Most people are familiar with
antioxidants and the role they play in getting rid of
free radicals in the body. Few people understand that free radicals are actually a normal part of
how we produce energy (ATP); in the right amount, and of the right variety, free radicals are essential to our health and well being.
The body itself generates many free radicals during normal energy production, but they can also be generated by unfavorable conditions such as inflammation, toxic exposure and trauma. Our bodies have a built-in system to make of use free radicals and neutralize them, maintaining a healthy balance between free radicals and antioxidants, so we function at our best. This balancing process is called redox.
However, many factors that we encounter daily in our modern lives can have a consistently negative impact on our body's ability to maintain proper balance. These factors include the normal aging process, environmental pollutants, sun exposure, emotional stress, trauma, infection and a poor diet.