Reduce signs of ageing with diet
AGE is just a number, but things like your diet can make this number more pronounced than it needs to be. It is often said that you can look 10 years younger just by keeping within your required weight and eating right, and Kirk Bolton, dietician and public relations officer at the Jamaica Association of Professionals in Nutrition and Dietetics, confirms this.
He explained that fat, muscles, organs, bones and water are the main constituents of the body, and as you age, and especially after age 30, you tend to lose lean tissue due to loss of muscle mass, which can speed up ageing.
“Like a tyre that’s done a certain mileage and suffered wear and tear, so do your muscle, kidney, liver and other organs which lose some of their cells. Bones lose some of their minerals and as a result bone density is lessened (not as thick as before). Muscles lose their tone and bulkiness is lessened. Overall tissue loss will also reduce the amount of water in the body,” he said.
“Fat mass gradually increases after age 30 and older people tend to have 33 per cent more fat compared to when they were younger. Diet and exercise habits can play a large role in a person’s weight changes over their lifetime. Eating healthy becomes more important. Your lifestyle choices affect how quickly the ageing process takes place.”
Below he lists ways you can alter your diet to reduce the signs of ageing.
1. Eat a healthy diet
Bolton said this should include fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and the right amounts of healthy fats (plant-based). “You should balance intake from the six food groups, which include your staples (complex starches); food from animals (lean and low-fat types); legumes (peas and beans which are also a good source of protein if you wish to vary your source with that of the animal base); fruits (fresh whole fruits and less juices); vegetables (more raw vegetables are better); and fats and oils (reduce intake but do not cut out totally from your diet).”
2. Reduce your intake of salt (sodium)
Excessive salt intake has been shown to reduce telomeres — the protective caps at the end of chromosomes, which are responsible for age-related breakdown of our cells. When they get too short to do their job, the cells age and die.
3. Reduce intake of sugary foods
Sugar overload can cause a reaction called glycation, in which the sugars in your bloodstream attach themselves to collagen fibres. Collagen and elastin are protein fibres that keep the skin firm and elastic. Once damaged, they become dry and brittle, leading to wrinkles and sagging.
4. Increase your water intake
Instead of drinking sugary juices, increasing your water intake will promote detoxification and ward off cardiovascular illnesses as it reduces blood viscosity — thickness and stickiness of the blood. It also prevents inflammation, clots, plaque, and reduces toxins.
5. Reduce intake of processed foods
Many of these foods have preservatives which can accelerate the appearance of ageing. They also tend to be high in salt, which can make you look puffy
6. Limit your alcohol consumption
Alcohol dehydrates your body, causing the kidneys and liver to overwork and leaving your skin dry. Skin that is dry wrinkles more quickly. Alcohol also robs the body of vitamin A which is critical for cell renewal and cell turnover.
7. Avoid tobacco products
Cigarette smoke destroys collagen, elastin, and tissue that are key to maintain a youthful appearance. Smoking can also lead to insomnia, which will result in bags and dark circles under your eyes.
Bolton said one very important step is to speak to a nutrition professional, as these practitioners are the experts in the science of nutrition and dietetics and are qualified to advise you on how to eat properly and teach you how to use your foods to meet your health objectives.
“So the next time you visit your physician, ask for a referral to see a nutritionist or dietitian. Stop the confusion, let us educate you on how to meet your health goal through proper nutrition.”
