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Here’s What You Should Know About Oxidative Stress

Healthy Trends

Are you obsessed with skincare and your overall health in general? Well, if you’re, there’s no doubt that you must have heard about terms like free radicals and antioxidants.

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Kevin Laminto/Unsplash | If you’re concerned about skincare, it’s highly likely that you’d know about antioxidants and free radicals

While there’s nothing new about these terms, have you ever come across a phenomenon called Oxidative Stress? If not, you’ve landed on the right post since, in this article, we’re going to focus on this concept and coach readers about its consequences, preventions, and much more. 

But first, here’s a little run-through. 

A quick overview of Antioxidants & Radicals

As their name suggests, antioxidants help in preventing oxidation within the body by disseminating free radicals. They include nutrients like vitamin C and E that help maintain the level of free radicals and break at their damaging tendencies. Experts believe that our bodies have built-in antioxidants to maintain a balance of free radicals, but one can consume antioxidant-rich foods in order to boost the body’s antioxidants levels.

Coming to free radicals, Nancy Samolitis, a certified Dermatologist and the co-founder and medical director of FACILE, chips in by sharing that free radicals are oxygen-rich molecules that usually contain an uneven number of electrons, which makes them quite unstable and reactive. Termed as “two-faced” due to this, problematic levels of free radicals in the body can cause cell death, leading to cancer.

Free radicals show quite a noticeable effect on the body as they can cause a sudden depletion of your overall health (just like domino theory). But surprisingly enough, on the one hand, where they can cause deadly diseases, on the other they can be very useful in healing critical wounds. Some doctors believe that free radicals that work properly can ward off several infection-causing pathogens. 

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Magalie De Preux/Unsplash | Antioxidants help in preventing oxidation within the body by disseminating free radicals. Consuming antioxidant-rich foods can thus be immensely beneficial to prevent a lot of health conditions

It’s important to realize that both these elements must be maintained in the right balance within our bodies because they can contribute to diseases when they’re out of control. But at their proper levels, they can optimize bodily function and help keep you healthy. 

How is Oxidative Stress different from Oxidation?

Oxidation and Oxidative stress might sound similar, but there are some crucial differences between the two. According to Dr. Waples, oxidation leads to the formation of free radicals in the body, but oxidative stress refers to their formation in levels that exceeds our body’s natural protective mechanisms. So, while oxidation is a normal process that can be helpful, oxidative stress ends up attacking the healthy tissues in our bodies. 

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CDC/Unsplash | Oxidation leads to the formation of free radicals in the body, but oxidative stress refers to their formation in levels that exceeds our body’s natural protective mechanisms

As is evident, oxidative damage can cause numerous health disorders. The only way you can eliminate or reverse this condition is by consuming a balanced antioxidant-rich diet and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Sticking to a plant-based diet, getting adequate sleep, avoiding smoking and drinking, and using sunscreen can help you in maintaining the right balance of these elements in the body and avoid oxidative stress. 

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