Anti-Aging Tips
I hope you are having a great day.
Let’s begin our post with something funny.
Here are my favorite “getting older” one-liners:
1. 60 might be the new 40, but 9:00 pm is the new midnight.
2. The older I get, the earlier it gets late.
3. When I say, "The other day," I could be referring to any time between yesterday and 15 years ago.
4. I remember being able to get up without making sound effects.
5. I had my patience tested. I'm negative.
6. When you ask me what I am doing today, and I say "nothing," it does not mean I am free. It means I am doing nothing.
7. I finally got eight hours of sleep. It took me three days, but whatever.
8. I don't mean to interrupt people. I just randomly remember things and get excited.
9. Don't bother walking a mile in my shoes. That would be boring. Spend 30 seconds in my head. That'll freak you right out.
Getting older sucks, right?. But then again, the alternative is not great either.
So how do we slow down the effects of aging?
I will share with you anti-aging tips that will keep you looking younger regardless of your age. After all, age is just a number, right?
The Secret Formula
Since the beginning of time, people have been obsessed with looking and feeling younger. Billions of dollars are spent every year on creams, face massagers, and magic formulas. Is there something that works?
There is. It’s called anti-aging foods. (we'll talk about the best cosmetics for anti-aging in a different newsletter).
Incorporating these foods in your diet will slow the effects of aging in every part of your body.
Here are my favorite go-to anti-aging foods:
1- Blueberries
Rich in Anthocyanins, blueberries have been shown to delay aging and promote longevity.
By eating blueberries, you get to protect memory-associated regions in the brain from oxidative damage and slow age-related damage to brain cells.
2- Figs
Figs are rich in flavonoids and polyphenols.
These compounds are responsible for strong antioxidant properties which could help prevent various oxidative stress-related conditions such as neurodegenerative issues.
3- Maca
Maca is the root of a vegetable native to the Andes region of Peru.
Also known as the “Peruvian Ginseng” (even though it doesn’t belong to the same botanical family as ginseng.)
As we age, hormones decline. Maca has been proven to balance and normalize estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone.
In South America, Maca is also used to improve sexual dysfunction, prevent osteoporosis, enhance fertility, and relieve menopausal symptoms.
Maca roots are available in many health stores but can also be ingested as a supplement. Get it here.
4- Tumeric
Turmeric has amazing anti-aging properties. It also has been used in cosmetics formulations. According to research, the curcumin in Turmeric may help against aging of the joints, brain, and other neurodegenerative conditions. Get it here.
5- Avocado
Avocados have important essential nutrients to prevent the negative effects of aging. It’s one of the best anti-aging foods around.
Packed with monounsaturated fatty acids and antioxidants, eating avocados can also help keep your arteries young and healthy.
Foods that can age you
Let’s talk about the foods to avoid at all costs unless appearing older is what you are looking for. Needless to say that this list is long but I want to share the most damaging foods with you.
1- Fried foods
Yes, potato chips too.
Fried oils (including vegetable oils) can impair cell respiration and reduce immune functions within the body.
2- Hot dogs
Hot dogs (like other processed meats) are packed with preservatives that can create free radicals within the body.
And free radicals lead to the oxidation of your cells and DNA.
If that’s not enough, processed meats can also cause enough damage to lead to cancer and other health conditions.
3- Sports drinks and soda (including diet sodas)
A study started measuring the PH of popular store-bought drinks.
The more erosive a drink is, the more it will damage your teeth. And damaged teeth are the first sign of aging.
Drinks with a PH under 3.0 are labeled “extremely erosive” while drinks with a PH between 3.0 and 3.99 were “erosive”.
Sports drinks fall in the category of extremely erosive while sodas fall between extremely erosive to erosive.
The added sugars also increase inflammation. Not good!!
4- High glycemic index carbs
Foods such as pretzels, pasta, and cereals (even the self-proclaimed healthy cereals) have been proven to accelerate the skin’s aging process and wreak havoc on the skin. It can also cause acne and rosacea.
5- Artificial sweeteners
Artificial sweeteners disrupt the composition of our gut microbiota by decreasing levels of the good bacteria Bacteroides, which are known to help release anti-inflammatory compounds.
My Take
Many factors influence how we age.
Genetics, smoking, sleep quality, sun exposure, your environment, and many more.
There might not be an anti-aging pill yet, but I truly believe that exercise and diet are important contributors to looking and feeling young.
And the good thing is that we have control over our diet and exercise.
So if you are looking for an anti-aging solution, incorporate the foods I mentioned (and get rid of the bad ones.) You’ll feel better and look younger.
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À bientôt,
Laurent