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3 Proven Links Between Nutrition and Aging Skin

Share You can't stop the aging process, but you can do a few things to make skin look younger.  Four of the major skin fighting strategies are:

• don't smoke,
• eat a healthy diet,
• use moisturizer and retinoids, and
• get enough sleep.

Unfortunately, there's still no way to totally stop your skin from aging. The reprehensible combination of time and gravity will eventually cause everyone's skin to sag and wrinkle at a genetically pre-determined point.  However, there is some good news with a silver lining.  According to dermatological scientists, some of the physical changes that may make you look older are not actually caused by genetic factors.  This means that you may be able to keep your skin looking younger for longer.
Here are 3 proven ways you can keep your skin looking younger for longer:

1. Protect your skin from the sun.  Minimizing your exposure to the sun is critical if you want younger-looking skin in the long term. The sun's UVA radiation penetrates deep into your skin, where it damages the skin protein, collagen. Over time, this will lead to wrinkled, leathery skin and sun exposure can also cause age spots.

Sunscreen is a great way to protect your skin, but it shouldn't be your only line of defence.Seek out shade and cover your skin with clothing whenever possible, too.
Choose a product that offers "broad spectrum" protection with an SPF of 30 to 50. (Here's why SPF higher than 50 is essentially meaningless.)

1. Just in case you need another reason to quit (or never start) smoking: It causes wrinkles.

Research shows that nicotine in cigarettes narrows blood vessels, which lessens blood flow to the skin. This essentially means your skin doesn't get as much of the oxygen and important nutrients that it needs to look healthy. Many of the chemicals in cigarette smoke also directly damage collagen and elastin. Also, smoking involves repeated facial expressions, such as pursing the lips, which can accelerate wrinkling.

1. Your overall diet does affect the way your skin looks, and fruit and veggies can give you a healthy glow. Diets high in added sugars can damage elastin and collagen. Eating an excess of trans and saturated fats can also make skin look older. However, in contrast, a healthy eating pattern with lots of plant-based foods and healthy fats can supply you with the nutrients needed for healthy skin.  Those diets higher in antioxidants (found in fruits and vegetables can help in younger looking skin. 

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