While nothing can truly halt old Father Time, there are ways to prevent the appearance of aging. This definitely felt easier pre-35, back when I didn’t get injured from sleeping, sneezing, or putting my pants on. They weren’t kidding when they said that we lose collagen and muscle in our 30s. But just because it may take a little more effort, sure doesn’t make it impossible.
While there are so many amazing foods and some of the best supplements I’ve ever seen on the market for finding the fountain of youth, you still have to meet your basic health needs for them to work. Questions to ask yourself: am I getting seven to nine hours of sleep? Am I drinking 80 or more ounces of water a day? Am I eating real, non-processed foods at least 80% of my diet? Am I exercising at least four times a week for at least 30 minutes each time? Am I eating five different fruits and veggies a day? If your answer is not yes to some of these, then let this be your starting point. If you’re already doing all of these, then you’re ready for more.
Keep in mind that on top of processed foods, alcohol and sugar can be very detrimental to your hard work in the anti-aging department (rough news, I know). With natural sweeteners like fruit, maple syrup, honey (which has amazing anti-aging properties in its own right), dates, and coconut sugar, you can avoid the junk. Keeping inflammation low is another key to halting the aging process.
Below, I’m sharing my go-to foods and supplements for anti-aging:
1. Collagen peptides and bone broth: Whether you’re super efficient in the kitchen and use every piece of animal protein down to the marrow in the bones, or you need to supplement with the powder version, I suggest adding in collagen in the form of bone broth or peptides. So many amino acids give your skin better structure and help your bones, muscles, and connective tissues stay strong.
2. Seeds and seed butter: Pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and seed butters are some of my favorite foods for combating so many things. Believe it or not, they are powerful in fighting off viruses because of their mineral content. They also contain high amounts of omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants.
3. Wild-caught salmon: Again, very high in omega-3s. If collagen is the king of anti-aging, omega-3s are the queen. Not only is fish considered brain food, but it’s also beauty food, providing your skin with the fatty acids it needs to stay smooth and youthful, even if you love that California sunshine as much as I do.
4. Berries: Hello antioxidants, in the form of polyphenols. These are found in brightly colored foods, like all berries, but also in cabbage, cacao, and coffee. These combat stress and free radical damage. You know how someone tells you that stress caused their gray hairs? They weren’t lying. While you’re figuring out how to manage your stress, be sure you’re eating plenty of antioxidants.
5. Omega-3 fatty acids: As mentioned, omega-3 is a huge key to keeping your body from aging too quickly. Omega-3s help keep our brains strong. Some studies even show that they are critical for reducing a host of diseases associated with aging, like dementia, heart disease, and even arthritis. Omega-3s are incredible to reduce inflammation not only in the brain, but all throughout the body. If there ever was a supplement to take for the rest of your life, this would be the one I recommend.
6. Acetyl-L-carnitine: This is a conditionally essential amino acid. What I mean by that is, L-carnitine is produced from two other essential amino acids, lysine and methionine. These are contained in complete proteins, like collagen peptides and salmon. However, sometimes we may need to supplement them for extra support. L-carnitine acts as a powerful antioxidant in the blood in your brain. It’s very important for brain functioning, lowering inflammation, improving blood flow, and more.
7. Zinc: A healthy, strong immune system makes for healthy, strong everything. Hair, nails, skin … they all take a hit when our immune system is compromised. There are so many variations of disease and illness our system is built to fight, but sometimes when the stack is piled too high, we need a little extra support. Zinc is my go-to.
