Age…what is age? Is it just a number? Is it based on wisdom, or is it just something that we all deny? The truth is age is still a mystery. There is one truth about age and that is we all want to look younger than we appear. What do most of us do when we feel that we are starting to look old? We find a resolution.
Many resolutions point to anti-aging creams, lotions, sprays, supplements, etc… By 2015 the sales in anti-aging products are expected to balloon to 291 billion! That’s a lot of money to just iron away a few wrinkles! Isn’t there a cheaper way to continue to look youthful?
Well if you think about the ingredients in the products, they are mostly things that can be found and consumed in nature. Let’s take apart some of these ingredients and find out what we can eat.
Alpha-hydroxy acids-Is a weak acid that can be found in sour milk (nasty!) and a number of fruits that include malice acid (from apples) citrus acid (oranges) and tartaric acid (grapes). This shallow bunch will definitely decrease those wrinkles.
Antioxidants-You see antioxidants on just about every package of frozen fruits to bags of spinach. In a nut shell, antioxidants are molecules that pair up and balance molecules that roam freely through your body. Without a partner these molecules will damage healthy cells that could result in the beginning stages of cancer. The crucial and age defining antioxidants are vitamins E and C. Throw some olive oil on that spinach and you will get antioxidant overload!
Resveratrol-Resveratrol can be found in your last glass of the night, and I am not talking about water. Resveratrol can be found in the skin of many red grapes. Due to its close association with red grapes, you will recognize this polyphenol in many red wines. Many people have boasted about its anti-aging effects on many chronic diseases such as Alzheimer’s and heart disease. There have been thoughts that it will halt the spread of cancer and even kill the cancerous cells. There is still plenty of research that needs to be done to see if supplementation is necessary, but until then….stick to your glass of wine.
-Phil