Afraid of looking older as you age? Want your skin to look youthful while maintain a healthy body? One key step to making thus happen is eating healthy. Eating too much sugar and processed carbohydrates (like pasta, bread, and baked goods) can lead to damage in your skin’s collagen, which keeps your skin springy and resists wrinkles. These foods are also tied to diseases such as heart disease and diabetes. Below are a list of foods that you want to avoid eating as you get older in order to prevent aging, and live an overall healthier life.
Potato Chips and French Fries- Foods like potato chips and French fries that are deep-fried in oil can cause inflammation throughout your body. These foods also contain trans fats which you definitely want to avoid. t can raise your LDL “bad” cholesterol and lower HDL “good” cholesterol, which increases your risk for heart disease.
Doughnuts and Other Sugary Pastries- It’s important to avoid foods and pastries that contain a lot of sugar as you age because sugar is linked to the development of wrinkles. If you want your skin to remain young, try your best to cut down on the sugar.
Hot Dogs/Bacon/Pepperoni- Processed meats are usually high in saturated fats, and have nitrates in them. It is important to keep the number of saturated fats that you eat to a minimum. All of these foods can also cause inflammation.
Fatty Meats- Fatty means are also high in saturated fats. Next time you’re purchasing meat, look for meat that is around 95% lean. Tenderloin, ground turkey breasts, and chicken breasts tend to be leaner options.
Alcohol- Moderate drinking may be good for your heart, but heavy drinking can rev up the aging process. “Moderate” is one drink per day for women (such as a 5-ounce glass of wine or 12-ounce glass of beer) and two drinks for men.
Margarine- Margarine is known for having culprit which is trans-fat that destroys hydration throughout your body. The less your skin is hydrated, the faster the wrinkles appear.
Energy Drinks- Energy drinks are very high in sugar and very acidic, which can damage teeth and leave them more prone to stains that will age your smile. Plus, their high caffeine and sodium content can lead to dehydration, especially if you are drinking them instead of water.
Foods with Lots of Salt- Foods that are high in sodium cause you to retain water and feel bloated. The water retention can make the skin look puffy and tired. High salt foods] trigger dehydration and some early studies show it damages DNA, shortening telomeres and accelerating aging.
Preventing aging can be as simple as having a healthy diet and avoiding certain foods. It’s crucial that as you get older, you drink more and more water to hydrate your skin, and keep it looking as young as possible. You should also try your best to reduce the amount of saturated fats that you eat, and eliminate trans fats all together.
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