Thursday, May 15, 2008

The Enemy—Free Radicals

In the process of creating energy within the furnace or fireplace of a cell, occasionally a charged oxygen molecule is created called a free radical. A free radical is an oxygen molecule that has at least one unpaired electron in its outer orbit. This literally gives the molecule an electrical charge, which creates very rapid movement as it tries to find an electron from the tissue around it. If it is not readily neutralized by an antioxidant, it can go on to damage the cell wall, vessel wall, proteins, fats, and even the DNA nucleus of the cell.

The medical and scientific literature has shown us beyond a shadow of a doubt that the root cause of over 70 chronic degenerative diseases is the result of oxidative stress from excessive free radicals. These are diseases like heart disease, diabetes, strokes, cancer, arthritis, Alzheimer's disease, macular degeneration, and the list goes on and on. These diseases concern us, and we would certainly like to avoid them. You will learn in future emails why taking nutritional supplements gives you the best opportunity to prevent or delay these diseases.

Source: Dr. Strand Health Nuggets (newsletter@Bionutrition.org)