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Can You Fight Aging with Supplements? October 28 2013

We are most familiar with the lines and loss of tautness in the skin, but there are a number of other things going on with our bodies, as we get older. Pain increases with the onset of arthritis. Aging brings with it a loss of energy and a weakened immune system. According to Dr. Nicholas Perricone MD, if you want to fight aging you should do so from the outside in.  Aging is an entire body process.

If you want to wage a successful assault on aging, you must launch a systematic attack on a diverse set of ailments.  At least there are nutritional measures you can take to assist in your efforts. Supplements provide some help in this battle. However, a healthy diet is really the best weapon in your arsenal when fighting aging.  Exercise is major component as well, but in order to have the energy to exercise, it is important to eat well. Which vitamins, elements or other ingredients are essential to effectively wage the aging battle?

 

Omega 3: The Good Oil

Omega-3 fights depression and reduces inflammation. Most commonly found in fish oil, which is made into a pill for the supplement-lovers.  For the cooks out there, fish oil is a common seasoning in Asian cuisine.  Buy a bottle, and try to add a squirt to your frying pan or walk when stir frying veggies, noodles, or marinating chicken or tofu.  Fish that are high in Omega 3 include cod, tuna and halibut.  

If you are environmentally cautious and leery of fish-consumption that contributes to the depopulation of the oceans, check out the Seafood Watch to check which version of these fish is safe for your area of the country or world.  If you do not eat meat whatsoever, then make certain flax seed is a part of your diet.  Flax seed is one of the few grains that have a high component of Omega 3.

 

Keep Skin Looking Young with Vitamins E and C:

Vitamins E and C help your skin stay young and healthy. Vitamin E directly protects your skin from ultra violet radiation.  Vitamin C helps your skin repair itself, inside out. Together these vitamins assist your body in defending itself.  Vitamin E is present in nuts, greens, blueberries and papaya.  However, the assortment of high-content foods makes it difficult to obtain the ideal amount of vitamin E in a balanced diet.  Though this is partially influenced by where you live, and your access to fresh and diverse foods on an annual basis rather than merely a seasonal one.  However there are a variety of vitamin supplements available to help you attain this goal.

 

Fight Low Energy with B12 and Magnesium

Vitamin B12 is found in meat--poultry and fish, as well as in soy.   Magnesium is found in leafy greens, nuts, peas, whole grains and soy.  So a mixture of soy and whole grains would be a good recommendation for your arsenal.  Remember, soy is also a source of estrogen.  If you want the effectiveness of hormones without the relatively higher and less natural estrogen birth control pills or hormone supplements, soy is a good option.  But variety is ideal, so include whole grains.  If your heredity puts you at risk for breast cancer, make certain that your portions of soy are relatively small and that you find alternative sources of magnesium.

 

Add Age-Fighting Nutrients to Smoothies

Smoothies are the easiest and most convenient way to boost the age-fighting nutrients in your diet.  Look for raw fruit and vegetable smoothie recipes that will maximize your intake of the water-soluble vitamins B and C. Increase your magnesium consumption by using soy milk as a smoothie base and follow it up with green smoothie recipes that call for baby spinach.  To increase the amount of Omega-3 in your diet, you can add flax seeds to smoothies. Be certain to include your vitamin requirements when choosing your foods for the week, and your cabinet-stocking materials will help you maintain a healthy diet and fight aging. Keep supplements on hand, because these can help you gain your needed vitamins and minerals without the effort of extensive and cautious meal planning.  Not everyone has the time to put such thought into their diet. If you can, however, get as many of your needed nutrients in your food and beverage choices, such as raw smoothies, to stay healthy at any age.