Just as smoking can accelerate aging, some foods can help to slow the aging process, and adding more fruits and vegetables to the diet can displace unhealthy inflammation promoting foods that your empty tummy may be otherwise craving. 

Inevitably we all will age, and eventually, the time to pass on will come to everyone, that is just how the circle of life works. While we will all age, that doesn’t mean that we have to just sit back and allow that process to happen in an unhealthy way. Anti-aging is more than staying young, it is about being healthy for as long as possible. Studies show that the way we treat our bodies as we age has a great impact on the aging process, and diet plays a massive part in this. 

Science shows that there is no question that certain lifestyle habits/factors can speed up the aging process such as smoking, alcohol, stress, processed foods, and being sedentary. The same science also shows that foods that are high in enough phytonutrients and antioxidants such as anthocyanins, carotenoids, and flavonoids can help to slow the aging process to keep you feeling energetic and healthy. 

To combat the aging process a good habit to adopt that science backs is to ensure that you are consuming plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables at every meal each day, and the more of these antioxidant loaded foods that you add to your diet the less room you will have for all that other stuff that is not healthy and will accelerate the aging process as well as degrade overall health. 

Blueberries, apples, avocados, melons, cranberries, winter squash, olives, pomegranates, tomatoes, citrus fruits, dark chocolate, kale, spinach, carrots, sweet potatoes, lettuce, cabbage, beets, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, mushrooms, raw nuts, beans, green tea, seeds, wheatgrass juice, whole grains, garlic, cinnamon, basil, ginger, and turmeric are all sources of anti-aging phytonutrients that will help your body stay healthy and resist the effects of aging. 

To Your Health!

Mike Woodley, RPh