We believe that people are leading longer, more satisfying lives. It’s not just an assumption but more importantly backed by data of higher life expectancy rates and extended longevity in more and more countries. The world is aging. Both men and women are acknowledging that fact but are dealing with it in very different ways as compared with older generations.

More emphasis is being focused on prevention rather than treatment. Everybody wants to continue to be healthy and productive. So much so that by the end of 2015, the global wellness industry was estimated to be worth US$ 3.7 trillion, that is, based on reports made by the Global Wellness Institute. What Mark Twain once said about, “Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don't mind, it doesn't matter,” no longer holds true.

Age does matter.
Experts have been trying to find the root causes of aging for a long time, in part because of the continuing desire to stop aging and stay perpetually young. Among the many theories proposed about how and why people age, one of the most logical and most popular explanations put forth is the Free Radical Theory of Aging.

There are two major points being proposed by this theory:
1. Free radicals are responsible for causing damages to otherwise healthy cells. Free radicals, according to this theory, may come from the environment or from the body itself through the production of reactive oxygen species — both of which attack healthy cells, causing aging to happen

2. Antioxidants can stop free radicals from causing damages at the cellular level. The more antioxidants present in the body to defend cells from free radical attack, the less damage the body will sustain. In effect, the individual is healthier and younger in both appearance and experience of aging.

Still, even with higher levels of antioxidants, cells continue to age no matter what. With age, cells lose energy. The slower cells are able to divide, the body becomes less capable of repairing injuries and bouncing back from illnesses. Simultaneously, cells continue to divide but there’s only a finite number of divisions which our cells can tolerate. With every division, the cells’ telomeres shorten too. Telomeres act like biological clocks. When these comes to a certain shortness, cells stop dividing.

What antioxidants can do to for your health.
Antioxidants prevent cellular damage caused by free radicals by giving off one electron to combine with the reactive free electron of the free radical which is often the root cause of a series of chemical reactions that damage otherwise healthy cells.

Different antioxidants, however, have very specific benefits to give up for our health. Among the many things that antioxidants can do are the following:

Boost immunity.
Astaxanthin is, by far, the highest regarded antioxidant for this role. Salmon and green algae contain the highest concentration of this antioxidant. The good thing with salmon is that it is also rich in Omega-3 fatty acids which serves as an anti-inflammatory and therefore is advantageous in fighting cell aging as well. Other antioxidants that boost immunity are Vitamins C and E, and beta-carotene.

Protect from stroke and heart disease.
There have been earlier reports that a combination of Vitamin C, Vitamin E and beta-carotene lowers a person’s risk for contracting heart disease. Unfortunately, studies have been showing these don’t affect development of heart problems. In general, however, taking more fresh produce, which contain high levels of antioxidants, and less animal fat are beneficial for the heart.

Enhance memory.
Animal liver and kidneys, broccoli and spinach are some of the richest sources of alpha lipoic acid (ALA), popularly known as a brain food. Other helpful antioxidants are fish oil and curcumin, a substance found in turmeric, known as one of the healthiest foods.

Prevent eye problems.
Lutein, zeaxanthin and beta-carotene are the top antioxidants to boost eye health and curb vision loss.

Fight cancer.
Phytochemicals, carotenoids, Vitamin C, beta-carotene and polyphenols are just some of the antioxidants that help fight the Big C.

Make skin beautiful and glowing.
Ingested, a host of antioxidants bring countless benefits for the skin. When topically applied, Vitamin C, Vitamin B3 and E are the most beneficial antioxidants, studies, including one published in 2004 in the International Journal of Cosmetic Science, provide evidence for their potency.

CONCLUSION.
Even when it comes to antioxidants, variety is key when the aim is to make sure you obtain sufficient amounts of these substances from natural food sources.