Foods that Fight Aging and Help Make You More Beautiful

People are always on the search for ways to maintain a youthful appearance and fight the signs of aging. Men and women spend hundreds or even thousands of dollars on lotions, creams, and cosmetic procedures to look their best. Fighting aging from the outside is one way to handle the situation, but why not try fighting aging from the inside out? While nothing is fool-proof in the war against Father Time, there are many foods you can incorporate into your diet that will promote radiant skin, nails, and hair that could save you from a costly trip to the plastic surgeon's office.

It's a given that you need water to keep yourself hydrated. By drinking water, you will help your body flush out toxins and keep the skin supple. Spruce up plain water by adding fresh fruits, such as lemons, raspberries, or strawberries. Many people find adding slices of cucumber and mint leaves to water refreshing.

Foods rich in antioxidants protect the body from free radicals, slowing the aging process. They also help prevent cancer and heart disease. Broccoli, berries, tomatoes, grapes, spinach, and carrots are a few foods high in antioxidants. Blackberries and blueberries contain flavonoids, which are a strong antioxidant. Try adding fresh berries to vanilla yogurt as a snack. Raw or steamed broccoli makes a great side dish, just try to take it easy on seasonings and butter. Tomatoes can be added to the diet in a variety of ways, such as sauteing fresh tomato with a little olive oil and serving it over angel hair pasta.

Having dark circles underneath your eyes can instantly make you look older. Often this is caused by an iron deficiency. Many dietitians suggest that the combination of iron and Vitamin C has been helpful for decreasing dark circles in the eye area for many people. Vitamin C also promotes collagen build-up, which helps fight wrinkles. Red meat, spinach, collard greens, liver, artichokes, salmon, and various dried beans (chick peas, navy, kidney, soy, etc.) are a few iron-rich foods. A few foods good for Vitamin C are sweet red, yellow, and green peppers, oranges, guava, kiwi, potatoes, broccoli, and cauliflower.

Vitamin E, another antioxidant, also helps promote the healing of wounds and sunburns. Good sources of Vitamin E are avocados, sunflower seeds, peaches, almonds, safflower oil, and corn oil.

Proteins and essential fats are necessary for healthy nails, hair, and skin. Hair and nails are made from a protein called keratin, and eating foods containing healthy proteins will help the body build-up keratin reserves. Lean meats, like turkey and chicken breasts, are excellent sources of protein. Fish is also a great way to add more protein to your diet. Tuna, salmon, and other oily fish are rich in nurturing Omega-3 fats. These fish also contain Vitamin A and another powerful antioxidant, selenium. Proteins can also be found in eggs, legumes, milk, beans, and cottage cheese.

Incorporating as many raw or fresh vegetables into your daily diet will produce a number of health benefits. You'll look and feel better and you'll be preventing certain types of cancers and heart diseases. Eating the right kinds of proteins and fats, in addition to increasing your intake of vitamins and minerals through foods, will increase your body's chances of fighting of the signs of aging. It's also important that you consult a dietitian or doctor before making any radical changes to your lifestyle or diet, especially if you have certain medical conditions.