Age-defying secrets (Part 1)

Everyone wants to look youthful forever and will do everything possible to attain that effect.

One wise thing to do would be to eat foods that maximise anti-oxidant intake while minimising the free radical load. This will actively resist the ageing factor.

While it may sound a bit intimidating, it is not quite as difficult to achieve. Following a low-fat, vegetable and fruit-rich diet – simple rule of thumb that anyone can follow. The anti-ageing food plan focuses on organically grown, unprocessed, chemical-free foods.

Foods contain combinations of nutrients and other healthful substances. However, no single food can supply all nutrients in the amounts you need. For example, oranges provide vitamin C but not vitamin B12; cheese provides vitamin B12 but not vitamin C. To make sure you get all of the nutrients and other substances needed for health, choose the recommended number of daily servings from each of the five major food groups: grains, vegetables, fruits, milk, meat and beans.

By following a healthy diet plan, you can protect your immune and cardiovascular systems from damage, prevent diseases of degeneration, and slow the ageing process. Essentially, you accomplish two goals: first you boost your intake of disease-fighting essential nutrients, antioxidants, phytochemicals, and fibre – the substances that reinforce your body’s healing powers, increase its resistance to diseases, and extend life span. Second, you sidestep disease-causing substances – the fats, sugar, white flour, pesticides, antibiotics, hormones, additives, and preservatives that undermine health and shorten life span.

Trading your carbo-fat-rich diet for a fruit-veggie-centric one works both for health and looks. Fibres and lentils are, currently, the magic words of the much touted beauty-heath food regime.

 

Foods to include
Before you begin the anti-ageing food plan, you have to make a commitment to stick with the diet that will substitute the meats, the dairy products, and the highly refined and processed fare with the following foods:

Grains - What you need is a diet, which is high in complex carbohydrates and low in protein and fat. So you will be getting many of your daily calories from grains such as wheat, rye, oats (oatmeal and oat bran), millet, rice (brown, not white), and corn. For the most nutritional value, stick with organic, whole, minimally processed grains and grain products as much as possible. 

Legumes - Legumes are seed-pods – beans, peas, lentils, and the like. Stock your pantry with all kinds: adzuki beans, anasazi beans, black beans, brown beans, chickpeas, green beans, green peas, kidney beans, lima beans, mung beans, navy beans, pinto beans, and, of course, soybeans and soy products (such as tofu, tempeh, and soy milk).

Fruits - You can’t go wrong in this group either – simply choose whatever is in season. Fresh fruits are preferable to frozen, since the freezing process can destroy some of the nutrients. As for juices, purchase organic products made from whole fruits or try making your own from organically grown whole fruits. Avoid juices made from concentrate as well as those with added sugar or with preservatives.

Vegetables - Vegetables are the most nutritious elements in an anti-ageing diet plan. They are also the best sources of protective phytochemicals. We are fortunate to have so many varieties of vegetables made available to us today. There is a whole range of green, yellow and red vegetables to choose from. No matter which ones you choose, you will get bountiful amounts of vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals, and fibre. It is always a good idea to plan a menu that includes vegetables of all colours because that is the easiest way of ensuring that most of the vitamins and other essentials are available to you.

Beets, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, eggplant, garlic, green beans, kale, leeks, onions, peas, peppers (all kinds), potatoes (sweet and white), spinach, sprouts (all kinds), squash (all kinds), string beans, and tomatoes are especially recommended for their nutritional value.