Eat Yourself Younger

Eat yourself younger!

Skin  As you get older your skin loses its elasticity and it isn’t as supple as it used to be. Creams and lotions can only do so much – you need to nourish it from inside –the following are foods to help you stay wrinkle free –

Orange Veg – Carrots Squash pumpkin and sweet potatoes have very high level of beta- carotene which your body converts to vitamin A which is essential for good skin health – beta-carotene also helps prevent damage from free radicals which results in us ageing try roasting them with other veg such as peppers, onions and beetroot.

Berries – Berries are a really good source of vitamin C, which is needed for your body to produce collagen which gives skin its elasticity and structure – also Vitamin C is an antioxidant which protects our cells from damage. Another great fact about berries is there are lower in sugar than most other fruits and a diet high in sugary food can speed up the aging process.

Joints  Starting to feel stiff and achy in those joints, this can be a common occurrence as we all get older. If you have ruled out all other conditions then inflammation could be the problem – inflammation is simple the bodies process of bringing blood to sore or injured areas which raises the temperature in that area to help kill of any bacteria or other unwanted invader in that area” however sustained inflammation can be causes by a poor diet, as well as stress and other environmental factors.

So here are my 2 top tips for helping with that inflammation

1 – Listen to your body, get to know what works for you, with some people it is gluten and sugar, but you may develop sensitivity to other foods – a common one is foods that come from the deadly nightshade family – potatoes, tomatoes peppers aubergines and goji berries. In others Pork has been known to cause flare ups – try to eat more foods that naturally reduce inflammation such as seeds, nuts, vegetables and fermented foods- using fats such as coconut oil or linseed oil may help – and up the amount of fluid you drink – drinking more water will ensure the synovial fluids in the joint are kept at optimal levels.

2- Cortisol is a stress hormone which will cause inflammation – exercise helps to clear t it from your system which will help to reduce the inflammation, practicing mindfulness and meditation will also help.

Hair & Nails

Thin wiry hair, weak brittle nails these can add years to the way you look – what you eat can really impact them both.

Your body doesn’t consider your hair as a vital organ or tissue and therefore it doesn’t prioritise its needs, a nutritional imbalance can show up in the form of excessive hair loss, there are also lifestyle factors to consider and hormonal problems such as the menopause which don’t help keep your hair in tip top condition - Hydration is a key factor as well as foods such as nuts and seeds which contain good level of selenium.

Spinach and other foods high in iron will keep the follicles healthy. Eggs for vitamin D, Oysters for Zinc and seaweed has found to be good for dandruff and reduction inflammation of the scalp.