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7 Foods that Can Keep you Looking Young

Have you ever wondered why your face looks older when you are down and depressed or stressed, but it immediately looks 10 years younger when you are happy and on holiday? Well, we cannot always have the ideal life, and many of us juggle our careers, kids and what have you. The good news is that certain foods you eat, can actually keep you looking young.  Life, it ain’t easy, but here are 7 foods that can keep you looking younger, for just a wee bit longer.

 

The 7 foods, that can keep you looking young are..

Dark Chocolate

Clinical trials to date to show improvement in blood vessel function from consuming flavonoid-rich dark chocolate daily over an extended period of time. The Kuna people of the San Blas islands, off the coast of Panama, have a rate of heart disease that is nine times less than that of mainland Panamanians. The reason? The Kuna drink plenty of a beverage made with generous proportions of cocoa, which is unusually rich in flavanols that help preserve the healthy function of blood vessels. Maintaining youthful blood vessels lowers risk of high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, kidney disease and dementia.

Blueberries

Expensive to buy these in Malaysia but a Study by researchers at an American University found that rats who where fed blueberries outperformed rats fed regular chow, on tests of balance and coordination when they reached old age. Compounds in blueberries (and other berries) mitigate inflammation and oxidative damage, which are associated with age-related deficits in memory and motor function.

Fish

Thirty years ago, researchers began to study why the native Inuits of Alaska were remarkably free of heart disease. The reason, is the extraordinary amount of oily fish they consume. Fish is an abundant source of omega-3 fats, which help prevent cholesterol buildup in arteries and protect against abnormal heart rhythms. Of course the source of the fish is important too – go for wild salmon vs. farmed salmon (some have been shown to be high in mercury). Uncontaminated water source is vital.

Nuts

Studies have shown that Nuts are a rich source of unsaturated fats, so they offer benefits similar to those associated with olive oil. They’re also concentrated sources of vitamins, minerals and other phytochemicals, including antioxidants. Be careful though some nuts are pretty high in cholesterol e.g. cashew nuts. Stick with the healthier almonds!

Wine

Drinking alcohol in moderation protects against heart disease, diabetes and age-related memory loss – Red wine being the best. Red wine contains oligomeric procyanidins as the likely ingredient in red wine’s polyphenols that contributes to heart health and longevity. Take note, moderation is key, i.e. drink one glass not one bottle!

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Olive Oil

The monounsaturated fats in olive oil were largely responsible for the low rates of heart disease and cancer on the Greek island of Crete and in Italy. Of course now a days the advent of Junk/Fast Food and Coca-cola have made these countries catch up to the rest of the world in terms of mortality rates. However, we do know that olive oil also contains polyphenols, powerful antioxidants that may help prevent age-related diseases and keep one looking youthful.

Yogurt

While the age-defying powers of yogurt never have been proved directly, yogurt is rich in calcium, which helps stave off osteoporosis and contains “good bacteria” that help maintain gut health and diminish the incidence of age-related intestinal illness.

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So, your mission this week is to ensure you get at least the 7 mentioned items in your diet, starting now. Wishing all my readers a stress free week.. stay young!

 

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2 Responses to 7 Foods that Can Keep you Looking Young

  1. Kirstin April 2, 2013 at 11:09 pm #

    You forgot to mention Lingzhi Mushrooms!

    • ciki April 2, 2013 at 11:36 pm #

      True! thanks for saying it 🙂

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