Foods to Stay Younger What to Eat and Avoid

Foods to Stay Younger What to Eat and Avoid

One of the secrets – probably the biggest – is what to eat to to stay young, vibrant and healthy. Today we talk about what to eat and what to avoid with foods to stay younger.

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If you ate well all of your life you will likely reap plenty of benefits as you age. But that may not be what you want to hear if you are in your 50’s and above. But the truth is even if you feel you put in the hard yards and now it’s time to have a few more dietary indulgences you may want to think again. Especially if you want to combat the aging process.

Nutrition and Health

Sure, you can, but unfortunately, your health and figure will suffer for it. Also, your ‘apparent physical age’, or how old you appear, is very dependent on your diet. Your appearance may already be living proof that you have not been as diligent as you could have.

However, you can slow the clock and even turn it back some if you choose. Even more important than how you look, good dietary choices play a huge part in preventing the onset of ‘old-age’ and ‘lifestyle’ diseases.

Maintaining a healthy mind and body by eating a nutritious diet will help protect you against diseases and health problems. This also means avoiding foods that can cause you more harm than good. This is a vital aspect that we too often gloss over.

Too often we rationalize our behavior in thinking that because we have eaten this healthy food, it is now ok to eat this food, that we know is not good for us. That is not how healthy eating works. Avoiding the bad is the biggest single secret to good health.

Here are some of the anti-aging foods that you should include in your diet and the foods to avoid that can make you actually age faster.

Anti-Aging Foods To Include

These foods can be found in the healthy Mediterranean diet, as they mostly comprise fruits, vegetables and fish. They are ideal anti-aging foods.

Avocado

 Rich in vitamins A, B, C, E, potassium, and anti-inflammatory fatty acids.

• Helps in getting rid of dead skin cells, making your skin smooth and supple.

Blueberries

• Full of benefits –  vitamins A and C, and antioxidant anthocyanin.
• Helps in protecting your skin from sun damage, pollution, and stress.
• Stops collagen loss.

Nuts Such as Almonds, Pistachios, and Walnuts

• Packed with vitamin E, Omega-3 fatty acids, protein, fiber, polyphenols, and anti-inflammatory phytochemicals.
• Protects your brain against loss of cognitive skills and memory.
• Helps in repairing your skin tissues.
• Maintains your skin moisture and protects against sun damage.

Papaya

• Full of antioxidants, vitamins A, B, C, E, and K, calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus.
• Maintains your skin’s elasticity and delays aging by minimizing fine lines and wrinkles.
• Prevents damage from free radicals.
• Gets rid of dead skin cells to promote new skin.

Pomegranate seeds

• Rich in vitamin C and antioxidants.
• Helps defend your body from cell damage from the free radicals that cause premature aging and many diseases.
• Minimizes levels of inflammation in your body that contribute to aging.

Sweet Potatoes

• Rich in vitamins A, C, E, and antioxidant beta-carotene.
• Enhances skin elasticity and skin renewal.
• Protects your skin from harmful free radicals.

Broccoli

• Full of antioxidants, calcium, fiber, folate, vitamins C and K.
• Enhances collagen production and increases bone health.
• Assists the health of the eyes.
• Maintains healthy brain function.
• Fight inflammation.

Romaine Lettuce, Spinach, and Watercress

• Rich in vitamins A, B1, B2, C, E, K, calcium, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, and iodine.
• Promotes good circulation and discharge of minerals.
• Fights free radicals and reduces premature fine lines and wrinkles.

Salmon and Tuna

• Rich in Omega-3 fatty acid (healthy oils)
• Help prevent age-related mental deterioration.
• Anti-inflammatory.
• Increases bone and joint health.
• Protects skin from dehydration.
• Promotes heart and eye health.

Food That are Aging

Besides making you age faster, these foods increase your risk of chronic diseases.

Deep-Fried  and Fast Food

Usually, these foods use unhealthy oils for frying. They cause inflammation, free radicals damage skin cells, skin dehydration causes wrinkles, and they weaken your immune system and cause heart disease.

Processed Foods – Bacon, Sausages, Pepperoni

These meats are packed with saturated fats, sodium, sulfite, and preservative nitrates. They cause skin dehydration, bloating, puffiness, and collagen damage because of inflammation. They increase the risk of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases.

Sugary Candies, Donuts, and Pastries

They are full of sugar, which causes inflammation and wrinkles, and destroys your collagen and elastin that keeps skin looking younger.

Cakes and Biscuits

Unlike foods to stay younger, cakes and biscuits are mostly packed with sugar, unhealthy fats, and refined carbohydrates that are heat-processed. They are foods to avoid and speed the aging process. As they cause dental issues, weight gain, unhealthy gut, and inflammation which lead to diabetes and heart disease.

White Bread and Pasta

 They are processed carbohydrates that can harm your skin’s collagen that prevents wrinkles.

Canned Foods

Some contain harmful ingredients and excess sodium. Sodium causes dehydration that induces fine lines and wrinkles.

Red Meats to Avoid

Some meats contain phosphates to increase their shelf life and enhance flavor and tenderness. Consuming foods with excess phosphates increases your risk of developing many health issues and diseases.

Difference

You might have noticed that inflammation and skin damage are always topical conditions, along with chronic diseases when aging is the topic. Although you cannot reverse aging, it’s possible to slow down the physical process and avoid some accompanying health problems by eating foods that promote youthfulness and good health.

A very obvious difference between the two classes of foods above is that the good group are almost exclusively fresh and whole foods, whereas the damaging group are mostly highly processed offerings.

Concluding Foods to Stay Younger What to Eat and Avoid

We all love to indulge now and then. So keep treats for the weekend, a special occasion while enjoying foods to stay younger the rest of the time. Add in healthy habits that will combat the aging process such as caring for your mind and body, get plenty of sleep, engage in hobbies that make you smile!