Reduce the Appearance of Wrinkles

Reduce the appearance of wrinkles from the inside out.

In other words…What to eat to look 10 years younger. Most people think that wrinkles are an inevitable part of getting old. This is not necessarily so.

One of the major reasons for wrinkles is when low-grade cellular inflammation-caused by pollution, too much sun, poor nutrition and by-products of the body’s metabolism-triggers the release of activator protein 1 (AP-1) and other chemicals that destroy collagen, the connective tissue that makes skin supple and elastic.

Improving your diet can reduce the appearance of wrinkles and including the ones you might already have. The secret is to avoid inflammatory foods and to eat foods that block the inflammatory process.
Most of these good foods also boost general health and help prevent cancer, heart disease and other illnesses.

The Food to Eat to Reduce Wrinkles

Protein: Protein is an essential component of repairing cells, including the collagen cells. Without enough protein, people quickly lose skin tone. The optimal amount is 65 grams (g) each day for women and 80g for men. Many nutritionists recommend that people have three meals and two snacks every day… each of which should include a serving of protein.

Examples: Just four ounces of roasted chicken breast delivers about 31g of protein… one-half cup of navy beans has 7g… four ounce of baked salmon has 22g.

Animal protein-from chicken, eggs, pork lean beef, fish, etc. provides more amino acids, a component of protein essential for cell repair, and is more readily absorbed than plant protein. Vegetarians should supplement their diets with protein powders and soy foods, such as tempeh and tofu.

Salmon: In addition to high-quality protein which aids in skin repair, fish contains essential fatty acids (EFAs) that block inflammation. Fish is also the best dietary source of dimethylaminoethanol (DMAE), a substance that prevents metabolic by-products (free radicals) from damaging skin cells.

Recommended: Eat fish at least three times a week. Salmon - either canned or fresh - contains the most protective compounds. Eating salmon twice a day can make your skin look more radiant in just three days.

If You Don’t Like Fish: You can take capsules of fish oil or flaxseed oil two or three times a day. Or you can have four teaspoons of flaxseed oil daily. You can grind up one tablespoon of flaxseed, and sprinkle it on food. After fish, it’s the best dietary source of EFAs.

Dark Green Vegetables: The dark, leafy greens - such as arugula, romaine, spinach and broccoli contain EFAs, carotenoids and other antioxidants that block inflammation.

Recommended: Eat green vegetables at least twice a day.

Olive Oil: Olive oil is rich in polyphenols, another type of antioxidant that blocks inflammation. It also contains monounsaturated fat called oleic acid, which makes it easier for the EFAs in fish and other foods to penetrate cell membranes. You can cook with olive oil or use it to make salad dressings.

Recommended: Two tablespoons of olive oil daily. Extra virgin Spanish olive oil contains the largest amount of skin-protecting polyphenols. We don’t know why Spanish oil is the most protective… it might be the soil or the particular type of olive tree.

Low-Glycemic Foods: An important consideration in a skin- healthy diet is a food’s glycemic index (GI). The index rates a variety of foods on a scale of 1 to 100, depending on their effects on blood-sugar (glucose) levels. Blood- sugar control is important because sudden surges trigger an inflammatory response in the skin.

White bread, for example, has very high glycemic index of 95, which means that it is quickly absorbed and floods the bloodstream with glucose, the form of sugar used by cells to produce energy.

Other High-Glycemic Foods: White rice, pasta, pretzels, candy, cake and other kinds of low-fiber starch.

Low Glycemic Choices: Lentils, oatmeal (instant or regular), peanuts, nuts and most fruits or vegetables.

Berries: Fresh or frozen strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and blackberries are among the best sources of
anthocyanins, compounds that block enzymes that degrade collagen as well as other connective tissue.

Recommended: Eat one-quarter cup of berries every day.

Lots Of Water: Water plumps up skin cells… reduces concentration of inflammatory chemicals… and improves the body’s absorption of vitamins and minerals.

So, now you can eat your way to youth! Remember the old saying…”You are what you eat.” Eat youth foods and reduce the appearance of wrinkles.