material, and even life itself. They accelerate aging and contribute to the development of arterial disease, cancer, and cat- aracts. They damage collagen by causing a cross-linkage of molecules and the loss of elasticity. Wrinkled skin, stiff joints, high blood pressure, and premature aging are often the result of this deterioration process and the more technologically advanced a society becomes, the more exposure it has to free radical damage. Free radicals are also released in the body from the break down of many chemical compounds such as petrochemicals (in drugs, artificial food colorings, smog), preservatives in processed meats (nitrates, nitrites), exhaust fumes (carbon monoxide), cleaning fluids (carbon tetrachloride), alcohol, the tar in tobacco smoke, drinking or swimming in chlorinated water (which forms chloroform in the body), cadmium and other heavy metals, radiation (X-rays, gamma radiation), hydro- genated fats, rancid fats, and polyunsaturated oils.
The more we expose ourselves to these hazards, the greater the load of uncontrolled free radicals we subject our bodies to, the more likely we are to exceed the ability of our immune systems to protect us from their potential damage.
One free radical hazard is an internal one. During constipation, renegade chemicals are released into the colon and the bloodstream, contributing to the likelihood of both colon cancer and arterial disease. Our ancestors ate unprocessed foods, rich in fibre, which tend to fill out thecolon and aid in its evacuation, the way nature intended. We would do well to emulate their habits because the fibre has been removed from refined flour and sugar products, so these “foods”, tend to be constipating.
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MAY 2018 • SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE
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