Human aging is related to free radicals, and anti-aging must be done well!
We often hear the saying of "fighting free radicals and delaying aging". Some friends have doubts about this. Do free radicals really affect human aging? So, first of all, we must understand how free radicals age people!
From a chemical point of view, a free radical is an oxygen molecule that lacks an electron. It is very active and easily reacts with other substances. This process is called "oxidation".
The process of human aging is like oxidation, and the substances that make cells in the body "rust" are free radicals. Under normal circumstances, the free radicals in the human body are in a state of equilibrium, that is, the production and scavenging are balanced.
However, air pollution, workplace stress, socializing with alcohol and tobacco, irregular diet, staying up late and other issues can cause a stress response to the skin, resulting in the generation of a large number of free radicals. The skin is the outermost protective line. Free radicals first attack the skin cell membrane, disrupting the normal skin function, causing oxidative stress, and thus the phenomenon of skin oxidation.
When the skin cells are oxidized, free radicals will destroy the collagen of the skin, causing the skin to lose its elasticity and luster, the complexion will become dull and gray, wrinkles will appear, and even cell tissue will be destroyed.
You know, 80% of skin aging problems are caused by free radicals. The activity of free radicals is strong, and it is very destructive to the human body. And many scientific studies have shown that our body cells are attacked by it at least 73,000 times a day, and free radicals can cause cell aging and DNA mutation. Therefore, many anti-aging skin care methods are to eliminate excess free radicals and prevent the skin from being harmed by them!
Fight free radicals, start with skin antioxidants
With age, the body's ability to repair free radicals also declines. If the body fails to resist oxidation in time, cells will begin to be damaged, and even lead to diseases, seriously endangering people's health. To fight free radicals, we should start with skin antioxidants, and these methods are hidden in our daily life!
- Take sun protection measures
In fact, the primary cause of premature aging of human facial skin is ultraviolet radiation. Excessive ultraviolet radiation on the skin will increase free radicals in human skin, resulting in free radical damage.
Therefore, in this hot summer, it is recommended that you apply some sunscreen, use an umbrella or wear a sun hat when you go out.
Second, a reasonable diet
Usually, you should eat more fresh and healthy foods rich in antioxidants, such as: tomatoes, broccoli, blueberries, pomegranates, grapes, dragon fruit, winter jujube, green leafy vegetables, green tea, soybeans, nuts, etc.
In particular, darker fruits and vegetables contain a lot of vitamin C, and nuts contain a lot of vitamin E. Both are "free radical scavengers", which can neutralize the oxidation of free radicals and block their chain reactions.
- Avoid alcohol and tobacco
Scientific research shows that smoking is one of the fastest ways to generate free radicals at present. Every puff of cigarette will produce more than 100,000 free radicals, and even accelerate the growth of cancer cells, especially lung cancer. The human body consumes more vitamin C than usual in order to combat the harmful substances inhaled when smoking, and a single cigarette can "destroy" 25 to 100 mg of vitamin C.
Also, try to limit your alcohol intake, because when the liver processes the toxins in alcohol, it produces more free radicals than the body's intake of antioxidants can handle. This leads to a reaction called oxidative stress, that is, the imbalance between oxidation and anti-oxidation in the body, and people naturally age faster.
Skin aging is a long process, and developing healthy living habits is the key to maintaining healthy skin.