Antioxidants, Free Radicals and Your Eczema Treatment
This is the second email in a quick little series that we are sending out on healing your eczema from within.
Have you read the first email yet, "The Miracle Eczema Cure?" If not, you can see it at www.xma.com.au/miracle-eczema-cure.
Thanks to everyone for the great feedback, keep it coming to rick@xma.com.au.
Today's lesson is all about antioxidants, and more importantly, their importance in your eczema treatment plan. Now, I am sure you have heard all about them, but what actually are they? I am going to put my lab coat on and give you a quick science lesson (don't worry, I will keep it simple!)
Quite simply, Antioxidants are substances or nutrients in our foods which can prevent or slow the oxidative damage to our body. When our body cells use oxygen, they naturally produce free radicals (by-products) which can cause damage. Antioxidants act as "free radical scavengers" and hence prevent and repair damage done by these free radicals.
So what causes these free radicals exactly, free radicals are caused by the body’s own natural processes. Free radical excesses are further created from the addition of things like toxins or radiation from our environment or even poor digestive function. Disease also tends to create free radicals. Our bodies are constantly creating free radicals at an astonishing speed.
These free radicals also have a huge effect on our immune system, damaging immune cells and wiping out the vital cytokine (communication) pathways that allow our cells to communicate with each other.
The amount of these free radicals within us at anytime is astounding, Bruce Ames, a well-known scientist in the field of antioxidants, estimates that just one cell in the human body is hit about 10,000 times a day by a free radical. If that’s multiplied by the trillions of cells in the body the magnitude of this activity is tremendous.
Great Rick, but what does that have to do with eczema? (were you paying attention?)
These free radicals, while causing damage to your body, also have a habit of damaging the biggest organ in your body, your skin, and what is the condition that affects our skin - ECZEMA! You need to give your body all the help it can get to fight off these damaging free radicals, ie Antioxidants. These are a crucial part of not only treating your eczema from within, but keeping your body and immune system functioning at its best.
So what causes these free radicals exactly, free radicals are caused by the body’s own natural processes. Free radical excesses are further created from the addition of things like toxins or radiation from our environment or even poor digestive function. Disease also tends to create free radicals. Our bodies are constantly creating free radicals at an astonishing speed.
These free radicals also have a huge effect on our immune system, damaging immune cells and wiping out the vital cytokine (communication) pathways that allow our cells to communicate with each other.
The amount of these free radicals within us at anytime is astounding, Bruce Ames, a well-known scientist in the field of antioxidants, estimates that just one cell in the human body is hit about 10,000 times a day by a free radical. If that’s multiplied by the trillions of cells in the body the magnitude of this activity is tremendous.
Great Rick, but what does that have to do with eczema? (were you paying attention?)
These free radicals, while causing damage to your body, also have a habit of damaging the biggest organ in your body, your skin, and what is the condition that affects our skin - ECZEMA! You need to give your body all the help it can get to fight off these damaging free radicals, ie Antioxidants. These are a crucial part of not only treating your eczema from within, but keeping your body and immune system functioning at its best.
I think that will do us for today, I hope that wasn't too over the top, I tried to keep it simple but I wanted to give you a good background on antioxidants, free radicals and just how important they really are for you.
In the next lesson on Tuesday, I will talk about just where you get these antioxidants from and what are the best sources to help you heal your eczema from within.
Have a great weekend!
