1. by Amber Nasrulla
the
antioxidant
answer
CANADIANACTORELLENDUBIN
admits to being an antioxidant ad-
dict. The co-star of the upcoming
HBO CanadamovieSecondChances
is constantly moving between time
zonesandclimates,andallthattrav-
el takes a toll on her skin. “In L.A.,
thepollutionandsunshinearevery
intense. In Toronto, the extreme
weather is so dehydrating,” she
says.Butwhenyou’reanactor,bad-
skin days aren’t an option. To keep
looking her best, Dubin loads up on
antioxidants. She always carries a
Thermosfullofgreenteaandsnacks
on dark chocolate seasoned with
açaí and blueberry extract. “Have
Baggie, will travel!” she says.
Has Dubin jumped on the latest
foodfadoutofCalifornia,oristhere
sound science behind her dietary
arsenal? “Antioxidants are kami-
kaze disease fighters because they
combat free-radical damage,” says
Christine Gerbstadt, a registered
dietitian and spokesperson for the
American Dietetic Association.
To understand how antioxidants
work, imagine looking at your body
onacellularlevel.You’llseethatyou
are made up of atoms. Stable atoms
always have electrons in pairs, one
positiveandonenegative,sothey
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2. SKIN
SAVERS
Innovative
research at a
beauty boutique
near you
have a neutral charge. Free radicals, however, are
peskylittleoxygenatomsthatonlyhaveanegative
charge. They’re lonely and unstable, and they go
abouttryingtostealpositiveelectronsfromhealthy
atoms. Put in dating terms, free radicals are like
that sexy single gal who hits on your date and has
luredhimawaybytheendofthenight.Nowthey’re
together and you’re the one looking to pair up.
The dating game between free radicals and
healthy atoms starts almost from the moment
we’re born. Our bodies create free radicals when
we’re exposed to stresses like sun, environmental
pollutants, cigarette smoke and electromagnetic
radiation. The more we produce, the more likely
they are to harm cell structures and DNA. Even-
tually, the damage becomes irreversible and may
result in inflammation or disease.
The negative impact of free radicals is most vis-
ible on our skin. It shows up in the form of brown
spotsandprecancerouslesions,forinstance.(Part
ofthemechanismhereisthesamechemicalreac-
tion—oxidation—that tarnishes your silver and
turns an apple brown after you bite it.) But don’t
sob, sister—it is possible to protect yourself.
Enterantioxidants.Bystimulatingcells’defence
mechanisms,thesesuper-nutrientsneutralizefree
radicals. Antioxidants willingly donate electrons
tothefreeradicals,withoutaffectinghealthycells.
They are the “sacrificial lambs that preserve the
health of your cells,” says Gerbstadt.
The rock-star antioxidants are vitamin C, found
inblueberries,broccoli,strawberriesandoranges;
vitaminE,ingojiberriesandaçaíberries;resvera-
trol, in red wine and grapes; polyphenols, in red
cherries, cranberries, dark chocolate, coffee and
green tea; and lycopene, found in tomatoes and
watermelon.Dietitiansrecommendadultseatfour
and a half cups of antioxidant-rich food daily. Ac-
cording to the Canada Food Guide, a serving size
is half a cup, so that’s nine servings of fruits and
vegetables. Herbs and spices, such as cloves, basil
and oregano, contain antioxidants, too.
If you’re trying to harness this power for your
skin, you’re going to need more than a few ber-
ries on your cereal. The antioxidants required for
serious skin care work best topically, but only if
theypenetratetheskin.SheldonPinnell,aprofes-
sor emeritus of dermatology at Duke University,
proved that vitamin C can reduce sun damage in
his groundbreaking 1992 study. He’s a pioneer in
theindustryandconsideredbysometobethegod-
father of skin-care science.
Although there are thousands of antioxidants,
Pinnell’slifetimeofresearchasacollagenchemist
hasdeterminedthattheskincanabsorbveryfewof
them.VitaminsA,CandEaregoodbetsforskincare.
Thebottomline:Lookforserumsandcreamsthat
have high concentrations of these vitamins. ‡
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