A Balanced Diet: Better Than Anti Ageing Cream

Age has a deteriorating effect on our body and its functions, which lead to age related diseases and conditions. A balanced diet and regular exercise can help you look younger. Of course, it cannot reverse your age, but it can certainly prevent any further effects of ageing on the body.

How a balanced diet can help

The ageing process is largely due to free radicals. These are formed as a result of the reaction of oxygen with other molecules in the body. These elements are highly reactive and can harm the body if they react with the DNA molecules of the body cells. As a result, the cells can die or get damaged to the extent that their functions are impaired.

The body’s mechanism for countering these free radicals is antioxidants. Antioxidants are molecules that react with the free radicals and stop their chain reaction by eliminating them from the body. Intake of only one type of vitamins promotes the production of free radicals, increasing the chances of damages by the same magnitude. Therefore, synthetic vitamins are generally best to be avoided or at least be included within a balanced diet they were never intended to replace anyway.

In fact, you can include fruits, berries and fresh vegetables as part of a balanced diet for fulfilling your body’s vitamin requirements. A balanced diet provides the body with balanced quantities of all types of vitamins, reducing the impact of radicals in the body and slowing down the process of body degeneration.

A balanced diet will supply you with Phyto-Nutrients

Plants are rich sources of different types of nutrients. These nutrients, which are derived from plant sources, are called Phyto-nutrients. Foods like whole grains, teas, beans and nuts are rich sources of Phyto-nutrients, which are healthy and nutritious. Although these nutrients are not essential, they are a good addition to a balanced diet. Besides these, fresh vegetables and fruits like berries are also rich in Phyto-nutrients, which are capable of slowing down the ageing process.

A Balanced Diet and Its Benefits

Age, health and nutrition are interrelated concepts. Unfortunately, our eating habits have deviated from the natural pattern. As a result, our food contains hazardous chemicals that can damage our bodies. The presence of preservatives, chemicals and additives deteriorate the nutritional value of the food significantly.

In fact, they are responsible for causing a number of conditions, which include birth defects in children, diseases and cancer. A  balanced diet not only keeps you active, but it also keeps you young. Therefore, the understanding of ‘what is a balanced diet’ is extremely important.

A balanced diet, that is also anti ageing, must include the following foods –

• Colourful fruits and vegetables

Colourful fruits and vegetables are rich sources of anti-oxidants. They are absolutely essential to a balanced diet. Besides this, they are also known to improve blood circulation and reduce the risk of chronic heart diseases. You must particularly include blueberries, deep red tomatoes, leafy greens and carrots to prevent signs of ageing, like wrinkles, from appearing.

• Whole Grains

Whole grains keep your body circulation at its best and helps in keeping the heart healthy.

• Fish

Omega-3 fatty acids possess anti-aging properties and are found best in fish. However, you can also take supplements of the same if you are vegetarian. To know more about Omega 3 and what role they play in a balanced diet, please click here.

• Beans and Lentils

These two foods are excellent sources of plant protein and are a good element of a balanced diet as an alternative to red meat for saturated fats.

• Nuts

Nuts are rich sources of good fatty acids, which is known to reduce the risk of high cholesterol and blood pressure.

Weight is a fundamental parameter for measuring body health and ideal weight can only be maintained when a balanced diet is adopted. These foods also help in maintaining an optimal body weight. You may even lose weight easily if you replace “junk food” with healthy vegetables and fruit snacks.