YOUR BODY IS RUSTING!!!: ANTIOXIDANTS AND THE WAR ON FREE RADICALS

"BLUE" JIMMY:  CERTIFIED SPECIALIST IN SPORTS NUTRITION

BLIND DOG OZZY:  NEUROTIC CHIHUAHUA

"BLUE" JIMMY:  In discussing matters of health and fitness, the subject of antioxidants is sure to come up.  This is due to the fact that in the last few decades, much research has been done in the area of antioxidants' role in preventing the damage done by free radicals.  In scientific terms, a free radical is an unstable oxygen molecule that has one or more unpaired electrons in its outer orbit.  This characteristic causes them to attach themselves to other molecules in your body with which they can combine.

BD OZZY:  Wha...?

"BLUE" JIMMY:  This is the kind of eggheaded stuff I had to learn to become a nutrition specialist.  But there's more... The chaos which ensues in your body has been termed free radical damage.    This free radical damage has been implicated in a host of health problems including the aging process itself.  To counteract this free radical damage, your body produces free radical scavengers which consume the free radicals and prevent damage to your body.  The problem is, there are several environmental factors which can increase your body's level of free radical activity thereby, overwhelming your body's natural defenses.

BD OZZY:  Oh, S**t!

"BLUE" JIMMY:  Some of these environmental factors include:

• Ultraviolet light -- exposure to tanning lamps and to sunlight can produce free radicals in your body and promote aging of the skin.
• Air pollution -- breathing the exhaust from cars as well as other contaminants in the air can increase your free radical levels.
• Cigarette smoke -- whether you smoke or you are exposed to secondary smoke at home or in a public place, you increase the number of free radicals in your body.
• Radiation -- you may not even realize it, but you are constantly being bombarded by radiation from not only things like hospital x-rays but also household appliances like televisions, computers and microwave ovens.  All of this can stimulate free radical damage.

• Injury or inflammation -  free radical damage may be triggered by injury or inflammation of the muscles, ligaments and joints.

BD OZZY:  I hope that's all!

"I SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN MORE ANTIOXIDANTS!"

"BLUE" JIMMY:  Unfortunately for the health and fitness enthusiast, in addition to the mostly negative factors mentioned above, free radicals can also be triggered by something we usually think of as beneficial -- exercise.  Due to a medical phenomenon known as ischemia reperfusion,

BD OZZY:  (Go ahead, Google that!)

"BLUE" JIMMY:  ... free radicals are released into your system during exercise and most of the damage will occur in the tissues of the body.  For example the damage may occur in the lenses of your eyes and cause clouding or the condition we commonly know as cataracts.

BD OZZY:  That's why I can't see s**t!

"BLUE" JIMMY:  The damage may also occur in your outer skin and cause a dried-out and aged appearance.  This damage has been likened to the oxidation that occurs on a piece of metal when exposed to the elements.  In other words, free radicals have the ability to "rust" your body.  But it gets even more serious.  Without getting into all the medical Hoodoo Voodoo, free radical damage also contributes to the formation of cancer cells and atherosclerosis or what we call hardening of the arteries -- two of the biggest killers.

BD OZZY:  !!!

"BLUE" JIMMY:  But don't worry brothers and sisters, in addition to the endogenous free radical scavengers that your body produces on its own, you can always add to your body's natural defenses by loading up on antioxidants.

BD OZZY:  Nutrients that kick free radical ass!

"BLUE" JIMMY:  Amen, brother!  Lemme quit all the scientific talk and give you the lowdown.  The main antioxidants are: 

• Vitamin C -- which you can get from citrus fruit, rosehips, bell peppers, kale and broccoli.
• Vitamin E -- which you can get from wheat germ oil, sunflower seeds, peanuts, pine nuts and safflower oil.
• Beta-carotene - which you can get from carrots, red bell peppers, tomatoes, collard greens mangos and broccoli.
• Selenium -- which you can get from Brazil nuts, wheat germ, tuna, lentils and liver and kidney of lamb. 
  

"BLUE" JIMMY:  If you want, you can look up all these nutrients and see exactly what they do to make you healthy.  Just remember that the best way to get all these nutrients is  from plant and natural sources.  This is because plants contain phytochemicals, a whole legion of nutrients that science is just starting to discover and which you can't get from vitamin pills!

BD OZZY:  So when your Mama told you to eat all your fruits and vegetables or you won't grow up big an' strong...

"BLUE" JIMMY:  She wasn't jiving!

BD OZZY:  Pass the broccoli!

"BLUE" JIMMY:  Sake's Alive!

BD OZZY:  Wow!  Wow!
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