What Are Antioxidants

Our skin is the place where we see the very first signs of aging. We get wrinkles, age or sun spots, and our skin becomes saggy and less elastic. These signs make us looker older, sometimes even older than we really are. Lucky for us there is an ingredient found in food and in skin care products that can reverse, or at least minimize the signs of aging. What is this miracle ingredient? Why, it's antioxidants.

Antioxidants can help us to enrich the condition of our skin and to prevent or slow down further damage to our skin from occurring. The most prominent antioxidants used in skin care products are vitamins A, C, and E. Studies have consistently proven that antioxidants not only reduce the signs of skin aging, but they can actually reverse damage that has already appeared. Sun damaged skin specifically has been noted to improve when antioxidants have been used directly on those troubled areas of skin.

Antioxidants attack free radicals. Free radicals are atoms (or groups of atoms) that have an odd amount of electrons The electrons are formed when oxygen connects with specific molecules. When the atoms and the electrons unite a chain reaction happens inside your body. Those free radicals damage cells, and in turn that causes those damaged cells to die or to work ineffectively. Antioxidants protect your skin cells by attacking those free radicals.

What should you look for in anti-aging skin products?

You should look for some of the powerful ingredients available to us today. Products like green tea extract, or grape seed extract. Green tea is thought to reduce the size of precancerous lesions on skin. The active ingredient in the Green tea that causes that to happen is catechins.

Grape seed extract is known to reduce inflammation of the skin. It can also help strengthen your blood vessels. This in turn helps with blood circulation. Did you know that Grape seed extract is more than 20 times more potent than vitamin C and 50 times more potent than vitamin A? That is why you can find Grape seed oil in many of today's more popular skin care products.

Is it possible to look younger?

Yes, it is within reach to look younger and healthier than your years say you should look. You can keep a healthy, glowing, and youthful appearance, no matter what your real age is. The secret to achieving this goal is three-fold.

1. Eat Right - be sure to include foods that are rich in antioxidants in your diet
2. Exercise - keep active, keep strong
3. Take Care Of Your Skin - use antioxidant rich skin care products

1. Eat lots of fruits and leafy green vegetables. (They are usually rich with antioxidants)
2. Eat food high in omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. (Salmon, Olive Oil, Flax Seeds fall into this group, or take some fish oil supplements)
3. Reduce the amount of sugar and processed foods you eat.
4. Drink plenty of water - at the very least drink 6-8 glasses a day.
5. Reduce the amount of time you spend in the sun - sun is one of the biggest causes of aging skin.
6. Look for products and food that contain vitamins A, C, and E - these vitamins are high in antioxidants and they fight the free radicals. (peptides, hyaluronic acid, methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) and alpha hydroxy acids are also free radical fighters).
7. Create and follow a good skin care regimen. (cleanse, tone, and moisturize twice daily - use an anti-aging serum daily and exfoliate at least once a week)

You can buy these skin products, or if you prefer, you can make them yourself. Take a look at some of the other articles I have written. Many of them are homemade DIY skin care recipes that will help you to fight the free radicals that cause skin aging. These recipes will help restore your skin to it's younger self. Give them a try.

High amounts of antioxidants are found in:

• Prunes
• Raspberries
• Cloves
• Strawberries
• Cranberries
• Walnuts
• Blueberries
• Pinto Beans
• Blackberries
• Small Red Beans