some are younger and others older than their age in years. No one can
control the years as they pass, but we all can control physiological
aging.
All the issues I’ve addressed in this book relate to physiological
aging. The balance of fats, controlling chronic inflammation, adequate
protein intake, aerobic fitness and other issues all can keep our phys-
iological age much lower than what the calendar says. One very
important issue I’ve mentioned but not yet fully discussed is oxygen’s
effect on aging.
Oxygen and Free Radicals
Overall, one of the most important issues regarding aging is oxygen.
Too much of it, or too little, and we age very fast. Most people are
aware of oxygen’s benefits, but many people don’t realize its poten-
tial harm: the conversion of the stable O 2 molecule to its very unsta-
ble and destructive cousin, the superoxide or free radical. When this
occurs inside the body, it can lead to serious health problems.
Scientists now associate excess oxygen free radicals, also called oxida-
tive stress, with every major chronic disease, including heart disease
and cancer. Free radicals also play a major role in the aging process.
Aging is the result of continuous reactions of the body’s cells with free
radicals. It is important to become aware of these potentially harmful
substances, what increases their production and how to control them,
in order to reduce the devastating effects of disease and control the
process of aging.
Normally, the body produces free radicals to protect against
harmful bacteria, viruses, chemical pollutants and even toxic sub-
stances produced within the body. However, in this chemical-saturat-
ed world, it is possible to produce too many free radicals. When this
occurs, free radicals can react with and damage any cell in the body.
The most vulnerable part of the cell is the part containing unstable
polyunsaturated fats, as these fats are easily destroyed by free radi-
cals. This destruction is called lipid peroxidation and it’s associated
with chronic inflammation. Together, this is the first step in the dis-
ease process. For example, before LDL cholesterol can be stored in the
coronary arteries, damage from lipid peroxidation must first take
place. Lipid peroxidation can produce toxins capable of traveling
338 • IN FITNESS AND IN HEALTH