When we begin to lose many battles, and the war goes badly, we open ourselves to disease. According to Richard Passwater, Ph.D., in his book Lipoic Acid, The Metabolic Antioxidant, losing this war can result in approximately 80 different age-related diseases, including cancer, heart attack, stroke, rheumatoid arthritis, cataracts, and Alzheimer's disease. This war pits free radicals against antioxidants two substances that occur naturally in the body but are augmented by foreign aid. Chemicals such as drugs, food additives, and preservatives, as well as cigarette smoke, pollutants, sunlight, radiation, emotional stress, and rancid fats all contribute to the free radical army. Eating a healthy diet and supplements bolster the defending antioxidant army.
Free radicals are highly reactive forms of oxygen.
As your body creates energy at the cellular level, oxygen is metabolized, changing its structure. In this process, the oxygen molecule loses one electron, turning it into a free radical. Free radicals attack our cells. When they attack blood vessels, it contributes to cardiovascular disease. Free radicals also attack us from the outside.