Men have wisely been jumping on the anti-aging skincare bandwagon in greater numbers over the past few years. Everyone wants to look their best for as long as they possibly can, and an “anti-aging” lifestyle is a good one to foster.
While there are many cosmetic procedures, both surgical and non-invasive, that can help you look younger, it’s best to work with nature as much as possible. All the plastic surgery and botox in the world won’t do you much good if you don’t maintain your health.
Skin care – especially since that’s the first thing a person notices when they look at your handsome face – should be a top priority. And part of an anti-aging skincare regime is good nutrition.
Why? It’s all about free radicals and antioxidants. Free radicals are those pesky little molecules that tend to be unstable, and therefore able to wreck havoc on healthy tissue. They bounce around, bonding with other molecules and damaging them in the process. This causes skin breakdown at the molecular level – which leads to unhealthy skin and a premature aged look.
Antioxidants are nutrients (vitamins and minerals) and enzymes (proteins inside your body) that can help to prevent and repair damage to skin tissue. As their name implies, they work by slowing, or even preventing, the oxidation process caused by free radicals when free radicals bond with other molecules. This oxidation (think what a peeled apple looks like when it starts to turn brown) is what causes cell damage.
The good news is that replenishing your body’s supply of antioxidants is easy by eating the right foods. And there’s more good news – those foods are delicious, and in abundant supply during the summer.
Here is a list of five top summertime foods that offer anti-aging properties that will not only improve your health but help rejuvenate your appearance as well.
1. Raw Almonds. Any tree that looks so much like an artist’s painting is bound to also produce a great anti-aging food that can help you look great, too. A handful of raw almonds will give you your daily requirement of Vitamin E, the antioxidant properties of which help control the free radicals that can cause the wrinkles and lines of aging skin.
2. Apricots. The exterior of this fruit is orange due to the presence of carotenoids, powerful antioxidants that help prevent heart disease and high cholesterol, as well as fighting cancer. Not only that, but your body converts carotenoids into Vitamin A, essential for healthy skin and hair.
3. Berries. For healthy aging, nothing packs the punch like berries. Blueberries, strawberries, blackberries – whatever is your pleasure, you’ll be getting some of the highest antioxidant levels of any fruit.
4. Tomatoes. Lycopene, found in tomatoes, protects skin from the oxidation that results from skin damage and that can lead to wrinkles. To help your body absorb lycopene, add a tad of olive oil to your tomatoes. You can also get lycopene from a men’s antioxidant supplement.
5. Avocados. These have the highest concentration of Vitamin E of any fruit, essential for glowing skin and shining hair. In addition, avocados are exceptionally high in omega 3s, another critical component to maintaining healthy skin.
So start enjoying the sumptuous bounty of summer, and assist your body in skin rejuvenation at the same time, with these delicious natural sources for anti-aging.
Dr. Tess Mauricio, “America’s Favorite Dermatologist,” is an author, renowned international speaker, physician educator and nationally known media personality. This San Diego dermatologist is the Founder of Scripps Ranch Dermatology & Cosmetic center in San Diego and Dr. Tess Dermatology in La Jolla, California.
