Oxidative Stress Causes

Oxidative stress causes can be as simple as cigarette smoke or as complex as the changes in the body after a rigorous workout. It's the effect of free radicals on the body at the cellular level. Free radicals are atoms with an odd number of electrons. They steal electrons from outside sources. If you slice an apple and watch it slowly turn from the delicious crisp white to a dark, unappealing brown, you've witnessed what happens in oxidation when free radicals change the chemical composition of the apple's atoms by stealing an electron. The cell's respond by attempting to steal another  cell's electron and then you have a nasty chain reaction that causes the browning.

The same thing happens in your body, except you can't see the changes immediately. We're far bigger than an apple and repair our own cells. However, when there are massive assaults on the body by free radicals caused by oxidation, we simply can't keep up with the repairs. This causes aging, disease and sometimes death.

Oxidative damage is part of living. That doesn't mean you can't prevent it, it simply means that no matter how "pure" you are when it comes to air quality, eating habits and other nasty habits, you'll still have some oxidative damage. Every time we burn calories, there are free radicals around to snatch up the electrons and cause oxidative stress damage.                                                                            

Of course, people that consume high amounts of antioxidants have less damage than those who don't. What are antioxidants? These are the protectors of the cell. The body's honor guards that offer their electron to save the individual cells. Vitamin C is a well-known antioxidant, just like vitamin E.  The more antioxidants you consume, the less potential you'll have of cell damage from oxidative stress. Therefore, the less potential for disease and aging.

There are no special antioxidants in Twinkies, as far as I know and only the small paper-thin piece of tomato and lettuce on the Big Mac are obvious choices to contain antioxidants. It seems that no matter how advanced our medical sciences becomes, we still get sick and remain sick, only staving off the symptoms with medicines that may even provoke more oxidation stress. The reason may stem back to the change in our eating habits and the nutrients in our food.

At one time, the ground was far more fertile. Today the American farmer isn't mom and pop but big business that simply throws on nitrogen and calcium to improve the yield. The result is fruit and vegetables with lower amounts of nutrients. However, they aren't completely to blame. The American public seldom eats the fruits and vegetables anyhow. Instead, we opt for processed foods that have few redeeming qualities. Because of this, there are fewer antioxidants in our body and more potential for oxidative stress.

Instead of treating the basic problem by improving diet and nutrient intake, doctors are trained to treat the symptoms. Those that take an alternate approach and use herbs, vitamins and other supplements are often hung out to dry by fellow M.D.'s.  Science supports the use of supplements to help slow or reverse disease but few medical practitioners use this information. Fighting the oxidative stress causes starts with supplying your body with an army of soldiers, the antioxidants.