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Antioxidants Skins Best Friend

anti oxidants

If antioxidants are our skins’ best friend, why. And what do they do. Antioxidants help protect the skin by limiting the production of free radicals. Free radicals are unattached oxygen molecules that attack your cells much in the same way that oxygen attacks metal, causing it to rust. Free radicals damage cells’ proteins, DNA, and membranes, causing them to lose their ability to function normally and eventually die. They can’t be avoided since they are a naturally occurring byproduct of oxygen use. Other accelerators of free radical damage can come from everyday pollution and other common stressors, like the ones listed below:

  • Everyday air pollutants
  • Smog
  • UV rays
    • Up to 80% of free radical damage is caused by the sun. Always wear a broad spectrum SPF!
  • Lack of sleep and exercise
  • Stress
  • Illness
  • Processed foods
  • Alcohol
  • Tobacco
  • Pesticides

You can see free radical damage in action by cutting open an apple or avocado. Within a short time you’ll notice that it turns brown. Oxygen in the air is causing oxidative damage you can see. If you rub an antioxidant, like lemon juice, onto half the apple,  the vitamin C will keep it from turning brown. While lemon juice won’t keep an apple fresh forever, it definitely slows down the spoiling process. This is exactly why you need a continuous, plentiful supply of antioxidants, internally and topically — to slow down the cellular ageing process.

How do they cause the skin to age?

Ever watch a cut apple slice start to brown? That process is called oxidation – and it’s caused by free radical destruction. Oxidation is when free radicals damage a parts of the cells, such as proteins, DNA, cell membranes and more.

When oxidation occurs, the cells lose their ability to function normally. Free radical damage can lead to tissue damage, which results in wrinkles, lines, dehydration and loss of youthful volume.

As free radical damage occurs, cells and tissues are damaged. The body tries to compensate for this by activating inflammatory pathways. However, inflammation is not restricted to only the damaged areas and it often spills over into surrounding healthy tissue. Inflammation degrades collagen and elastin, which leads to premature sagging and line formation.

How to prevent free radical damage

Antioxidants are skin’s superhero against free radicals. Vitamins C, A and E are all potent antioxidants that help protect the skin from the damage caused by free radicals.

Let’s concentrate on 3 of Shanga’s super powerhouse products  packed with potent antioxidants.

Shanga has many antioxidants in their products, today we are going to concentrate on 4 gems.

Davidson’s Plum is a very powerful native Australian fruit that is found in the Australian rainforest, it is very healing for the skin and more powerful than Vitamin E! This miracle ingredient has superior anti-ageing and anti-inflammatory properties. It has very high levels of Vitamin C and a high concentration of Zinc and Vitamin E, everything we need for a glowing youthful skin. Let’s turn back time! This amazing fruit is an absolute antioxidant goldmine. It can be found in Shanga’s amazing Antioxidant hydro mist…let’s see what else this amazing product can offer…

Shizandra Berry is another strong antioxidant, it is a herb that is not only anti ageing but also anti inflammatory. It helps cell regeneration which will help provide a glowing youthful appearance…yes please!! It will help to protect our skin from the ever damaging effects of sun and wind.

Resveratrol is a phenomenal antioxidant. According to Life Extension magazine “A growing body of evidence shows resveratrol can slow skin ageing when applied topically”. That is very exciting news for us. It is found in the skin of grapes and also in red wine…some may say that’s exciting news for us too! It is a dynamic antioxidant that neutralizes free radical damage so our collagen can keep pumping.

Green Tea is of course amazingly healthy to drink but it is a dynamic antioxidant for your skin. Applied topically it will fight free radicals in turn helping to detoxify and calm down any irritation or inflammation. Green Tea helps to prevent Collagen breakdown which will stop the loss of elasticity in your skin, HOORAY! Softer skin with less lines…how lovely.

Shangas 3 main antioxidant powerhouse products are:

Antioxidant Hydro Mist

Vibran-C Serum

Bamboo and Green Tea Facial Scrub

Incorporating Antioxidants into our lives needs to be internal and external, we should endeavour to eat a rainbow each day, a rainbow of forceful fruit and vegetables full of antioxidants. For a beginning point start slowly, do what I do, throw a big handful of blueberries into my lunchtime salad…with that alone you are already on your way and it’s super tasty! Goodluck.

Help your skin be the best it can be, it’s never too late to start, we have everything to help you on your journey towards a super charged youthful glowing skin.