Everybody ages. It’s a natural part of life.
Still, it isn’t easy to imagine or watch your body change from its youth. You can take preventative steps by making small adjustments to support your health and wellbeing.
Keep reading to find out tips on how to prevent aging by eating nutritional foods.
Get Plenty of Antioxidants
In a nutshell, antioxidants keep the cells in your body from becoming damaged by harmful molecules known as free radicals.
Foods that naturally contain high amounts of antioxidants include:
- Artichokes
- Beans
- Bell peppers
- Berries (e.g. blueberries, goji berries, raspberries, and strawberries)
- Dark, leafy vegetables
- Dark chocolate with at least 70% cocoa
- Green tea
- Nuts
You can add these foods into your meals to keep your cells healthy. That way, they won’t degrade faster and cause signs of aging to appear before they should.
Prevent Aging With These Skin-Boosting Nutrients
One main aspect of anti-aging that people focus on is skincare. This is because our skin can show signs of aging better than most other biological markers.
As we age, our skin loses moisture and elasticity, resulting in fine lines and wrinkles. To combat that, you’ll want to eat foods that are high in:
- Curcumin (e.g. in turmeric)
- Vitamins A, C, and E (e.g. in foods like avocados, sweet potatoes, and broccoli)
- Magnesium (e.g. in fish, spinach, and quinoa)
- Omega-3 fatty acids (e.g. in fish and nuts)
By seeking out foods with high amounts of these nutrients, you can give your skin everything it needs to stay hydrated and firm.
Take Care of Your Digestive Tract
If our digestive tracts aren’t healthy, they can’t absorb the nutrients that help us feel and look younger.
So, it’s important to incorporate foods that boost digestive processes. Do this by getting plenty of fiber as well as natural probiotics.
Soluble Versus Insoluble Fiber
There are two types of fiber: soluble and insoluble. Soluble fiber helps slow down our digestion so we can absorb nutrients, while insoluble fiber speeds up the food waste through our systems.
Great sources of soluble fiber include:
- Apples
- Barley
- Beans
- Chia seeds
- Lentils
- Oat bran
- Nuts
- Peas
- Seeds
Sources of insoluble fiber you should eat are:
- Dark, leafy vegetables
- Wheat bran
- Whole grains
You may want to monitor your fiber intake to make sure you’re body gets enough. That way, your digestive tract can absorb the nutrients you eat to prevent aging.
Avoid Inflammatory Foods
Inflammatory foods can lead to unwanted weight gain and disease as we age.
This includes things like:
- Artificial trans fats
- Refined carbohydrates
- Processed meats (and processed foods in general)
- Vegetable and seed oils
To seek out anti-inflammatory food, try to shop for fresh and organic fruits, vegetables, and whole. Whenever you dine out, look for healthy restaurant foods to fill your plate.
Feel and Look Good
Although it’s a natural process, you can prevent aging by taking care of your body. Get plenty of antioxidants, nutrients, and avoid inflammatory foods. Eat your fair share of organic whole grains, fruits, and vegetables and you’ll be on the right track.
Keep reading our blog for more ways to boost your health with food.