Don't let the word "basic" fool you, though: There's quite a lot that goes on with our cells. As we get older, our cells accumulate damage, which is what's known to drive the aging process and play a role in our long-term health.

One of the major causes of cellular damage is oxidative stress, which happens when there's an imbalance between free radicals and antioxidants in the body. Free radicals are molecules with unpaired electrons—and because electrons are unstable when they're not paired up, a free radical will zip around the body, reacting with other molecules in desperation to stabilize themselves. Free radicals don't just come from exposure to the sun or products with toxic ingredients—they're a normal, natural byproduct of our cells generating energy (which means even healthy habits like strenuous exercise can lead to more free radicals in the body). Left unattended, these reactive free radicals can lead to damage in the fats, proteins, and DNA that make up our cells.

Thankfully, our cells have a natural way to do damage control. Antioxidants—like vitamins A, C, and E—in our cells help stop the chain reaction of free radicals (they do this by donating an electron to a free radical to stabilize them, without making themselves unstable). But when there are too many free radicals racing around and not enough antioxidants to get them to relax, oxidative stress occurs, and over time, that free radical damage can accelerate aging and disease.

Learn More:ClickHere