Stop Stubborn Wrinkles Eating These 3 Foods

Dark, Leafy Greens

Love them or not, dark, leafy greens are amazing for your whole body – and that includes your skin. These deep green vegetables are brimming with phytonutrients and antioxidant compounds that help protect your skin from damage. Of all the leafy greens there are, spinach is among the best, as well as the most versatile. Kale and Swiss chard are two more not to miss.

Why Greens are Great for an Anti-Aging Diet

Greens contain a variety of antioxidants and phytonutrients, but some of these are real standouts when it comes to protecting skin and even making it more supple. Kale and spinach contain zeaxanthin, lutein, and beta carotene, essential nutrients that have been proven to improve skin’s elasticity when consumed over time. Turnip greens, dandelion greens, cress, collard greens, and mustard greens are very good as well.

How to Eat It

I’m a huge fan of green smoothies, and these give me part of my daily dose of greens. Salads are great as well, and of course these sturdy greens stand up to cooking too, so they’re perfect for sautéing, adding to soups and stews, and even tossing into other foods such as pasta sauce and omelets. If you opt to boil your greens out of habit, you may be shortchanging yourself since some of the nutrients leach out into the water. Sautéing takes a little while longer, but it keeps those nutrients intact so your skin (and the rest of your body) gets the best possible benefit.

However you prepare your greens, be sure to consume them with a little bit of healthy fat such as olive oil. Many of the rich, essential nutrients in the greens are fat-soluble, meaning the body is best able to absorb them when there’s some fat present in the digestive tract.

While most of us get a good dose of greens just a few times per week and some enjoy them even less often, it’s a very good idea to make these nutritious veggies a central part of your diet. Try to have a large serving – about 3 cups raw or the cooked equivalent – at least once a day.

Olive Oil

Remember the days when we thought we had to avoid all sources of fat? As it turns out, the experts were wrong. Not only are some fats essential for heart health and overall well-being, they are also excellent tools in our natural anti-aging kit. Olive oil is a prime example. Although it’s simple, it does some pretty amazing things for our bodies.

Many of the studies surrounding olive oil’s benefits focus on the way it helps prevent high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and heart disease. One study conducted in France, though, showed that people who consumed olive oil as part of their regular diet suffered less photoaging than those who didn’t. A nutrient called squalene is partly to thank for this effect. The study’s authors noted that “Squalene is to a large extend sequestered in the skin (sebum is reported to contain 12%), where it is believed to exert a major protective effect against free radical damage and skin dryness. Polyphenols are also known to be powerful radical scavengers. Both squalene and polyphenols have been assumed to be primarily responsible for the beneficial effects of the Mediterranean diet.”

Why Olive Oil is Essential for Erasing and Preventing Wrinkles

This amazing oil offers monounsaturated fatty acids and antioxidants including polyphenols and vitamin E. These nutrients help eliminate free radicals, which are destructive molecules with a direct tie to the aging process. Not only do free radicals prompt faster aging, they also have links to chronic disease and cancer.

In case you’re wondering, olive oil has some additional anti-aging benefits that have nothing to do with the way you look. When you make olive oil one of your primary fat sources, you provide your brain with some protection from age-related cognitive decline including dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, and memory loss.

Not only can you help your skin by adding olive oil to your diet in place of other fats that aren’t quite so good for you, you can use a drop or two to moisturize your face. You may mix it in with other moisturizers (do this right before you moisturize) or you may simply apply it to your freshly washed face. Be sure to use a tiny bit and add a little more if you need it. A few drops go a long way!

How to Enjoy Olive Oil

While there are many types of olive oil available, virgin or extra-virgin is best – and if possible, it’s a good idea to get the organic variety. The less refined the oil, the higher its phenol content, meaning the more you’re going to benefit.

You can use olive oil to cook with, and you can use it to make your own healthy salad dressings, too. My favorite way to get my daily dose of olive oil is to make a simple dressing with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, fresh garlic, basil, and a touch of Himalayan sea salt. I blend it up right before I make my salad, and I toss it together for immediate enjoyment. This is just one idea!

Blueberries

Blueberries may be tiny, but they are powerful! These little wonders contain more antioxidants than nearly any other food on the planet. They’re highly accessible thanks to their popularity, and they can provide your skin with plenty of protection from damage.

Why Make Blueberries a Regular Treat

The antioxidants in blueberries help prevent free radicals from damaging your skin and over time, these nutrients may even help smooth out some of the fine lines that come from stress and overexposure to the sun.

Not only do blueberries protect your heart, your brain, and your skin, they can play an important role in protecting your eyes from the effects of aging as well. A study published in the British Journal of Nutrition showed that anthocyanin-rich foods such as blueberries “have the potential to prevent age-related macular degeneration and other retinal disease related to RPE cells.”

How to Enjoy Your Blueberries

It’s easy to get blueberries into your daily diet. You need about one half cup each day to ensure that your skin benefits. Eat them fresh or buy them frozen and use them to top your smoothies or yogurt. Dried varieties without added sugar make a fantastic addition to salad.

Be sure to focus on blueberry products without a lot of added “stuff.” The closer they are to their natural state, the more intact their nutrients are and the better they are for you. Given the option, you might find that it’s best to choose wild blueberries over domestic ones – even if those are frozen rather than fresh; studies have shown that these contain more antioxidants than cultivated varieties. Whichever variety you choose, it’s going to be a great addition to your diet and your skin will thank you. Don’t worry if you can’t find nice, fresh blueberries in season. Flash-freezing preserves all the nutrients in their peak state, so your body gets as many benefits as possible from those delicious berries, even though they’re conveniently located in the supermarket’s freezer!

These three amazing foods aren’t just great for your skin – they are also renowned for their ability to help prevent chronic disease when employed as part of an overall strategy for maintaining good health. Try adding them to your regular routine. Enjoy them and foods with similar nutritional profiles frequently while following other common-sense strategies such as moisturizing, minimizing sun exposure, and staying hydrated. While it may take a few months to notice changes, you’ll probably find that added benefits including better energy and maybe even an improved mood will kick in faster.