Science considers disease and a decline in health as a natural process of ageing. Advocates of natural health care view this decline over time as the accumulation of toxins and chronic disease, not as an accepted by-product of ageing itself.
What is Oxidation?
Oxidation is the loss of electrons or an increase in oxidation state by a molecule, atom, or ion.
As oxygen interacts with the body’s cells, oxidation occurs. While this is a natural process and the body metabolizes oxygen well, some of its cells will become damaged by the oxygen and become free radicals.
What are free radicals?
Free radicals are damaged cells. They are missing a critical molecule and they then seek out to replace that molecule from other cells. When free radicals take the other cells molecules, they damage the DNA in that cell and this creates the basis for disease. When a cell’s DNA is changed, the cell becomes mutated: it grows and reproduces abnormally and quickly. Excessive amounts of these free radicals can lead to cell injury and death. Generally, the body has a good defence against free radicals and they are controlled with antioxidants. Problems arise when there are too many free radicals for the body to manage. Free radicals are dangerous because they trigger a damaging and rapid chain reaction that can quickly overwhelm the body’s natural defence system. This damage leads to chronic disease, including cancer, stroke, heart, Diabetes, and ageing through degeneration of skin, and cognitive decline.
Control Free Radicals
Toxins that are introduced into the body can generate free radicals and trigger the spiral into a chronic disease. Pesticides, antibiotics and other toxins may harbour free radicals. Environmental pesticides and cleaning chemicals are also an important source. Vaccines and pharmaceuticals could trigger substantial free radical production. With time, the free radicals accumulate in the body and the body is not able to stop their damage. This is why trying to avoid these toxins is one step you can take to help preserve your dog’s health. Another is to add a good antioxidant to their daily diet.
What can I do to help my pet remove their free radicals?
Antioxidants and Diet
While reducing your pet’s exposure to vaccines, pesticides, and chemicals is helpful to his or her health, they will still be exposed to some environmental toxins. Getting antioxidants into his diet will help fight this oxidative damage. A healthy diet will contain plenty of antioxidants that will help prevent free radical chain reactions or stop them after they have started.
If you would like to check out one of New Zealand’s top Antioxidants astaxanthin check out our Omega-i product, and read our case study on how it dramatically reduced the recovery time of one puppy with kennel cough.