We all know that smoking, excessive time in the sun and lack of exercise will age us – inside and out. Short of discovering the fountain of youth, there is really no way to avoid the aging process. Many people don’t realize that their daily habits can age you faster. Consider that our bodies are like cars because they need fuel to operate. However, put in the wrong fuel, and you may have a problem.
As a certified nutritionist, I have studied and researched which foods speed up the body’s aging. I can tell you that a few indulgences won’t age you overnight; however, continuously eating an unhealthy diet will accelerate the aging process. You will see it in your skin, and your teeth and feel it in your body.
Read on to see what foods dehydrate your skin, weakens collagen, and causes inflammation, which speeds up the clock without you realizing it.
1) Processed food
I hate to say it, but processed foods are the type of food that will speed up the aging process. Typically they are high in sodium, high in saturated fat, and high in sulfites. Processed foods are a specific example of food that dehydrates your skin, weakens collagen, and really causes a lot of body stress.
2) Spicy food
These foods are a double edge sword. On the one hand, there is a lot of information out there that eating spicy foods will boost your metabolism, prevents ulcers, and aids in longevity. With that said, it can also irritate the skin and digestive system. This is one of those things that you take in moderation and realize it can make your skin and body feel worse.
3) Alcohol
Don’t shoot the messenger; alcohol robs the body of vitamin A – an antioxidant necessary for renewal and turnover. In fact, it dehydrates the skin, which is 64% water – so drinking daily can leave your skin puffy and inflamed. If you indulge, do yourself a favor and alternate your alcohol with water, your skin will thank you for it.
4) Sugary food
Danger alert! Sugary foods cause so much trouble inside and outside your body. Diabetes, high blood pressure, tooth decay and increased risk for arthritis, Alzheimer’s, depression, cancers while it ages your skin. Your body will take the byproduct of sugar (advanced glycation end products) and damage your collagen. It also promotes unhealthy microbiome and pro-inflammation which accelerates the aging process.
5) Fried fast food
This probably should go without saying but stay out of the drive through. When food is deep fried it is put in oil and fat at very high-level temperatures. The results is free radicals, and the main culprit in aging. Fried fast food damages organs and expands our waistline.
Want to feel better and avoid chronic health issues? Rich and flavorful are two keywords to describe a Mediterranean eating plan.
Check out Best Foods as You Age.
