Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Food for Anti-Ageing

Have you already started to use an anti-wrinkle cream? Most of it are expensive and yet it can only do so much if you don't take care of your skin on the inside. Today I'm going to share with you some foods that pack a punch of antioxidants which protect against free radicals, which we all know causes ageing. Make sure to add these to your grocery list.      

Garlic
Garlic has antioxidant, antiseptic, antibacterial and antiviral properties. While it is used to help treat intestinal, respiratory and skin infections, its most important use is to help maintain a healthy heart circulation. Garlic can reduce high blood pressure, lower levels of harmful blood fats(LDL-cholesterol and triglycerides) and improve blood circulation hence healthier skin.



Dark Green Leafy Vegetables

Such as spinach and broccoli are a rich source of vitamin C, which is great for the skin. They also have carotenoids and anti-cancer substances such as sulphoraphane and genistein. They contain a variety of carotenoid pigments which help to prevent age-related eye problems such as cataracts and macular degeneration.



Soybeans
Soybeans contain isoflavones-hormone-like substances that help to prevent ageing due to hormone imbalance. They are also believed to help protect against hormone-sensitive cancers, such as those of the breast and prostate gland. Soybeans can be found in food like tofu and miso.


Tomatoes
A rich source of lycopene, tomatoes help prevent cell ageing. Cooked tomatoes release five times more lycopene than raw tomatoes. Increasingly research is suggesting that, of the many types of carotenoids found in food, lycopene is the most beneficial for protecting against coronary heart disease and cancer - especially cancer of the lung, stomach, mouth, colon, rectum and prostate gland.



Nuts & Seeds
Nuts and seeds are essential for healthy skin as they are rich in Vitamin E, selenium, zinc and essential fatty acids. Selenium is needed to produce antibodies, for healthy skin and thyroid function as well as being vital for the action of many important antioxidant enzymes in the body. The richest dietary source of selenium is found in Brazil nuts. Walnuts are an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids and have been shown to help raised cholesterol level.



Apples & Berries

Apple contain pectin which help to lower our cholesterol levels, and antioxidants to rid of free radicals. The Vitamin C found in berries is great for building up new collagen in the skin and they also help to prevent those ghastly thread veins that appear as we get that little bit older.





Hence, it is true that 'we are what we eat'. What we put into our bodies translates into how we look and feel on the outside. So boys and girls, if you want to avoid looking like a vintage leather handbag, follow the above advice and have fun with life instead!!



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