Free Radicals, Antioxidants & Stress

You have probably heard that free radicals and oxidative stress are dangerous to your health, and that antioxidants prevent cancer, but do you know what free radicals, oxidative stress or antioxidants actually are and how they relate to stress levels? Today I am going to explain these 3 concepts and share some ways you can increase your antioxidants & prevent oxidative stress.

What is a Free Radical?

Free radicals are molecules that are missing one member of a pair of electrons in their outer shell which causes them to be internally charged, meaning it has excess energy. This makes it very volatile causing it to react instantly with other nearby molecules, if a free radical reacts with a non-radical, another free radical is produced creating a chain reaction. To correct this and become stable again free radicals steal electrons from other molecules damaging lipids, cells, proteins and DNA in the process. In the case of cancer, when the genetic material of a cell is altered by free radicals, a cancerous cell can develop. That cancerous cell can then clone itself into a mutant cell that divides rapidly growing out of control.

While free radicals can be harmful to our cells they also serve an important role in the body's normal function. An example of this is our immune system, certain immune cells release free radicals to destroy invading pathogens and defend the body against disease. The problem lies in the balance of free radicals and antioxidants (we’ll get to these later). Not only does our body produce free radicals, but we are bombarded by free radicals on a daily basis. We need to reduce our exposure to free radicals and increase both our body's ability to produce antioxidant as well as our consumption of antioxidants.

Some common substances that generate free radicals include:

· UV rays

· Air pollution

· Chlorinated drinking water

· Alcohol

· Pesticides

· Food additives and preservatives

· x-rays

· Cigarette smoke

· Exhaust fumes

· Synthetic fragrances

· Cleaning chemicals

· Rancid fats (fats/oils damaged by exposure to heat, light or air either from cooking, storing incorrectly, or from processing)

· Hydrogenated fats (trans fats)

· Polyunsaturated oils (avoid yellow oils in plastic lining the grocery store shelves)

As I mentioned our bodies also produce free radicals for normal metabolic & cellular processes including during exercise, when you feel stressed out, during metabolism of foods and even breathing. One of the reasons why stress is harmful to the body is because our body's stress response results in an increases of free radicals, so it is important to increase your antioxidant intake during times of stress.

What is Oxidative Stress?

Simply put oxidative stress is an imbalance of free radicals and antioxidants in the body that has caused extensive cellular damage. When free radicals can no longer be kept in check by antioxidants, the free radicals can start doing damage to fatty tissue, DNA, and proteins in your body. Over time this damage can lead to disease, some of which include:

· diabetes

· atherosclerosis (hardening of the blood vessels)

· inflammatory conditions

· high blood pressure

· heart disease

· neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s

· cancer

Oxidative stress is also a common theory for aging.

What is an Antioxidant?

Antioxidants are compounds that are able to give an electron to a free radical (without becoming unstable itself) preventing it from stealing electrons from other molecules and setting off that chain reaction leading to oxidative stress. The best sources of antioxidants are from food, mother nature has a beautiful way of identifying foods high in these beneficial compounds- colour! These brightly coloured plants contain antioxidants like beta carotene, vitamin C and E, selenium, zinc and glutathione. In addition to ensuring you consume a variety of vitamins, minerals, nutrients and fiber eating the rainbow also ensures you get a wide array of potent antioxidants in your diet.

How Can I Prevent Oxidative Stress?

1) Eat lots of plants:

· Eat lots of veggies, some fruit, raw nuts & seeds, beans & legumes and whole grains.

· Some foods high in antioxidants include raw cacao, eggplant, berries, red peppers, purple cabbage, kale, spinach, artichokes, beans, organic green tea, organic herbs & spices and raw pecans.

2) Support your natural production of antioxidants:

Our body's cells naturally produce some powerful antioxidants, such as alpha-lipoic acid, glutathione and melatonin. To support the production of these antioxidants:

· Get more sleep

· Support your liver

· Exercise regularly

· Follow the rest of these tips

· Eat lots of leafy greens & calciferous vegetables (i.e. cabbage, kale, broccoli, Brussel sprouts), bitter greens, beets, artichokes, purple & red berries, fatty fish & raw nuts, drink water with lemon or ACV

· Eat foods rich in selenium, vitamin c and sulfur (to do this, follow point 1, eat a wide variety of plant foods)

3) Reduce your exposure to free radicals:

· Reduce exposure to chemicals in your home and personal care products, starting with synthetic fragrances (including fabric softener, fabric sprays, air fresheners, scented lotion, cleaning products and perfumes).

· Avoid or limit fried, fast & processed foods, trans fats, polyunsaturated oils & rancid fats/oils

· Eat organic when possible, and soak produce in baking soda and water mixture to help reduce pesticides

· Eat organic/pasture raised animal products whenever possible and wild fish

· Limit alcohol consumption

· Avoid sunburns

· Drink pure filtered water

· Manage stress levels

As a reminder, heartier vegetables like cabbage, carrots, beets, onions & sweet potato last a lot longer in the fridge/pantry so they are great to stock while we're avoiding regular trips to the supermarket. Veg like kale and spinach freeze well and can be added to smoothies, soups, stews or other meals in pinch. Flash frozen fruits and vegetables may not taste as good as fresh produce but many of the nutrients are preserved and they are a healthier choice than canned (but if all you can get is canned, its better than nothing, we're all doing our best). Beans & legumes and whole grains like brown rice and quinoa are also great non-perishable options that are packed with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.

Which colours have you eaten today?