How to Eat Your Way to a Younger You

You've heard it from mom since you were a kid. Eat your fruits and vegetables, stay away from junk food, and get your hand out of the cookie jar! Of course, you've heard it before, but did you ever really listen? What does mom know anyway?

Well it turns out that mom was right all along. We all should have been eating healthier sooner, for a multitude of reasons too numerous to name here. But one of the reasons I want to focus on in this article, is how eating healthier can discourage aging and prolong youthfulness.

You see, you'll never know when the aging process is going to start, or when you are going to start seeing signs of aging. The aging process is comprised of so many factors, from the obvious natural reasons to UV rays, and diet.

But it's never too late to start slowing down the aging process. It's all up to you! If you are committed to looking and feeling your best, then you owe it to yourself to start with the next meal!

Have you ever heard someone say, "You are what you eat"?

Well it isn't that far-fetched and actually holds some truth. You see, the food and all other things that you put into your body, and the things you do not, are laying the groundwork for your health and your appearance as well. For instance, someone whose diet consists of mostly such things as burgers and fries is highly prone to disease and premature or swift aging. A person whose diet is lacking in unsaturated fats, on the other hand, may have dry, flaky skin, and eventually age prematurely and develop wrinkles and skin problems.

So in a sense, what we eat lays the fabric of what we look like, as well as how we feel. With that said, I'm sure you do not want to look like greasy French fries, or fatty burgers. Of course not. Then let's talk about what we should be eating to help keep us healthy and young looking.

High Fiber Foods

Grains are not just a picture in our daily food group chart, but something that we should be eating on a regular, daily basis. Whole grains, cereals, black beans, apples, and pears are just some of the more tasty foods that are high in fiber. The fiber found in these foods aids in quick digestion and helps to keep bowel movements regular, and preventing constipation ; This is vitally important for a healthier, younger you.

Essential Fatty Acids (EFA)

EFA's are found in Fish, walnut, and flax seed oil, just to name a few. But these foods are among the best sources of Essential Fatty Acids. EFA especially the omega-3 fatty acids regulate the fluidity or softness of the cell membranes, thus making your cell membranes healthy and hold more moisture. Needless to say, that means younger, healthy looking skin.

Deficiency in EFA's is visible in a hardening of the skin, as with dry skin and acne. And those who are living in colder climates, you need even more EFA for membrane fluidity and moisture.

Fruits and Vegetables

Antioxidants found in fruits and vegetables fight off free radicals. Free radicals damage cells, tissue, and DNA, and are produced by our body's natural, everyday processes. But free radicals are also produced by unnatural environmental factors such as pollution, radiation, cigarette smoke and herbicides.

Antioxidants neutralize free radicals and decrease the occurrences of damage to the body's cells. This is good because you are guarding your cells from premature damage, and at the same time you are also protecting yourself from premature aging.

Selenium

Selenium plays a key role in making the skin healthy. It is a mineral similar to sulfur that lessens the oxidative damage of skin cells. It also helps in regulating the thyroid hormone and helps prevent hypertension, cancer, and stroke as well.

Selenium is found in such foods as chicken, whole-grain cereals, egg yolk, and garlic. Selenium is often added to antioxidant vitamin supplements.

As you can see, we have easy access to the foods that help keep us healthy and looking younger. It is completely feasible to add all these foods to your daily diet, and eliminate some of the unhealthy, albeit tastier foods.

So if you think looking younger was difficult, you now know that it is not, and it is well within your reach. For an easy start, include more fruits, vegetables, fish, and whole grains to your daily diet. Exert some self control and restrain yourself from eating foods high in fat, sodium, sugar, cholesterol, and calories. What you get in return is a healthier inside and a healthy, younger looking outside.

I think that's a pretty good trade! Remember it's never too late to start looking younger and it can all begin with your next meal!