As the Medical Director of Dermatology Associates of New York, in Westchester, NY, and founder of REPLERE, I always get questions about why free radicals are so bad for the skin and the body. That's why I wanted to explain free radicals, here, in the easiest way possible.

When exposed to oxygen, metal rusts and apples turn brown. The same thing happens in our bodies—except this reaction happens as a result of many things, not just exposure to oxygen. For example, exposure to pollution (including secondhand cigarette smoke and car exhaust), the sun's ultraviolet rays, pesticides, and processed foods can all trigger this reaction in the body. Stress—emotional and physical—can trigger the production of free radicals in the body, too.

This creation of free radicals in the body can, over time, result in illness and disease, as well as premature aging, because these free radicals attack healthy cells, changing their structure and the way they function.

But antioxidants can reverse this process—and that's why I'm such a huge fan of antioxidants. The body has natural antioxidants to essentially "fight" the effects of free radicals, but when the body is under stress itself, its antioxidant stores can get depleted.

Eating plenty of colorful fruits and veggies and beans (like kidney beans and black beans) can help shore up the body's antioxidant defenses to prevent the production of free radicals. But sometimes, we can't get enough—why I created REPLERE Restore & Fortify Beauty Shooters. These one-ounce drinks contain your day's worth of antioxidants and conveniently fit into your bag (and don't need to be refrigerated) so you can take them with you anywhere.

But the entire line of REPLERE products helps keep the skin youthful and radiant because it targets the five free radicals that damage and age the skin: peroxyl, hydroxyl, peroxynitrite, superoxide anion, and singlet oxygen. REPLERE is really the first complete antioxidant solution for this reason—and is just one reason why I'm just so proud of this line of products.

So if I leave you with anything today, it's this: be sure to eat plenty of colorful fruits and veggies like berries, leafy greens, broccoli, and red bell peppers (the more color they have, the more antioxidants they contain); be sure you're taking steps to reduce stress every day; protect your skin from the sun with antioxidants layered under a sunscreen, and get enough sleep (too little sleep stresses the body, triggering the production of free radicals).

Have a beautiful day!