All-Natural Factors to Stay Young

Ageing is a natural process that all of us will go through. Many people dream of ageing gracefully which can seem like an unattainable feat at times. News published last month show that the number of aesthetic clinics in the country increasing at least seven-fold in the past 10 years. Cosmetics procedures are becoming more popular among Malaysians who want to maintain their youthful looks or be more attractive.

An increasing number of Malaysians are paying for cosmetic surgery to enhance their features and reduce wrinkles or improve their body shape. Among popular procedures that women and even men go for are injecting botulinum toxin (or Botox), fillers and platelet-rich plasma (PRP) into their faces to reduce wrinkles, and laser treatments to lighten dark spots.

Is there any cheaper solution? Couldn’t eating the right foods, in the right way, be a simpler, and ultimately more long-term way to look and feel younger? As many say “You are what you eat.”

With the right tips and advice, ageing with grace is much easier than you think.

First and foremost, while it is impossible to turn the clock back you can still slow things down. Every cell replicates from RNA and DNA. In order to keep the DNA in good condition, you want to protect cells from harmful free radicals by eating plenty of fruit and vegetables which contain vital anti-oxidants like vitamins A, C, E and zinc.

Protein

Have you ever noticed how women age more rapidly than men? That’s because they don’t eat enough protein. The days you don’t eat protein are the days you age. The body can’t store protein, but it needs it for cellular production and function. For healthy ageing, consider grazing over six smaller meals, instead of three big ones. Studies have shown that this helps your body absorb more nutrients, control its weight and decrease the potential for heartburn. In fact, some studies have shown that eating the same amount of calories in six smaller meals has led to considerable weight loss!

Essential Fatty Acids

At each meal you should be able to hold up three fingers of protein (lean fish or poultry, nuts, seeds or tofu); an essential fatty acid (Omega-3, that’s coldwater oily fish, flaxseeds, linseeds) and a low glycaemic carbohydrate (fruit, vegetables, and wholegrains like quinoa, buckwheat and oatmeal). A good example is eating wild Alaskan salmon twice a day, claiming its essential fatty acids would banish puffiness and tighten the skin.

Dietary Sugar

Another big culprit that makes you look old is dietary sugar. Up to 40 per cent of wrinkles are caused by it. When you eat high glycaemic carbohydrates like bread, cheesecakes and pasta, they turn into sugar in the blood so fast that the pancreas can’t respond with enough insulin and the blood becomes saturated with sugar. The sugar needs to go somewhere so it attaches itself to the cell membranes. When it does this to collagen molecules in the skin, it causes the collagen to become stiff and immobile and that’s the birth of the wrinkle. The bad news is that it doesn’t end there – the sugar then pumps out free radicals, causing a double whammy of damage.

The good news is you can prevent it – either by cutting out sugar or by taking a supplement of alpha lipoic acid, which is 400 times stronger than vitamin C and E combined. So ditch the sugar.

Vitamin D

Another good tip is adding vitamin D supplements to your diet possibly to slow down ageing. There is not a consensus yet on the research that shows its affect. However, vitamin D has other benefits like helping our immune systems, helping the absorption of calcium and others that you might as well add it in even if the jury is still out on the ageing affects.

Make sure you’re getting enough vitamin D in your diet. If you’re not, try eating more fish or drinking more milk. If you can’t do either of those, look into supplements. Vitamin D has been shown to slow the ageing process and can keep you looking and feeling young much longer. Plus, it has other health benefits as well!

Sleep

Last but not least, healthy lifestyle plays a role. Try to maximise the amount of sleep that you get at night. When you sleep, your body can recharge and restore the nutrients that you lost during the course of the day. In addition, you will feel more energised and can prevent stress by getting at least 6-8 hours of sleep per night.

Smoking

Quitting smoking is one of the most important health tips at any age but as you get older, you are going to hear it more and more from doctors and friends. Smoking does not only lead to cancer, but it will also accelerate the ageing process of your face. You will develop more lines around the eyes and mouth.

Foodstuffs That Keep You Young

• Spinach contains the pigment lutein, present in the retina, which helps maintain the health of the eye.
• Tomatoes contain the anti-oxidant lycopene, which can protect the skin from UV damage from the sun.
• Purple or red berries – such as blueberries, raspberries and strawberries – are full of anthocyanins which can help protect against diabetes, heart disease and cancer, and help maintain strong arteries.
• Oily fish, such as fresh water salmon, herring, mackerel and sardines, and also flax seeds and linseeds, are the main source of omega-3 fatty acids, which can delay the ageing process of the skin.
• Water: Drinking more aids digestion and elimination; drinking too little can harm the complexion.

…AND SOME THAT AGE YOU

• Carbonated drinks – along with tea, coffee, sugar, red meat and alcohol – can push the body’s balance towards the acidic, meaning that alkaline minerals (such as calcium) are removed from bone stores to balance it, weakening the bones. Restricting them may help you keep stronger bones.
• Nightshade vegetables – potatoes, tomatoes, chillies, aubergine and peppers – while often healthy in other respects, contain a chemical that studies suggest can activate pain and inflammation associated with arthritis. Avoiding these foods may help reduce it.
• Refined carbohydrates – such as white bread, white rice, sugary cereals, pasta and noodles – contribute to the development of type II diabetes, which accelerates the ageing process and, if not controlled, can lead to a wide range of other health problems.