We all know without doubt that as human beings we inhale oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide. Thus oxygen is an important element in our life. Therefore it is only natural to believe that oxygen is good for us. However, do you know that this same oxygen when undergoes a chemical change will produce hungry molecular predators known as free radicals? These free radicals are widely known as harmful to the human body. Together we shall see why free radicals are bad!
Free Radical Scavengers
Everyday we are exposed to free radicals. The problem with this free radical is that it actually has a missing electron from its oxygen atom. So what it does is to ‘steal’ an electron from another molecule to replace its own needed electron. As a result, a new free radical is produced. This cannibalism goes on and on. For information, on any good day, there are hundreds of billions of free radicals attacking the healthy molecules in the cell of the human body.
Scientists have discovered that the major killers today, such as cancer, heart diseases, strokes, arthritis and many other diseases are caused by free radicals.
Have you ever wonder why the human skin wrinkles? Well, this is also attributed to free radicals. Other ‘mischieves’ of the free radicals include iron rusting, fuel burning and also oil going rancid.
How to Stop Free Radicals
But don’t despair! There is always solution to every problem. As far as these free radicals are concerned, they can be controlled. The chemical change that triggers the formation of free radicals are usually caused by stress, pollution, smoking, pesticides and radiation. Therefore, by controlling our exposure to these elements, these damaging free radicals are at the same time controlled.
However, this is a delicate process because free radicals are highly reactive and can be produced by low levels of radiation, by the metabolism of the fats in the human body and by the exposure to chemical toxins and stress. Free radicals can also be very damaging to other molecules because they attack the other molecules, damaging DNA, cell membranes and other cell structures.
Besides that, free radicals are highly corrosive and can render cellular biochemistry useless. The activation of the dormant cancer cells that wreak havoc on the human body is also believed to be the work of free radicals.
Free Radical & Ageing
Moreover, free radicals when combined with oxygen can form peroxides and unsaturated fats that lead to the damaging of cells and their protective membrane. This prolonged damage resulted in age spots, wrinkled tissue, organ injuries, inflammations, cancer, cardiovascular diseases, strokes, weakened brain neurotransmitter and injured blood vessels. These are all signs and symptoms of old age.
But however delicate a process is, we have the choice to live healthy and enjoy wellness!
So, lets do our part and curb that free radicals. Do not let them build their kingdom in our body. The choice is ours. Why let these bad free radicals destroy us?
Let’s stay healthy, young and vibrant. Let’s live a healthy lifestyle!
Start Your Healthy Lifestyle HERE !
Should you have any views, suggestions or comments, please pen them in the comment box below. I look forward to your constructive insights.
If you find this information useful, please click the share button so that more people could benefit. Keeping healthy is our responsibility. Creating awareness is our joint commitment. Let’s work together towards a healthier community.
Your friend in health,
Norleila
A very interesting article Norleila – Health is Wealth!
Hi Lorna, you’re right – Health is Wealth. Never take it for granted. It’s important to understand matters concerning health so that we can take care of it.
Thanks for visiting. Looking forward to share more articles on health.
Do come back! 🙂
Norleila
I don’t want these radicals in my body. I agree I want to live a healthier lifestyle.
The aging part is what scares me the most. Okay, I want to age naturally, not by injecting fillers in my face.
I noticed that people who take the time to stay healthy, take care of their bodies and live in a healthier environment looks a lot younger.
I’m with you on avoiding those radicals. 🙂
Hi Evelyn,
The health matters today can be very scary. We have to take action to empower ourselves with health knowledge. Free radicals are our real enemies. Therefore, it is important to understand ‘why are free radicals bad?’.
Wishing you great health. Stay healthy, vibrant and young…
Norleila
Great information, precise and accessible. I would love to better know how to prevent the action of free radicals, though.
Hi Philippe, for your information, antioxidant is the natural antidote to fight these free radicals. Antioxidant nutrients are found in specific food such as broccoli, carrot, strawberries, nuts, seafood, wheat bran to name a few. In other words, food that is rich in beta-carotene, vitamin C, vitamin E, selenium and zinc should be part of our daily menu. By eating a well-balanced diet with all these food, it would be a sufficient supply of antioxidant to our body.
Hope this helps. Do come back for more updates on antioxidant. Take care and stay well.
Norleila
Another good article. I would love to avoid free radicals. I hate looking in the mirror now and seeing all my wrinkles. 🙁 How do we avoid pollution though? I can see stress, pesticides and the others but pollution is hard. Is there anything that can be taken to mop these up and out of our body?
Hi Debbi,
It’s sad to say that we are continuously exposed to pollution. We might not be able to avoid it but we have the power to counter-attack it. We have to be mindful of our food intake. A well-balanced diet with antioxidant-rich food would be able to battle these free radicals. Antioxidant nutrients are found in food rich in beta-carotene, vitamin C, vitamin E, selenium and zinc. Do make sure to have these food in our daily menu.
Live a healthy life and enjoy wellness. Take care and stay healthy.
Norleila
Hi Norleila,
Your website looks really great.
The pictures complement the text just beautifully.
We thought we knew all about free radicals, but after reading this incredibly interesting and informative article, we can honestly say that we didn’t really know anything about them.
We have learned a real lot, Thank you.
Hi Geoff-n-Jane,
Glad I could share ‘Why are free radicals bad?’.
With knowledge only then can we prepare our strategies and fight the battle. Free radicals are our enemies. We shouldn’t let them take control of our body.
Thanks for visiting. Hope it helps. Take care and be well!
Norleila
Hi Norleila,
This is a great article making people aware of free radicals!
This is something that I have done some research on!
I now take supplements that help to cleanse my system and help to prevent them.
And I am also in the process of living greener and greener as my finances continue to allow me to, the necessity of which you addressed by discussing the causes!
Thank you for getting this information out there!
Blessings to you,
Christa
Hi Christa,
Congratulations on going green. Free radicals hate this. It is important to know ‘why are free radicals bad?’ so that we can combat them.
Thanks for your time here. Hope to share more health knowledge.
Looking forward to your next visit. Take care!
Norleila
Hi Norleila
You have a beautiful “mygohealthy” website which I like a lot. 🙂
This is really an interesting article about bad free radicals which I know a little but not to the extent which you have mentioned here. 🙂 I am taking vitamin c, vitamin e and some antioxidants, and so I am wondering if these supplements help or not. 🙂
Once again, thanks very much for yr research and yr wonderful blog post on “Why are free radicals bad”.
Jewel Carol
Hi Jewel Carol,
Antioxidants are free radicals busters. Vitamin C and vitamin E are part of antioxidants. Besides these we should eat food rich in beta-carotene, selenium and zinc as these are good sources of antioxidant.
Do come back for more information on antioxidant in the near future. Thanks for your visit and wishing you the best of health!
Norleila
Thanks for sharing all these information with us, I think this is a good post simple and straight to the point.
Anyway do have fun and hope to see you around.
Hi Joel,
Glad that I could share the message ‘why are free radicals bad’. With this easy understanding approach I hope more people would be aware of free radicals and take the necessary action to curb them.
Thanks for your encouraging words. Take care and have a great day!
Norleila