It is often said that how we look is a product of what we have been eating all along. We can’t control our age, actually we have no authority over that. However we can definitely control how we look by simply observing what we eat. Eating healthy is nothing but the key to ageing gracefully.
According to Adam Friedman, M.D., director of dermatologic research at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City, Nutrition plays an important part in limiting the aging process and helping to protect against damage from UV rays, the number one cause of lines and wrinkles.
What then are these foods that will make you look 20 years younger, you may ask? The foods include:
Water
Stay hydrated: Drink six to eight glasses of water a day One of the benefits of drinking water is softer, moister skin. Loss of hydration in the skin shows in all sorts of ways - dryness, tightness, flakiness. Dry skin has less resilience and is more prone to wrinkling. Water is essential to maintain skin moisture and is the vehicle for delivering essential nutrients to the skin cells. It is important to note here, for soft, moist skin, drinking an adequate amount of water is probably more important than lotions applied topically. When skin cells are dehydrated, they need water from the inside more than lotion from the outside. After all, water is cheap.
Omega Fatty Acids
Keeping your skin well-hydrated from the inside out is one of the best ways to prevent dry skin and wrinkles. Omega fatty acids -3, -6, and -9 found in healthy fats and oils are vital because they become part of the skin cell walls. “If the skin cell walls are plump and healthy, the skin will look more hydrated and dewy as well,” said Paula Simpson, a nutria-cosmetics formulation expert and beauty nutritionist. Food sources include salmon, walnuts, flaxseeds, chia seeds, coconut oil, olive oil and avocado.
Leafy Green Vegetables
Broccoli, kale, spinach and mustard greens will keep your skin hydrated and healthy. Green juices are also an easy way to help absorb the nutrients more quickly.
It’s like a liquid multi-vitamin full of antioxidants. Be sure to limit the added sugar and fruits with a high glycemic load.
Potassium-rich Foods
If you have dark circles under your eyes, it’s probably genetic but they can also be caused by water retention or sodium-rich foods. Many fruits and vegetables, as well as potatoes, nuts, beans, legumes, meat, poultry and fish are potassium-rich and can offset the sodium. Plus, cutting down on your salt intake is a wise choice for your skin and your overall health.
Amino Acids
Another cause of wrinkles is the weakening of collagen and elastin in the skin that happens as we age. Amino acids found in protein sources can help rebuild and repair damage. Food sources include meat, fish, eggs, tofu, some grains, nuts, and seeds.
Wine
Who doesn’t love wine? The good news is red wine contains resveratrol, a compound that likely contributes to its benefits—and, according to animal studies, may activate genes that slow cellular aging.
Antioxidants
Too much time out in the sun is a leading cause of aging. The sun creates free radicals that can permanently kill off healthy skin cells. Yet the sun is not the only culprit— an unhealthy diet can do the same. Load up on a variety of brightly colored, antioxidant-rich foods that contain carotenoids like tomatoes, carrots, kale and pumpkin that can protect the skin and reverse some of the sun damage.
What You Should Avoid
Foods that Cause Aging and should be avoided include:
Sugar and other inflammatory foods
Sweets and other refined carbs raise blood-glucose levels, which in turn increases the creation of AGEs — advanced glycation end products. The aptly named AGEs take a toll on skin by interfering with the normal repair of collagen and elastin, a protein that allows skin to resume its shape after stretching or contracting. Eating too much sugar will make you more prone to wrinkles and make you age quicker.
Alcohol
Every time someone takes alcohol, they wake up the next day craving for water. That's a sign of dehydration. And even if you don't regularly drink to excess, alcohol can still take toll on your skin, making it dry, taut, and lined. Also, as the liver metabolizes alcohol, it creates free radicals — that other enemy of firm, youthful skin.
Saturated fat
Beyond its role in promoting heart disease, saturated fat — the type found in marbled meats and full-fat dairy products — may also make you look older.
Salt
A high-salt diet can cause inflammation: the cells swell with water, which upsets the sodium/potassium balance that generates the energy needed to move muscles and nerves, causing weakness and fatigue. Minimize your salt intake as much as you can.
We may not be able to live forever, but the choice to look and feel young is all up to us. Embrace the anti-aging foods today not only for the looks but also for the enormous health benefits you get from them. Eat right and you will surely stay forever young!
Guest Post by Ella James
Ella is an aspiring author who is pursuing Health Services Administration degree from St. Petersburg College. She is an active contributor to Consumer Health Digest, which is a leading Health News Website. Her interests include reading and writing about Health, Fitness and Latest tech news. Get connected with her on Facebook and Twitter.
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