International Antiaging Article

Food to the Rescue!

"You are what you eat." We have all heard that before. I guess that would make me junk food. That does not mean, that if you eat preservatives that you will be well preserved. Unfortunately, it does not work like that. In today's society there are many people who are interested in slowing the aging process. One way to do this quite naturally is through the food that you eat.

Quite obviously you must eat to survive. But many foods that we eat have what we call "empty calories" that is, calories that the body does not need to supply the nutrition needed to slow the aging process. For instance, much of what we consider "fast food" does not supply much nutritional value for these functions. French fries for example are high in calories, fat, cholesterol, salt, and starch. They are processed foods, which means that they actually add to the degenerative process of undernourished cells (rather than healthy cells) replacing dead cells which speeds the aging process.

So obviously what you eat can make a huge difference in the aging process. You should cut down on your intake of salt, sugar, and carbohydrates. You should eat more fruits, vegetables, legumes, lentils (peas, beans), whole grains, and fish (this does not include shell fish). Blueberries, strawberries, and cranberries in particular are very good fruit to eat because they contain phytochemicals. But to actually get the benefit from the phytochemicals the berries had to have been picked within the last forty-eight hours and must have been vine ripened. Apples, strawberries, grapes, and raspberries have also been shown to help slow down the aging process and to slow the growth of tumors. This is because they contain an acid called ellagic acid which minimizes enzymes that are utilized by cancer cells. Also, the acid serves as a natural insect repellent. Recently we have been hearing about lycopene being added to multivitamins. This can be found in cantaloupe, peaches, and apricots. Lycopene is an antioxidant that guards the body's cells from free radicals. Apples also produce collagen which helps the skin maintain its elasticity to help it keep wrinkle free.

There are also vegetables with antioxidants in them. These vegetables would be sweet potatoes, carrots, and spinach. Soybeans and alfalfa sprouts contain genistein which is another enzyme that works in the prevention of cancer. An avocado, while being high in fat is a terrific source of antioxidants. It also lowers and improves blood cholesterol better than a low fat diet does. Garlic is another effective anti-aging food, and if you do not like the flavor, you can always take it in pill form.