There are various foods, which when in their natural condition contain anti-oxidants which stave off free radicals present in the human body. Free radicals affect cells within our body and over time plays a role in how quickly we age.
Contact with these free radicals is inevitable because they're formed by natural activity within our bodies. However, this can be changed. Doing away with challenging habits like consuming processed foods, alcohol consumption or caffeine or smoking is a good start. Supplying the body with many different fresh fruits and vegetables provides important vitamins and free radical fighting anti-oxidants. The anti-oxidants break down the free radicals by neutralizing them in our bodies.
Some of the supplements which are considered to be useful in modifying the aging process to our advantage include omega-3 fatty acids, beta carotene, and vitamins A, C and E. By incorporating these natural ingredients into your daily diet, along with drinking plenty of water and exercising you can play a personal role in the anti-aging process. With regards to exercises, one activity which I generally recommend is exercices aquagym (French article) as it can be done by individuals from diverse background.
A few foods which contain these anti-aging ingredients are the following.
#1-Flax Seeds, walnuts, fresh water fish, cabbage, and Brussels sprouts contain crucial omega-3 fatty acids.
#2- Fruits are full of vitamins A and C, two of the best anti-oxidants there are. With the plethora of fruits available, it's simple to place them into your day. Grab a piece of fruit on the go. It is wrapped in its own package, sweet and prepared to eat. Or have a fresh fruit salad as a meal or for a delicious dessert.
#3- Don't forget the tomatoes. Also a fruit, they have exactly the same great vitamins A and C. Tomatoes are available all year round and can be added to soups, use into sauces, cut up for a sandwich or tossed in a salad. With this flexibility, it's an easy task to include them into your meals.
#4-Have your greens. Green vegetables including spinach, kale, collard greens and broccoli are rich in not only vitamins A and C, but vitamin E and beta carotene also. With that much anti-oxidant power, you'll neutralize those free radicals right away. Greens can be served on their own, inside a salad, steamed or added to a delicious soup.
Many other foods have healing properties that play an important role in slowing aging as well. Included in this are apple cider vinegar, blueberries, cranberries, garlic, green tea, pepper mint, milk thistle, chamomile, alfalfa and citrus fruits.
Although none of these foods are the "Elixir of youth", using them frequently as part of a balanced diet is able to reduce the toll time takes on the body.
The process of aging is natural. There's no halting it, merely slowing it down or speeding it up. It is only you who can decide which route you are going to take.
