A list of the effects of free radicals would also be long, encompassing all of the common diseases afflicting humans. This doesn't mean that every disease is caused exclusively by free radicals. Some people inherit genetic predispositions to certain health problems, such as heart disease, cancer, osteoporosis, arthritis, Alzheimer's disease, and Parkinson's disease. If you minimize free radicals and keep your cells healthy, you can either prevent a disease from occurring or reverse it if it has already begun. As you'll discover in chapter 2, your greatest allies in the battle against free radicals are nutrients known as antioxidants .
Antioxidants neutralize free radicals and, as a result, slow the aging process.
They're good guys that you want to have around at all times. You can keep them around by eating lots of antioxidant-rich foods and taking antioxidant supplements. The Antidote to Aging Renewal Theory, the basis for this book, builds on both program and damage theories. I like to think of it as the body's master plan for rejuvenation. To achieve this maximum life span, you need to do what you can to minimize cellular damage, which precipitates disease and accelerates aging.