- Why do you need 3? Just remember that when I age, 90% of it’s caused by.. Hmm, if I tell you, do you promise to save me from that?
- Is it difficult? Expensive?
- …
- Okay, okay, I promise!
- See, you should’ve started with that! So the whole body (you, me, brain, joints, heart, etc.) is made up of molecules - cute little balls with four legs.
- And?
- So every time you come out in the sun without SPF, eat all sorts of junk foods, or walk around the polluted metropolis, some molecules lose a leg.
- Do they die?
- No, but these tripods start to behave like aggressive one-legged pirates, using any means necessary to get back their legs and as a result attacking the healthy nearby molecules. This causes a chain reaction of violence - the original pirates have four legs again but their victim is now in the same situation. By the way, you humans have given these pirates some difficult names - ‘free radicals’ and ‘oxidants’.
- Are you saying this horror can’t be stopped?
- It can and it’s actually quite simple! There are some molecules with a fifth, spare leg, also known as ‘antioxidants’.
- What a name! Where do I find them?
- Antioxidants are vitamins like A, C and E and minerals like selenium, etc.
- So I need to take vitamins?
- It’s even easier than that! All the healthy foods like fruit, veg, nuts, green tea and even good quality chocolate are full of antioxidants. By consuming these foods regularly you can ensure that there’s no pirates in your skin which will prevent early ageing.
- That simple? I promise to eat a few fruits and veggies every day!
- Good! But since I also get attacked by pirates from the outside it would help if you chose skincare that contains antioxidants to help protect me.
- What do you mean?
- If it contains any of the following - vitamins A, C, E, extracts of green tea, ginkgo biloba, caffeine, coenzyme Q10, etc. - it will help disarm the pirates, meaning I can keep making you happy with your reflection in the mirror for much longer.
