The secret to staying young may lie simply in the foods we eat. Read on to find out more about which foods can slow the aging process down, ensuring you a long and healthy life.
Fibre
Modern lifestyles have caused a surge in consumption fast, pre-prepared food in which dietary soluble fibre is almost absent altgether.
Long-term benefits to eating soluble fibre include:
- Help to regulate the bowels and may act as a natural laxative.
- Assisted weight loss and maintenance of a healthy weight.
- Increased satiety, keeping us feeling full for longer.
- Helps to stabilize blood sugar levels, making it easier to manage Diabetes.
- Prevents constipation, hemorrhoids and diverticulosis.
- Linked by science to potentially prevent colon and breast cancer.
- Reduces LDL (“bad cholesterol”) levels in the blood, reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Good sources of soluble fibre include foods such as:
- Apples
- Barley
- Beans and other legumes
- Fruits and vegetables
- Oatmeal and oat bran
- Brown rice – clearly lower blood cholesterol.
High-fiber foods are also digested more slowly, so they don't cause spikes in blood sugar levels like white bread, potatoes and sweets do. Of course, everyone knows that fiber helps keep you regular, but so do laxatives. Fiber, however, has an added plus: High-fiber foods help us feel full, making it easier to control weight
Soy
Despite all its controversy, soy comes with a host of health benefits that can extend the years of your life. Some of these benefits include:
- Soy fibre has been scientifically proven to reduce blood cholesterol as efficiently as some medications, and may reduce the risk in heart disease.
- Soy is high in Iron, relieving symptoms of Anemia and the low iron levels experienced by woman throughout menstruation.
- Soy has been anecdotally reported to help women manage symptoms of menopause onset, such as hot flashes.
Good sources of soy include:
- Soy Milk
- Soy yogurt
- Tofu
- Tempeh
Antioxidant Superfoods
Superfoods are rich in phytochemicals and anti-oxidants that may also slow down the aging process. Some of hteir benefits include:
- Protection against cardiovascular disease.
- Protection against cancer
- Improved sense of balance.
- Increased cognitive and memory abilities.
Superfoods are rich in Carotenoids and anthocyanins that give the foods their deep colours of orange, red, blue, purple and green.
Good Superfood choices include:
- Broccoli, which may protect against colon cancer.
- Kale and spinach, both rich sources in calcium, and may protect from age-related diseases such as macular degeneration.
- Tomatoes, a rich source of lycopeine that has been shown to protect against cervical and prostate cancer.
- Squash, Carrots, Yams and sweet potatoes that fight of squamous cell carcinomas and protect against skin cancer.
- Berries (in particular blueberries and blackberries), plums and eggplant all assist the liver to recycle and eliminate cholesterol, lowering the risk of cardiovascular disease and improving overall cognitive ability.
Dairy Products
The aging process brings with it weaker, more brittle bones, and an increased risk of fracture and osteoporosis. Calcium rich dairy products, such as milk, cheese and yogurt can prevent this and help many other age-related diseases by:
- Keeps your bones and teeth strong and healthy
- Help you heart muscles contract
- Regulating your heartbeat
- Reducing the risk of Colon polyps
- Assisting weight loss and maintenance.
Water
It is a well documented fact the most people don’t drink as much water as they should, which according to the National guidelines is minimum of 8 glasses per day.
Water keeps you looking and feeling younger for longer by:
- Flushing toxins from your body
- Hydrating tissues
- Replenishing energy levels.
- Assisting the digestion of fibre.
Oils
Free radicals may speed up the ageing process when not eliminated by the body. Oils contain the anti-oxidants that combat these free radicals, as well as essential fatty acids that keep you looking and feeling younger. Some of these include olive, fish, hemp, cod liver, sesame and linseed oils. Their varied benefits include:
- Blocked activation of carcinogens
- Soothed digestion
- Anti-inflammatory affects
- Omega 3 content lowers blood triglycerides and reduce the risk of atherosclerotic plaque building up in the arteries (leading to cardiovascular disease)
- Some may raise HDL cholesterol (the healthy cholesterol)
- Noticeable improvement of skin
- Improvement of memory and cognitive functions.
