Anti Aging Foods

Water as an Anti Aging

Radiant skin, shiny hair, healthy skin and beautiful appearance suggests health and self-nurture, and gives you a sense of confidence when stepping out. And the beauty and skin care market doesn't hesitate to play on our insecurities in the looks department, selling its wide range of products with a promise of eternal beauty. Yet, nothing makes you as beautiful on the outside as feeding your inside with a healthy diet.

Being the largest organ of your body, your skin deserves to be nourished with the right nutrients to sustain optimal health. An increasing number of studies have shown the benefits of eating certain foods to enhance a healthy looking skin and overall well being. And the best of all this? Looking good need not cost a fortune, tastes great, doesn't require painstaking effort or involve too much time!

Rehydrate your skin and body and preserve your health with green tea. Even caffeinated green tea hydrates you, which helps keep your skin hydrated too. It is loaded with antioxidants (catechins), and these naturally protect your skin from the sun's damage (but you should still take appropriate protective sun precautions as well) and the antioxidants are a basic bodily defense against free radicals that age your skin and body. Active ingredients that stimulate the metabolism can also be found in green tea; a good metabolism will in turn burn away the excess fats, helping to keep you slim and trim. And green tea can help preserve your mind and slow its aging process, which in turn can help you to feel more beautiful because you're not struggling to remember things or fretting about dementia. Many different forms of green tea are available in the markets and a great selection of different types is available for you to choose from, included flavored and seasonal green teas.

Slow down the aging process with vitamin E. Vitamin E is an important anti-aging antioxidant and can help slow down skin aging. It can be found in foods such as pumpkin seeds, dry roasted almonds, other nuts and seeds, and small amounts of quality vegetable oils.

Keep in top form with omega-3. Omega-3-fatty acids help to keep your face smooth with their anti-inflammatory properties and your hair shiny and in good condition. Omega-3 can be found in a range of foods such as: cold-water fish (tuna, salmon, mackerel, trout, herring, sardines), flaxseeds, and walnuts

Enjoy omega-6 as another source of skin replenishment. Have a peanut butter and jelly sandwich—just make sure the bread is whole wheat and the jelly is added sparingly. Peanut butter is a rich source of omega-6 fatty acids, which come in a close second to omega-3s when it comes to protecting skin from aging. Avocados are good source of omega-6, too

Rejuvenate your skin cells and keep your body in top form with tomatoes. Tomatoes are full of a red pigment known as lycopene, which appears to act as an antioxidant. This antioxidant helps to neutralize free radicals before they can cause damage and this can benefit good skin health; it can also protect the skin from ultra-violet (UV) stress. Tomatoes also contain fiber and vitamin A, which can assist the development of skin cells, while a vitamin A deficiency can lead to dry skin. Tomatoes are also full of fiber, which also helps keep your body in great shape. Cooked tomatoes can provide access to more nutrients than having them raw but either way, cooked or raw, these fruits will do you a world of good.

Strive for skin that is more elastic. Oranges contain vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant that mops up free radicals, such as those caused by overexposure to the sun, or those coming from the carbon monoxide released by moving vehicles etc. Free radical damage leads to premature aging of the skin and vitamin C is a great way to give your skin and body a boost. As well as oranges, other citrus fruits are a great source of vitamin C or vegetables such as bell peppers.

Stay hydrated and keep your skin smooth. Drink lots of water and regulate consumption of dehydrating beverages that contain caffeine and alcohol. Aim to drink half your body weight of water in ounces every day

Source :
Adapted from: Lifestyle Edition, Ballito, Fairbreeze, p. 11, 27 August 2010, Local Press, South Africa, 2010.
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