sourceUp until this year, I had never been particularly concerned about aging. But this year I turned 27 and much to my dismay, started noticing a few fine lines popping up around the outsides of my mouth!
Some of you may be rolling your eyes, but I feel it’s never too early to practice a few healthy anti-aging habits! While we all know that avoiding the sun and not smoking will prevent wrinkles, what about the foods we eat?
As with any disease or illness, when it comes to aging, food is thy best medicine!! Below are just four of the BEST anti-aging nutrients for your skin!
1. Selenium. Selenium is a super star in the anti-aging world. Selenium aids in the production of an antioxidant called glutathione. Glutathione slows down the skin’s aging process by rapidly repairing cell damage, which occurs from things like sun exposure. Selenium is not made by your body and therefore must be consumed through diet. Foods rich in selenium include fish, red meats, and Brazil nuts. Eat just 2 Brazil nuts a day to stop aging in its tracks!
2. Zinc. Even though Zinc is only needed by the body in trace amounts, it’s still an extremely important component of the diet. Zinc helps make protein, assists in collagen formation, and plays a role in the production of new skin cells. Some foods rich in zinc include oysters, King crab, fortified cereals, lentils, wheat germ, pork tenderloin, and yogurt.
3. Lycopene. I mentioned the importance of lycopene in my antioxidant post, but I wanted to reiterate its importance here because lycopene is great for anti-aging protection! Lycopene acts as a natural sun block, preventing UV damage that leads to sun spots, wrinkles, and dryness. Bring on the tomatoes and watermelon!!
4. Biotin. Biotin is an important nutrient for healthy, glowing skin. Classic biotin deficiency symptoms are skin-related, such as dermatitis (inflammation of the skin). Biotin is needed for proper fat production and since fat production is critical for skin cell turnover, a deficiency affects the skin cells first! Egg yolks are one of the densest sources of biotin in our diet, as well as swiss chard, tomatoes, romaine lettuce, and carrots! Eat up!!
sourceI can’t stress this enough: YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT! If you want to naturally fight the aging process, look no further than your refrigerator!
BONUS: Olive oil is a great anti-aging source! Olive oil has natural anti-inflammatory properties!! Try this olive oil face mask today!
Olive Oil Facial Mask Recipe
sourcefrom Anti-Aging Skin Care Illusions Website.
- 2 tablespoons of oatmeal
- Half cup of milk
- 2 Tablespoons of olive oil
Cook oatmeal. Add milk and olive oil.
Allow mixture to cool and then spread over the face and neck.
Leave mask on the face for ~ 20 minutes and then rinse with warm water.
QUESTION: What are your best, natural, anti-aging secrets?
Good information. Another great anti aging nutrient is Antaxanthin.
May have to buy some Brazil nuts. Love this post. Water, sleep always work for me in terms of skin health.
What a great post! I will definitely be picking up some brazil nuts next time I’m at the store
I use olive oil as my moisturizer everyday. I stopped using regular lotion (unless I’m not around my olive oil) because of the crazy ingredients. So I just stick to olive oil for my face everyday and the rest of my body only when necessary.
My best tip is to stay out of the sun, wear sunscreen if you’re out there, and definitely no tanning beds. I’m 35, but people frequently guess that I’m 27 or 28, and I swear it’s because I’m diligent with the sunscreen and don’t sunbathe (even though I love the sun!).
I’ve actually been washing my face with oatmeal for the past month just as an experiment and am finding my skin feels smoother and more refreshed! Can’t wait to try the mask though.
I am just starting to feel like I’m aging too… I have to workout harder, my skin looks whack! Ugh, why cant we be young forever…
Love this post! I especially love the olive oil facial mask recipe! I want to try it out, but at the same time I’m kind of squared it will make me break out?
Awesome Post!! I’m having pork tenderloin for dinner, watermelon for dessert, and ate carrots earlier today!! Check, Check and Check! Thanks for the great info!
I’ve made an oatmeal mask before and I loved it! I’m not too concerned about aging, since my mom and sisters all look younger than their ages but It doesn’t mean I don’t take care of myself. I always load up on the spf when i’m in the sun. Sun damaged skin is the worst!
I think it is starting while your young…. Eating well, living well, and just being happy…. This post has some great information for all of us! Thanks!
Great tips! I’m adding Brazil Nuts to my diet immediately.
haha, your timing on this post is PERFECT, erin!! i was JUST at the beach today.
yes – i have laugh lines around my eyes, and i’ve noticed a few lines appearing around my mouth (NOT laugh lines, unfortunately).
i LOVE the sun, LOVE tanning, to be honest…one of my august goals is going to address this issue!
i find WATER really helps with skin care, plus lots of fruit and veggies.
thanks for the great tips – that face mask looks great (and easy!)
It’s not “anti-aging” per se, but my new hair dresser told me to rinse my hair in cold-ish water before hopping out of the shower. She said your hair has pores just like your skin and the cold closes them so that the moisture and nutrients stay in. Makes sense to me! Especially since my dermatologist told me the same thing about my skin!
Great anti-aging info! Lycopene is so interesting!
Great post! I like good fats for my skin!
I’m going to be 26 and have the fine lines around my eyes. It freaks me out. Yet another reason I’ve started eating a little cleaner over the last two years…
I need to pick up some Brazil nuts! I always find when I eat avocado s few times a week it really keeps my skin from drying out. So true, you are what you eat!
Great tips!!! So essential, especially after you have kiddos cause everything changes after that hahaha! My best beauty ingredient is avocado. Love to eat them and they make good facials
Thanks for all the info! If this were a magazine article, it would just say what the general public wants to hear – like “eat red meat for great skin.” I bet it would leave out all the other stuff, such as lentils, swiss chard, etc.
PS–thanks SO SO much for getting back to me with the lactation questions, You’re the best
It was very helpful!!!
i LOVE this post!!
I started worrying about aging around your age too. This darn line! My biggest thing is sunblock on my face, hands and neck! Those are the areas that women age the most…and I try to remember but it’s tough sometimes to get the hands but they are exposed a lot!!
Exercise. And SUNBLOCK (is that natural?). I’ve been wearing sunblock on my face daily since high school and people often ask me if I know where I want to go to college. I’m 30. Lesson: wear sunblock.
I hear ya on the little wrinkles popping up. At 29, I’m now noticing them more often and not liking it!