Category Archives: Superfoods

30 Sep

Top 10 Anti Aging Foods

The key to any anti-aging program is to eat a balanced diet while keeping your calorie intake and saturated fat consumption down. You should include plenty of whole grains, fresh fruits, vegetables, and oily fish, and cut down on how much salt and sugar you consume. There are also several foods you can eat that help slow down the aging process.

Berries

Blueberries, blackberries, black grapes, and blackcurrants contain phytochemicals that are considered powerful antioxidants. Antioxidants help protect our bodies from damaged caused by aging and free radicals. Red grapes are also high in resveratrol which have been shown to prolong life.

Garlic

Garlic helps protect our bodies from heart disease and cancer. You can eat raw or cooked garlic each day to reduce cholesterol and also works better than aspirin to keep your blood thin which lowers your risk of heart disease.

Green Vegetables

All your green vegetables including spinach, salad leaves, broccoli, lettuce, and other greens help fight off the toxins in the body while keeping your weight down.

Avocado

The avocado fruit is an exceptional source of monounsaturated fats that assist the body in lowering the levels of bad cholesterol. It is also a great source of vitamin E which is known to promote healthy skin and prevent premature aging. Vitamin E also helps in the prevention of hot flashes due to menopause. The avocado is also rich in potassium which acts to reduce water retention as well as high blood pressure. Simple cut the fruit in half, remove the seed, and enjoy with a little lemon juice. They are also ideal for use in salads or guacamole (learn how to make guacamole with these recipes).

Nuts

Just about all the variety of nuts are rich in minerals especially Brazil nuts and walnuts. Even though walnuts are loaded with calories they are an excellent source of potassium, zinc, selenium, magnesium, and iron. Our bodies need these sources to maintain a healthy digestive system and to improve our immune system.

Watermelon

Most people may not realize that the seeds of a watermelon are also nutritious along with the flesh. Adding them together in a juicer and drinking will protect your body from free radicals as well as premature aging.

Whole Grains

Whole grains such as brown rice, wheat, oats, rye, sprouted grains, maize, and barley are rich in minerals, fiber, and vitamins. They lower your risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, and premature aging. Whole grains are also instrumental in preventing diabetes and are digested slower as opposed to processed grains. You can find out more about which foods are whole foods here.

Teas

Green and white teas have a very high level of antioxidants which helps reduce the risk of certain cancer as well as heart disease. Antioxidants also help improve the look and feel of your skin giving it a healthy younger look.

Olive Oil

Olive oil acts as an anti-inflammatory and helps in reducing the age-related diseases like cancer or cardiovascular disease.

Fish

Fish is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which improve our balance, brain function, muscle tone and prevents certain cancers. You can find out more about the benefits of omega-3 and fish oil in general here.

30 Sep

Anti Aging Foods And Nutrition

Growing old is inevitable and the consequences of age are bound to show on our bodies. But these consequences and the time when they appear are greatly influenced by our lifestyle.  Unhealthy lifestyle leads to premature aging. Alcohol, smoking, unhealthy diet, and too much exposure to the sun are the main reasons for premature aging. We are what we eat – this is so true. Through healthy eating and healthy lifestyle we can delay the effects of ageing and live a better, more active, and fulfilling life.  There are basic foods that are considered healthy and then there are foods that can even be called Anti Aging Foods. These are foods that contain substances that work in a way of slowing down our aging or repairing the damage done by everyday life. Including anti aging nutrition in our everyday diet can therefore be another step in the direction of a better healthier life.

On this page you will find a list of articles containing information about the anti aging foods and nutrition. Which foods are considered healthy and which foods can actually help you stay younger and why. What are whole foods and why should you eat them and more. We urge you to read through these articles and follow at least some of the advice given. And of course – check out the main anti aging recipe on the homepage of this website.

We wish you a long and healthy life!

30 Sep

Anti-Aging Through Nutrition and Fitness

As we get older, our energy begins to decrease and our vulnerability to illness increases. Our skin loses its elasticity, our heads lose hair, and our bodies gain fat, while we become more prone to arthritis, diabetes, memory loss, and cardiac problems. Aging is inevitable, but healthy food choices and exercise habits can help us extend our lives, and make us feel and look much younger.

This page is an entrance to the world of healthy foods that can and will help you stay younger, live healthier and longer life. It is the main anti ageing recipe that you should follow. Even though this website is dedicated to foods it is a whole lifestyle that brings the best results. So at the end there are also some pointer for what else can you do to slow down the ageing process.

After you read this page browse through other articles on this website that will give you more detailed insight into minerals, super green foods, superfoods, whole food vitamins, resveratrol, and other benefits of anti-ageing foods.

But first lets start with foods that you should include in your diet – vegetables and fruits…

VEGETABLES

If you are looking for the fountain of youth, look no further than your vegetable garden. Spinach, corn, kale, broccoli, beets, onions, eggplant and red bell peppers score highest on the antioxidant scale. Antioxidants protect our bodies against oxidation, or cellular damage caused by free radicals. Antioxidants have shown to be effective in the prevention of retinal diseases such as macular degeneration. Genistein, a substance found soybeans, fava beans and alfalfa sprouts, has been shown to inhibit the production of certain enzymes that activate the cancer genes. Cooking vegetables destroys much of their vitamins, antioxidant power, and nutritional value. Most vegetables are more nutritious raw than cooked. (Tomatoes being the exception, cooking them makes it easier for our bodies to absorb their nutrients.) Shop organic whenever possible, and eat vegetables within a week of purchase.

FRUITS

Getting the right enzymes and nutrients is vital for repairing the skin and stimulating cell turnover. As we grow older our bodies become depleted of their natural enzymes. Our cells gradually stop dividing and lose the ability to renew themselves, affecting every organ in our bodies, most noticeably, the skin. Fruits are loaded with vitamins, enzymes and antioxidants, which can help save our cells from aging prematurely.

Blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, grapes and plums pack the most antioxidant punch for fruits. In addition, apples, pomegranates, strawberries, raspberries and grapes contain ellagic acid, a natural insect repellent, that has demonstrated the ability to hinder the development of tumors within the body. This is accomplished by its ability to reduce the enzymes in the body that are utilized by mutated cancer cells. Studies of the apple also indicated that the fruit stimulates the production of collagen, a necessary component in the skin for maintaining the smoothness and elasticity that is characteristic of a youthful appearance.

SUPPLEMENTS

For many of us, it can be difficult to maintain a wide variety of fruits and vegetables in our daily diets. Supplements, like vitamins C, D, A and E, or a good multivitamin can help fill in the nutrition gaps.

Vitamin C

Tomatoes are a source of lycopene

One of the most commonly used supplements is vitamin C, found in oranges, kiwi, broccoli, tomatoes, papaya, and yellow and orange peppers. Vitamin C is an antioxidant essential for wound repair and tissue maintenance. Deficiency of Vitamin C leads to scurvy, depression, the formation of brown spots on the skin, and softened gums that can cause the teeth to fall out. Smokers who have diets low in vitamin C are at a higher risk of lung-borne illnesses than those who have higher levels of vitamin C in the blood. The recommended daily allowance for Vitamin C in adults is 75 – 90mg.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D is found in food sources such as fatty fish, eggs, and milk, and is also absorbed from exposure to sunlight thru the skin. New research on vitamin D appears to show an ability to prevent a myriad of cancers and other illnesses in people receiving significantly higher dosages than the common recommended daily allowance of 400IU. This new information has lead many researchers to believe that the majority of the population is deficient in Vitamin D, and they are not aware of it. Deficiency of Vitamin D can result in weak or misshapen bones, rickets, osteoporosis and osteomalacia. The best natural source of Vitamin D is the sun, but since the sun’s harmful UV rays can cause skin cancer and premature aging, supplementation is on the rise.

Vitamin A

Vitamin A is essential to the function of the reproductive systems, brain development, immune function, skin health, antioxidant activity, bone metabolism, and vision. Broccoli, carrots, kale, pumpkin, collard greens, and sweet potatoes are the richest food sources for vitamin A. High doses of vitamin A (isotretinoin) have been successful in treating severe nodular acne that is resistant to other treatments, because of it’s ability to reduce the secretion of sebum and the size of the sebaceous glands. Deficiency of Vitamin A causes blindness, impaired immunity, hypokeratosis (white lumps at hair follicles), and keratosis pilaris, while excess vitamin A has been shown to cause birth defects, headaches, hair loss, severe dryness of the skin, jaundice, blurry vision, and mood changes. The recommended daily allowance of vitamin A for adults is 4000IU.

Vitamin E

Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant that is believed to significantly decrease oxidative stress and blood pressure, contribute to cardiovascular and prostate health, and boost immune response. Spinach, almonds, sunflower seeds and seed oils, collard greens, beets, tomatoes, pumpkin, sweet potatoes, and avocados are rich in Vitamin E. Vitamin E is commonly added to creams and lotions, as well as taken orally, to treat dry and aging skin. The recommended daily allowance of Vitamin E for adults is 400IU.

EXERCISE

Fitness is of utmost importance as we age. This doesn’t necessarily mean working out at the gym every day, but taking walks, cycling, dancing, and gardening are fun activities that help us stay healthy and mobile. A persistent sedentary lifestyle can lead to obesity, cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, depression, high blood pressure, kidney stones, diabetes, and colon cancer. Maintaining muscular strength will improve posture, increase balance, and prevent the development of osteo- or rheumatoid arthritis and many other diseases linked to a lack of physical exercise.

FOODS AND SUBSTANCES TO AVOID

Fast foods and sodas are filled with empty calories that pack on weight, while providing little nutritional value to our diets. New research has also shown that a high-sugar diet deactivates our body’s natural antioxidant enzymes, leaving you more vulnerable to sun damage, and causing dull skin and wrinkles. Instead of drinking sugary sodas, try a nice antioxidant-packed green tea, sweetened with honey. Honey is a great natural sweetener that is high in vitamin C, niacin, riboflavin, and potassium and packed with amino acids.

Smoking has well known health risks, but did you know it causes accelerated aging second only to sun exposure? Smoking inhibits absorption of vitamin C and breaks down the supply of collagen to the skin’s structure. Smoking is also linked to early onset of menopause in women. Alcohol dehydrates the skin and inhibits the body’s ability to absorb calcium. Excessive consumption of alcohol can lead to liver problems, bone loss, weight gain and osteoporosis.

Junk food, alcohol, and other vices, like most things, should be enjoyed in moderation. Remember, it is far more difficult to reverse the signs of aging than it is to prevent it. Developing healthy food and exercise habits at a young age will help us look and feel younger, healthier, and happier well into our senior years.