There's a big battle going on inside your body every day! Let's learn about oxidative stress.

Do you sometimes feel tired or like your skin is aging faster? Have you ever wondered why that happens? In fact, there is a big battle going on inside our bodies every second, even though we can't see it. This battle is what makes our health better or worse. Today we are going to talk about this invisible battle, which is called oxidative stress in medicine.

Simply put, what is oxidative stress?

This is very easy to understand. Imagine that there are two opposing groups inside your body. One group is free radicals . The other group is antioxidants .

Simply put, oxidative stress is when the balance between these two groups is disrupted, and the amount of free radicals increases and the amount of antioxidants decreases. Just like the destruction that occurs in a war when the bad guys increase and the good guys decrease, these free radicals begin to damage the cells in our body. They attack important components of our cells, such as lipids and proteins, and disrupt their normal functioning.

The battle between free radicals and antioxidants

To understand this story better, let's take a look at the characters of these two groups.

Who are these bad guys called free radicals?

Free radicals are not always bad. They are produced as a byproduct of normal processes in our bodies, especially when we convert the food we eat into energy. Our immune system also needs some of these free radicals to fight disease. The problem starts when there are too many of them.

These free radicals are very unstable particles. Chemically speaking, they lack an electron. So to become stable, they start stealing electrons from the healthy cells around them like crazy. When they steal an electron from a healthy cell, that cell also becomes unstable and gets damaged. In this way, like a chain reaction, cells start getting damaged one by one.

Think of it like a street thug. When he runs out of money, he takes money from an innocent person. Then that person becomes helpless. That's what free radicals do.

So who are these good guys called antioxidants?

This is where our hero comes in. Antioxidants are the hero. These are natural substances found in the foods we eat, especially fruits and vegetables.

What antioxidants do is donate an extra electron they have to that rogue free radical. When they do that, that free radical becomes calm and stable. Then it won't steal electrons from healthy cells anymore. In this way, antioxidants maintain the balance in our body.

The problem is that the number of free radicals in our bodies increases, and we don't have enough antioxidants to deal with them all. That's when oxidative stress occurs.

What damage can this oxidative stress cause to our bodies?

Researchers believe that oxidative stress is at the root of many chronic and degenerative conditions. It's like an invisible enemy that slowly destroys our bodies.

Why does our body lose this balance?

Anything that unnecessarily increases the amount of free radicals in our body can cause this. We call these environmental factors.

• Smoking and tobacco use: This is a major enemy. The large amount of chemicals in cigarette smoke accelerates the production of free radicals in our body.
• Excessive sun exposure: The ultraviolet (UV) radiation in the sun damages our skin cells and produces free radicals. This is a major cause of wrinkles and age spots.
• Environmental pollution: Inhaling toxic chemicals found in things like vehicle exhaust and factory smoke.
• Excessive alcohol consumption: When alcohol is metabolized in our body, a large number of free radicals are produced.
• Stress: Yes, you'd be surprised. Prolonged stress also increases the production of free radicals in our body.
• Unhealthy diet: Eating a diet high in highly processed foods, sugar, and unhealthy oils.

How do I know if I have oxidative stress?

This is the hardest part. Oxidative stress is something that happens at a very subtle level inside our bodies, even under a microscope. So it may not show any symptoms in the early stages.

But sometimes you may notice some signs. For example, you may notice changes in your skin due to excessive sun exposure:

• The appearance of fine lines and wrinkles on the skin.
• Brown spots (sun spots) appear as if you have been sunburned.
• Spider veins (fine blood vessels visible on the surface of the skin).

In other cases, symptoms only appear after the damage has become severe. For example, when fat deposits block blood vessels, heart disease symptoms such as chest pain, shortness of breath, and fatigue may occur.

So, what do we do to win this battle?

The good news is, there are many things we can do to control this condition. Our greatest weapon is the food we eat. A diet rich in antioxidants is like a powerful army fighting free radicals.

Doctors recommend getting antioxidants from a variety of foods, not just one type. Because one superfood alone can't win this battle. The best results come when different antioxidants work together as a team.

Here are some antioxidant-rich foods that are easily found in our country.

What else can you do besides food?

• Avoid smoking completely.
• Limit alcohol consumption.
• Use sunscreen when going out in the sun.
• Manage stress. Things like meditation, yoga, and engaging in a hobby can help.
• Exercise regularly.
• Get enough sleep.

In some cases, doctors may recommend vitamins or other supplements. But never take supplements yourself without medical advice. It's best to get these nutrients from natural foods.

Oxidative Stress, Free Radicals, Antioxidants, Healthy Food, Cancer, Heart Disease