Growing old is an inevitable part of life. We all get older year by year, the hair begins to go grey, the wrinkles and line start to appear, and before we know it the transition has occurred. We look in the mirror one day and we have become old. However, it doesn’t happen like this for everyone. Some people have learned how to keep the signs of aging at bay, so although they may be getting older in terms of years this isn’t reflected in the skin. In fact, some people can reach their fifties and sixties and still look amazing – and without having to resort to surgery and chemical procedures.
One of the factors that can contribute to younger looking skin is our diet. What we eat can affect both our physical and mental well being, and by eating the right foods you can improve the health of everything from your joints and bones to your skin and hair. We’ve all heard the saying, “You are what you eat.” Well, if you eat loads of unhealthy foods such as refined sugars and rich foods, you are going to end up looking and feeling unhealthy both inside and out. If you are eating healthy, nutritious, vitamin-rich foods, then you are more likely to enjoy healthy looking skin and body.
Dr. Atkins’ Theory
Dr. Robert Atkins has become world famous for his once-radical diet based on minimal carbohydrate consumption. However, this wasn’t Dr. Atkin’s only diet-based theory. He also wrote about what he claimed was an effective anti aging diet, which could reverse the signs of aging. Atkins stated that a lifetime of eating rich, refined, processed foods is what often led to the signs of aging, and that by assessing and changing our eating habits we could start to turn back the clock.
Atkins believes that in order to beat the signs of aging we need to eat more protein and fewer refined carbohydrates. He recommends eating plenty of nuts and sunflower seeds, which are rich in protein and in the recommended vitamins C and E. These vitamins contain anti aging properties that will help keep your skin healthy and retain more elasticity and resilience, which resultantly cuts down on wrinkles and lines. Dr Atkins believes that a healthy diet that is rich in the right nutrients and vitamins can help to reverse the signs of aging in the skin as well as in the brain and other parts of the body.
Recommended foods
There are a number of foods, vitamins, minerals, and supplements that are known to slow or delay the signs of aging both in terms of the skin and the brain. Some of the most well-known anti aging foods that are recommended include:
Olive Oil: This contains antioxidants that can help to slow down cell damage and deterioration, therefore keeping the skin looking fresher and younger. This can also help with joints and internal organs as well as skin.
Seaweed: This contains a valuable source of Iodine, which helps to produce a hormone called thyroxin. This hormone stimulates the nervous system, which helps to slow down damage and oxidization of the cells.
Various fruits and vegetables: These can be rich in antioxidants, which play a large part in delaying the signs of aging. You can enjoy fruits and veggies such as: prunes, raisins, blueberries, strawberries, cherries, blackberries, raspberries, broccoli, spinach, beets, peppers, sprouts and more.
Vitamins C & E: These are essential vitamins that can help delay the signs of aging in the skin and other parts of the body. These vitamins can help to produce natural collagen, which helps the skin to retain elasticity, thus reducing the signs of wrinkles. You can find these vitamins in a range of foods, but can also buy them in supplement form.
Water: This is one of the most important considerations when it comes to your diet, as it is water than keeps us hydrated and alive. Drinking plenty of fresh water every day and minimizing on alcohol, caffeine, and sugary drinks can help to replenish your skin and keep you feeling and looking hydrated both inside and out.
Foods that cause healthy and unhealthy cell regeneration
Scientific studies have shown that cells can regenerate themselves in two ways; either by replacement with a weaker cell or by replacement with a stronger cell. The foods that we eat contribute to which route cell regeneration takes. There are certain foods and food types that promote weaker cell regeneration, which can lead to signs of aging, and there are foods that promote healthier cell regeneration, which can keep the signs of aging at bay.
Unhealthy cell regeneration can be caused by the following foods:
• Refined carbohydrates
• Sugar
• Caffeine
• White flour
• Processed foods
• Artificial sweeteners
• Alcohol
• Artificial colourings and additives
• Fatty and processed meats
• Vegetable and hydrogenated oils
• Fried food
• Foods containing mercury (e.g. many types of fish such as tuna)
• Genetically modified foods
Healthy cell regeneration can be promoted through the following foods:
• Raw seeds, nuts and grains
• Fruit
• Vegetables (including leafy greens)
• Bean and lentils
• Seaweed
• Barley greens
• Antioxidants
• Olive and evening primrose oil
• Foods containing Omega 3 fatty acids
• Foods containing Omega 4 or 5 fatty acids
It is important to base your diet on certain types of foods if you are looking to delay or reverse the signs of aging, and the good news is that a great deal of this food is probably incorporated into your daily diet anyway. All you have to do is identify the good foods from the bad, and make sure that your diet leans heavily towards the good foods. Quite simply, you need to:
• Incorporate a variety of foods into your diet
• Eat a diet high in grain products, fruits and vegetables
• Eat a diet low in saturated fatty acids and cholesterol
• Use low to moderate amounts of sugar, salt, and alcohol
• Balance energy intake with physical activity
Although diet plays a large part in the anti aging process, it is important to remember that there are other factors in play in the skin rejuvenation process as well. It seems pretty pointless to change the things that you eat if you are simply going to smoke twenty cigarettes a day, allow your skin to frazzle in the midday sun, and gulp back twenty cups of coffee. You need to ensure that you take all of the necessary steps to promote health and well being. This includes:
Cutting out cigarettes: Apart from putting you at risk of cancer and heart disease, cigarettes can make you look older than you are. Long term smokers tend to end up with very deep wrinkling of the skin, premature age spots, and a host of other skin problems.
Avoiding unprotected exposure to sun: The sun’s UV rays can have a very damaging effect on the skin, and can result in very haggard, old looking skin and deep wrinkles. Like cigarettes, unprotected sun exposure also puts you at risk of getting cancer. You should ensure that you always wear UV protection in the form of a barrier cream or sunscreen, which can block the sun’s rays. Also, minimize time spent in intense, direct sunlight (usually midday) as this has a damaging effect on your skin.
Take care of your skin: It is still important to look after your skin even if you have developed a good anti aging diet plan. This means cleaning, toning, and moisturizing twice daily with appropriate products. You can find plenty of anti aging products on the market these days, and you can even try natural skin care products and home remedies. A good facial skin care routine will help to keep your skin feeling fresh, rejuvenated, supple, and soft.
Summary
If you want to enjoy the benefits of younger, fresher skin and all around health without having to resort to medical procedures and surgery, the combination of a good diet and healthy living can make a real difference. With a little time and commitment, you should be able to see a real difference in the way you look and feel.
