Articles about skin care and anti aging often talk about antioxidants and free radicals, but do you know what these terms mean? Or should you care? Well the short answer is yes, since both free radicals and antioxidants affect your general health as well as the condition of your skin.

So what are these free radicals? Without becoming too technical just understand that all matter is made up of atoms which consist of electrons. Sometimes an electron can be detached and this causes the atom to become unstable and it is then known as a free radical.

But why should I have to worry about a single atom that has lost an electron? To restore its equilibrium the atom grabs an electron from an adjoining atom and this starts a chain reaction. The end result is damage to your skin.

Antioxidants are the good guys because they are able to lose electrons without becoming unstable and so can neutralize the free radicals.

While free radicals do perform some useful functions in our bodies, excessive numbers can cause tissue damage. Air pollution and cigarette smoke as well as stress encourage the production of free radicals and so should be avoided.

Vitamins C and E are antioxidants so eating a well balanced diet is the easiest way to protect your body from the harmful effects of free radicals.

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