SECRETS OF LONGEVITY AND HEALTHY LIFE: Antioxidant and Not Over Eating (1/2)

1. Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) Cause of Diseases and Aging

You may not believe that it is about 100 years since ROS was discussed and focused as a cause of illness and aging of human beings.

Until today, ROS has attracted many scientists for their research and searched for the way to reduce ROS when it is extremely increased in the body.

Before going into the main subject of the secretes, we should review first what ROS is like. Oxygen is essential and important element for human body.

Oxygen is burned in the body to create energy, and the combustion reactions turn oxygen into water and carbon dioxide.

However, normally a small percentage of oxygen remains in the body as ROS, and ROS is produced although you breathe normally and are healthy at all.

Because ROS has stronger oxidization power than oxygen, if it increases, DNA, proteins and fat will be oxidized and damaged.

Ultraviolet, exhaust gas, smoking, alcohol, mental stress, overweight, little sleep, food chemical additives, and unbalanced diet are considered and identified as the causes and contributors for increasing ROS.

Furthermore, ROS is related to not only the cause of fine lines, wrinkles, but also the cause of lifestyle-related diseases such as cancer, arteriosclerosis, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia.

Yet, fortunately our body has some mechanisms to process and reduce ROS by itself. One of them is Super Oxide Dismutase (SOD) to remove ROS.

Furthermore, Vitamin, C, E, polyphenol (ex. catechin in tea), and SOD containing in plants are considered as the most important antioxidant nutrients.

These nutrients are already well-known to reduce ROS in the body, so taking these nutrients by meal is also a practical way to reduce ROS. By eating vegetables, fruits and grains which contain rich of these five important nutrients regularly, let's reduce and get rid of ROS in the body!

Secrets for your Longevity #1

Avoid and change in lifestyle for increasing ROS,and consume five important antioxidant nutrients to reduce ROS.

[To be Continued: Secrets for Your Longevity #2 will be continued to the next issue]