Fighting “oxidative stress”!

[16 February 2010 - 15h24]

Two French people in three show a high level of “oxidative stress”. This rather strange term quite simply describes the effect on our body of the ongoing stresses and strains to which we subject it!

Exposure to the sun, to smoking, pollution, stress, irregular diet, over intense exercise … all these things put our body to the test. And this leads to oxidation – oxidative stress – which produces free radicals. When we produce too many of these, they can cause serious damage!

Free radicals are a natural product of the body. We are always producing them in order to carry out essential physiological functions such as respiration, immune defence, energy production, etc. But when we produce them in too large a quantity, the defences provided by the antioxidants prove insufficient. The cell membranes and the DNA of healthy cells, for example, are affected. And the resulting damage can be irreversible.

Premature skin ageing is without doubt the most visible sign of damage. The appearance of wrinkles and marks is a revealing sign. But it has also been shown that oxidative stress influences our general health. It is thought to contribute to the appearance of more than 200 conditions, notably degenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, diabetes, rheumatic and cardiovascular conditions, etc.

So it is important to limit oxidative stress factors and top up with the antioxidants that provide a natural shield against free radicals and which are partly manufactured by our body. Our diet – particularly fruit, vegetables and oilseeds – will normally supply any further requirements. At the top of the list are walnuts, artichokes, garlic and strawberries, but also green tea and red wine… in moderation, of course.

© 1996-2012 Destination Santé SAS - All Rights Reserved. No information contained on this server can be reproduced or retransmitted without prior written consent of Destination Santé. Offenders will be prosecuted in consideration of articles L 122-4 and L 335-3 of the Code of Intellectual Property, allowing up to two years' imprisonment and a 150,000 euros fine.