4 Foods that Help You Age More Gracefully

We all age, you’ve aged just a few seconds since the start of this sentence.

And while we all age, we don’t all age the same.

Part of that has to do with genetics and environment and circumstances.

And part of that has to do with something that we can control, what we put in our bodies: AKA “diet.“

The truth is our diet can vastly improve how we respond to aging, in both a positive and negative way.

And not all foods are created equal in the “anti-aging department.”

By that we mean some foods are better at helping us respond to aging than others. Whether it's their native antioxidant profile that helps with aging, or its something else, there are a handful of foods that help your body respond better to the onset of aging than others.

The list is actually longer than you think, so we chose to focus on 4 that we believe you’ll enjoy eating with a fair amount of frequency.

4 Foods That Can Help You Resist Aging Better

We’re going to focus on foods we know you like, and would eat by the handful, as we believe that’s the best way to harness their effects.

1 - Blueberries:

Dr. Wiggy would tell you blueberries are one of the best foods to include in your diet.

Why? Well, they’re a great source of both vitamins A and C, which are incredibly potent antioxidants, but there’s also evidence to show that the antioxidant anthocyanin (which contributes to blueberries “blueness” can help you defy the effects of aging.

Studies seem to inculcate that anthocyanincs can help to keep your skin looking younger by shielding it from the sun, stress, and pollution. The theory is that anthocyanins help protect you from inflammation and may preserve the levels of collagen in your body 

2 - Red Peppers:

Again, the color of the food tells you a great deal about how it may be able to help you resist the effects of aging.

Red peppers have antioxidants called carotenoids. Carotenoids are responsible for the red, yellow and orange colors you see.

Red peppers appear to have higher levels of carotenoids than the other versions, which means they can likely provide more of the anti-aging benefits you seek.

Specifically, carotenoids can help provide protection against inflammation which has been shown to help protect skin from the effects of sun damage  as well as preventing pollution, and environmental toxins from harming the skin.

3 - Spinach:

Spinach doesn’t help with Popeye’s strength, but can give you strong resistance to the effects of aging.

Spinach can have an effect on how well your body oxygenates and this can help your cells operate better which decreases their cellular age.

It contains a long-list of anti-aging antioxidants to replenish the entire body. It’s also rich in:

• Lutein
• Vitamin A
• Vitamin C
• Vitamin E
• Vitamin K
• Magnesium
• Plant-based heme iron

Research seems to indicate that these vitamins when consumed in your diet help with collagen production as well as keeping inflammation down, both of which can help sustain your youthful appearance AND protect cells from advanced aging.

4 - Avocados:

Dr. Wiggy loves avocados as a superfood, and it’s quite easy to see why.

Healthline reports the following about how avocados can help you age better.

“Avocados are high in inflammation-fighting fatty acids that promote smooth, supple skin. They also contain a variety of essential nutrients that may prevent the negative effects of aging including:

• vitamins K, C, E, and A
• B vitamins
• potassium

The high content of vitamin A in avocados can help us shed dead skin cells, leaving us with gorgeous, glowing skin. Their carotenoid content may also assist in blocking toxins and damage from the sun’s rays and also help to protect against skin cancers.”

Avocado oil applied topically can also enhance your appearance, so you don’t just have to eat it to realize how well it can improve your health overall.

The point is you have the ability to control how well you age…

And if you eat poorly and don’t get enough antioxidants you put yourself at risk of aging faster than you need to.