One good aspect of today, notwithstanding its many drawbacks, is the cultivation of the ability to judge through science. Today it has become possible for us to find the reason behind almost everything that we wish to know the details about. Education is the key to this understanding. Education enables us to question and seek the truth. We comprehend the process of learning much better than before. We realize that research and experiment is the path to an enlightened life. Advances in the field of science have taken us to such great heights of understanding that with a little extra effort we know what works, why it works and how it works. This is the reason why the information provided in the following lines are in a clear-cut format. No philosophizing about the supposed prominence of the antioxidants. No big talk. No gimmicks. Just plain truth based on evidences.
Recognising Oxidative Stress
To understand oxidative stress it is essential to know the concept of free radicals. Each atom has protons and neutrons at its center and electrons revolving, in orbits, around the centre. These electrons are always in a paired state in normal conditions. Whenever, due to any abnormality, an electron revolving around the centre breaks out of its pair, the resulting species is called as a free radical. These free radicals are highly reactive and unstable in nature. To achieve stability they accept, rather rob an electron from the surrounding molecules and complete the original electron pairing. Due to this the molecule from which the electron is thus removed becomes unstable and itself turns Into a free radical. This process of electron removal is called as oxidation and the stress generated by the free radicals is the oxidative stress. This ‘electron robbing’ process repeats itself in all new free radicals and hence triggers an endless chain reaction.
If an electron revolving around the centre is not paired, the resulting species is called as a free radical.
Factors that generate free radicals
This is how a single radical produces a chain sequence of electron transfer reactions harmful to the general well being. These free radicals attack fatty acids and proteins in the cell membrane that are involved in the day-to-day functioning of cells. Free radicals even damage the DNA! It is this damage that results in the altered function of the cells, which subsequently results in the origin of various diseases.
Free radicals generate oxidative stress
Oxidation is a natural process that occurs anytime a substance combines with oxygen - like the browning of a sliced apple or the rusting of metal but our body takes care of these by its own defence system. Applying lemon juice on a sliced apple will keep it from turning brown. Because the anti-oxidants in the lemon block the oxidative process - it stops the formation of "free radicals". While you can't see your own body "rusting", oxidation occurs constantly in the human body, putting it at the risk of various chronic diseases at early stages of life.
The additional burden of these free radicals
contributes towards almost all diseases
Our body is the finest specimen of complex mechanisms working together, ever created. Various routine processes like respiration, iron metabolism, putting up a fight with the organisms that enter our body, to name a few, produce these free radicals and are responsible for the generation oxidative stress. With its natural regenerative process, our body easily takes care of these free radicals. But some external factors (exposure to industrial pollutants, pesticides, radiations, smoke generated by vehicles, etc.) generated due to our lifestyle increase the hazardous burden of oxidative stress to a very high level. Not to forget the prevalence of and casual attitude towards bad habits
(alcoholism, tobacco, smoking, etc.) - these amplify the levels of oxidative stress manifold.
The Consequences of Oxidative Stress
Oxidative stress generated by free radicals is involved in the development of most common disorders associated with a developing lifestyle. Oxidative stress is involved in the pathogenesis of a variety of disorders. Pathogenesis is the process of development of the disease. Apart from speeding up the process of aging, this oxidative stress is also associated with some debilitating yet now common disorders.
Heart diseases Cancer Alzheimer Digestive dysfunctions
Diabetes Arthritis Parkinson’s disease AIDS
SCIENTISTS HAVE ESTABLISHED THAT MANY DEGENERATIVE CONDITIONS ASSOCIATED WITH AGING & CHRONIC DISEASES ARE LINKED TO POOR ANTIOXIDANT PROTECTION IN THE BODY.
It is quite possible that some or the other disease is silently eroding the health of an apparently “healthy” person. This ignorance and lack of prompt counter action are two of the foremost reasons why the health status of the human population is getting worse by the hour. Are we going to just sit around and wait till the disease fully eats into our bodies? Or is there a way out?
YES. Just like the use of rust preventive to protect the rusting of an iron bolt exposed to the outside atmosphere, our body needs external antioxidants to protect itself from the onslaught of oxidative stress due to the changes in our current life style.
Heart diseases 
