Aging affects every part of the human body. Everyone wants to stay youthful and healthy forever but aging does show its signs and eventually a person loses health. Aging cannot be averted but it can certainly be delayed. The signs of aging first start appearing on the skin. The skin begins to develop wrinkles, age spots, starts sagging and becomes dull. The lack of healthy diet and unhealthy lifestyle are among the most prominent causes of premature aging. Stress, pollution, changing hormones and lack of exercise all contribute to aging. The lack of a healthy diet does not provide the body with the required anti-oxidants that are essential to fight against the free radicals that cause oxidation and degeneration of cells and result in premature aging.

With aging, several health problems also start developing. Spondylitis, osteoporosis, heart diseases, high cholesterol levels, diabetes are all diseases which set in as a person ages. Thus, a healthy diet is a pre-requisite for slowing down the aging process and fighting off the signs of premature aging.

Anti-aging Foods

1. Olive Oil: Olive oil is considered to be one of the best anti-aging foods. It contains polyphenols which are anti-oxidants that fight age related diseases. These anti-oxidants fight the free radicals that cause oxidative stress and damage to the cells and cause premature aging. The high content of mono-unsaturated healthy fats also protects the body from various heart diseases and cancer that may be caused due to aging.
2. Green Vegetables: Green vegetables are great for slowing down the aging process. These contain folates, calcium and several other nutrients that prevent several age related diseases. Consumption of green vegetables helps to prevent from eye related problems that set in as one ages. These also provide the body with nutrients that help to overcome age related memory problems and signs of premature aging like wrinkles and age spots.
3. Yogurt: Yogurt has long since been considered as one of the best anti-aging foods. The consumption of yogurt provides the body with calcium which helps to fight osteoporosis and other age related bone and joint problems. Yogurt also contains probiotics which are good bacteria that keep the digestive tract free from infections. Thus yogurt helps to prevent age related intestinal disorders.
4. Whole Grains: Whole grains are rich in fibers, vitamins, minerals and anti-oxidants and so can prevent various age related illnesses like cardiovascular diseases and cancer. They are rich in fibers and so are digested slowly. This also enables whole grains to lower blood sugar and cholesterol levels and even prevent diabetes.

5. Berries:Blueberries, blackberries and cranberries are all rich in anti-oxidants that are required by the body to fight off free radicals that lead to premature aging. These berries also improve brain function and thus prevent brain related problems like dementia and Alzheimer’s disease in the old age.

6. Tomatoes: Tomatoes are rich in anti-oxidants called lycopene that helps to maintain a youthful texture of the skin and fights of radicals that cause wrinkles and age spots. The consumption of tomatoes also helps to prevent several age related illnesses and diseases.

7. Fish: Fish contains omega-3 fatty acids that prevent cholesterol build up in the body and so prevent from various heart diseases. Fish also helps to boost the immune system thereby enabling the body to fight off diseases and infections effectively. This in turn helps one to stay youthful and healthy for long.

8. Chocolate: Chocolate contains flavonols that keep the blood vessels healthy. This means that the good quality blood reaches all the body organs and systems which in turn prevent diseases like high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, kidney diseases and dementia all of which set in with aging. Thus with better functioning blood vessels, one stays youthful for a longer time.

9. Herbs and spices: Certain herbs and spices like turmeric, garlic, gingercontain anti-inflammatory compounds that can fight off age related conditions like Alzheimer’s disease, cardiovascular diseases as well as cancer.

9. Nuts: Various nuts like almonds, walnuts, cashews etc. are rich sources of proteins, healthy fats and vitamin which aid in slowing down the aging process and fighting off age related memory and heart problems. These also help to reduce inflammation in the body and thus prevent from age related bone and joint problems.

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