Fruits and Vegetables that recede Ageing

By Nwanne  Paulla

Most of what we consider as signs of ageing: wrinkle skin, fading memory, diminishing physical capacity and increased susceptibility to infection are actually little more than deficiencies of critical chemicals called antioxidants. The lee way out of this problem is to eat foods that maximize your antioxidant intake while minimizing intake of free radical load.

Slowing down the process of ageing is possible. The body is designed to heal and repair itself with the aid of proper nutrition. Our bodies are constantly producing waste products just like the exhaust gases coming from exhaust pipes of our cars. Waste products are acidic and are called toxins. Toxins cause tiredness, pain and ageing. One you need to eat less acid producing foods. On the contrary, eating the following fruits and vegetables will help maintain and replenish our body bio – mechanical vitality.

Most fruits and vegetables will contribute to your quest for youthfulness. 

Avocado

Avocado is high in fat, but much of it is “good” fat, the mono – unsaturated type, which resists oxidation. It is high in glutathione, an antioxidant which helps neutralize fats in other foods, also lowers and improves cholesterol better than a low fat diet.

Berries 

Blueberries have more antioxidants called anthocyanins than any other food. Both blueberries and cranberries help ward off urinary tract infections. The older people who eat strawberries have the lowest rates of all kinds of cancer.

Cabbage

People who eat cabbage once a week for a month have 66 percent of risk for colon cancer. Cabbage also seems to deter stomach cancer. Savoy cabbage (the crinkly type) is the strongest one; you can eat it raw or lightly cooked, for the best effect. 

Carrots 

These are legendary in fighting off ageing disease. Men who eat a couple of carrots a day lows their blood cholesterol by 10 percent, beta – carotene, carrots main antioxidant asset is a power house against ageing and disease. People with low levels of beta – carotene in their blood are more susceptible to have heart attacks, strokes and various cancers.

Citrus fruit

The orange is the complete package of every class of natural anticancer inhibitor known, including carotenoids, terpenes, flavonoids and vitamin C. Grape fruit has a unique type of fiber that reduces cholesterol and reverse the ageing disease atherosclerosis.

Onions and Garlic

They might give you bad breath, but they help prevent cancer, thin the blood and raise the good type (HDL) of cholesterol. Red and yellow onions are the richest of all foods in quercetin, an antioxidant that inactivates cancer-causing agents, inhibits enzymes that spur cancer growth and has anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, anti-fungal and antiviral activity. The allicin in garlic lowers the bad LDL cholesterol and triglycerides. It reduces blood pressure, boosts immunity and has antibiotic properties.

Spinach and Tomatoes 

There are heavy in lutein, an anti-ageing agent which rival’s beta-carotene for effectiveness, spinach also has beta-carotene plus a good dose of folic acid, a brain and artery protector. 

Tomatoes are the richest source of lycopene, which helps to prevent mental and physical functioning among the elderly and high levels of lycopene also reduce the risk of pancreatic cancer.

Grapes 

Grapes contain 20 known antioxidants that work together to fend off oxygen free-radical attacks that promote disease and ageing. The antioxidants are in the skin and the seeds, and the more colourful the skin, the greater the antioxidant punch.

Want to Remain Young?

Here are some sure tips to keep you looking at least ten years younger than your age. 

• Drink a glass of vegetable juice every day.
• Eat at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables every day. The goodness of fruits and vegetables can never be undermined.
• Consume less oil. The excess fat we consume in the form of oily snacks get oxidized and rancid thereby producing a burst of free major action in the body. These actions in the body can normally diffuse and cause ageing. 
• Drink green tea and eat a lot of fish.
• Avoid sugar and refined flour.
• Stop smoking. Smoking can age people by ten years apart from playing havoc with the health. It ages the skin and brings on wrinkles around the mouth and eyes.
• Eat up to ¾ of your capacity. This helps your digestive machinery to work better. Include at least two calcium rich foods every day. 
• Exercise or take a brisk walk for 30-40 minutes regularly for at least 6 days a week.
• Stay involved with family and friends. Being loved and a sense of belonging work as shock absorbers and help rev up immunity.
• Maintain a positive outlook.
• Doing what really makes you happy. Doing meaningful work with honesty and living life in a conscientious and responsible way, contribute to inner peace and longevity. 

In addition, frequent intake of pure water is crucial. Health problems and the anti-ageing process would improve if we drink more water. Therefore, people need more variety in their diet to ensure that they get everything their body needs, for effective anti-ageing.

Published in maiden edition, Lens Newspapers Vol. 1 No. 4.