

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