Wrinkles are an inevitable sign of aging. Despite looking nostalgically back at our youthful days of smooth skin and tight faces, wrinkles are bound to come to all of us eventually. However, the speed at which you get wrinkles is entirely up to you. Despite the apathetic acceptance of wrinkles plaguing even the best of us, you can help to reduce wrinkles, and not using hyped-up anti-wrinkle creams.
Wrinkles are, in fact, increased by a couple of things. Firstly, exposure to UV causes wrinkles by damaging the skin cells irreparably. While the body is able to repair the skin as much as possible, it makes a copy of the last cell that was there. If you damage the skin through UV exposure, no cells will replicate the damaged ones. Secondly, excess sugar in the blood causes high blood sugar levels. This blood glucose sticks to the collagen, making it brittle and in turn, making it far more difficult for the skin to repair itself. The last controllable reason for skin degeneration is your diet (this is also included with blood sugar!). There are certain foods which are conducive to younger looking skin as they help to repair skin cells and therefore, ward away the wrinkle parade.
- Avocado
Avocado is the superfood for skin. It is packed full of vitamin E and C, which help to protect you from the sun, while also having antioxidant properties that kill off pesky free radicals, which speed up the aging process. Equally, the good fats and fatty acids in avocados provide a great moisturizer for the skin. Skin lacking moisture will wrinkle more easily.
- Tomatoes
A Meditteranean is meant to be one of the healthiest in the world because of the high level of olive oil used. However, the amount of tomatoes they use could also add to the reason it helps you to live longer. Tomatoes are very high in vitamin C, while also containing a component called lycopene. Lycopene helps to protect your skin from the sun, while also improving vascular health, which increases circulation, allowing blood flow to the skin, to help it repair itself.
- Blueberries
Blueberries are jam-packed with antioxidants which help fight off free radicals. Equally, they help with cell rejuvenation and replenishment over time, helping to fight the signs of aging in the skin. They also help with long-term cell damage, helping to reverse the effects. Blueberries are also high in vitamins which help with sun protection and lowering blood sugar levels.
- Cinnamon
Cinnamon has been used for a whole variety of ailments in Chinese medicine for centuries. It has powerful anti-oxidant properties, as well as anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties that help to protect against infections in the skin that damage the cells. Most importantly, cinnamon can lower blood sugar levels, which helps with the prevention of wrinkles, while also protecting you against Type 2 Diabetes.
- Green tea
Green tea has been the answer to everything in Japanese culture for centuries due to its high antioxidant levels. However, recent studies have shown that the polyphenol called EGCG in green tea reactivates skin cells that are dying, giving them a new lease of life. Where skin cells live for around 28 days, by day 20 they sit on the surface ready to die. EGCG regenerates these cells.
If you want to fight the effects of aging and keep that skin tight, try by adjusting your diet. Keeping high levels of vitamins C and E are important, so you may want to introduce a supplement such as ‘Ultimate Man Once a Day’ into your diet.
