Discover how to rejuvenate yourself form the inside

These days, we are more conscious about the importance of following a healthy diet and keeping us healthy. We already know that an excess of sugars and fats can be the cause of man diseases. It is also known how important it is to include fruit and vegetables in our diet. Every day, we are more careful when reading the labels of food, seeking less ultra-processed foods, with less calories and more fibre, etc.

But at the end of the day, we are still worried about what we the image we show to the world: our silhouette and weight, or even the absence of unpleasant symptoms caused by some pathologies. In the end, having high cholesterol doesn’t cause any “pain”, for example. 

We are more than what we seem

Even the fact of living, breathing and being exposed to the natural environment cause our cell to oxidize as time passes. 

Oxidation is a process whereby a compound lends its electrons, causing its corrosion and making the structure unstable. It is a negative but inevitable phenomenon in our organism. 

Our body has mechanisms to stop, prevent or repair those oxidative damages. 

Antioxidants are natural substances that gradually repair cellular damage and take part into removing the residue resulting from oxidative damage, that is, free radicals.

OXIDATIVE DAMAGE

As mentioned before, the mere fact of living and the passage of time oxidizes our body little by little, but exactly are the causes of oxidation?

• Unavoidable: age and passage of time, breathing, acute inflammatory processes used to fight against common illnesses –like colds or contusions–, digestions, sunlight exposure, daily life troubles...
• Preventable: sedentariness or, on the contrary, a sport of excessive intensity; the consumption of toxic substances (tobacco and alcohol); not sleeping enough time; getting sunburnt; chronic stress and not taking enough antioxidants that provide us the ability to repair the damages caused by all the aforementioned (unavoidable and avoidable) factors. 

What is oxidative stress?

One of the preventable causes of oxidation is stress. Usually, what we understand for stress is lifestyle, hurrying up everywhere, daily troubles, etc. The fact of having to repair all those damages at a higher speed that what our body is capable of, puts our body under a lot of stress. In order to counter all these, our body alters breathing and puts into action some anti-inflammatory mechanisms. Also, it alters the immune system to fight against toxins and free radicals. All of the above causes more and more oxidation. That is oxidative stress 

Consequences of oxidative stress

• Low-grade chronic inflammation, more resistance to insulin, and a higher risk of cerebrovascular accidents.
• Ageing of organs, skin stains, loose skin and hair and nail fragility.
• Higher risk of sarcopenia, loss of the muscle function and higher risk of falling down. Also, higher risk of loosing moving ability with age.
• Early menopause.
• Higher risk of cancer and neurodegenerative illnesses.
• In general, Oxidation causes a reduction of life span.

DIET: THE YOUTH ELIXIR

Now that we know the shadows of oxidative stress, it is time to stop it. And there’re good news! Delaying and fighting against it is easy if we include some foods and substances with THIS superpower: antioxidant power.

What food should include an antioxidant diet?

1. Fruits and vegetables. More specifically, those of warm colours: yellow, red and orange. These foods are rich in two specific vitamins: vitamin C and vitamin A. These two have great antioxidant power and take part in all wound healing processes and maintenance of soft tissues (skin, mucosae, tendons, etc.) In addition, vitamin C takes part in the correct response of the immune system, protecting us from external oxidative agents like environmental pollution.
2. Olive oil and nuts (non roasted) These foods are high in vitamin E. This vitamin is a specialist in protecting the skin against free radicals. Something to take into account is that nuts must be raw and not roasted. This is because high temperatures destroy vitamin E. That’s why raw olive oil – like how it is eaten in a salad, for instance– and some nuts (better if they are just peeled from the shell) are a good source of vitamin E, but not when the same oil or nut is fried.
3. Other substances like zinc, selenium or coenzyme Q10 are highly anti-oxidative. You can find this nutrients in foods such as green leaf vegetables, meat, seeds and seafood.

Generally, a balanced and varied diet guarantees enough quantities of all the aforementioned substances. In case on deficiency caused by any reason, or by habits that expose your body to many avoidable causes of oxidation, a complimentary intake via vitamin and mineral supplements is always a good option.