You must have heard the phrase, “You are what you eat.” It really is the truth. What you absorb and eat literally becomes you and has the power to make you look and feel younger or older. Your face in particular can easily show whether or not your diet is causing premature aging, or contributing to your longevity.

The kinds of food that you eat really paves the way to either radical health or disease. Nutrient dense, antioxidant rich foods also have the ability to turn on your longevity genes, or your aging genes.

With so many people obsessed with botox and fillers, it’s a shame more are not aware of how simple, natural and healing it can be to just consume the right kinds of foods and avoid others in order to turn back the clock.

Instead of turning to toxic products, you can prevent, reduce and even reverse damage done to your skin through diet. Believe it or not, extreme sagging, wrinkling, and creping skin does not have to be a normal part of aging. You don’t have to try and look twenty years younger than you are, but you can certainly contribute to feeling and looking your best at all times by being aware of your diet.

Advanced glycation end products, or AGEs are the first things you want to avoid as much as possible. AGEs naturally form inside the body when proteins or fats are glycated as a result of combining with sugar. This affects the normal function of cells, and can be a huge factor in aging as well as contributing to cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and Alzheimers.

AGEs cause inflammation in the body through raising oxidative stress and causing increased vascular permeability.

Animal-derived food products are particularly high in fat and protein, and especially the way they are cooked has an influence.

Basically cooking methods that use high temperatures to char foods such as broiling, roasting and grilling have the biggest influence on AGEs.

Sugary foods and highly processed and packaged foods are also high in AGEs.

What to Avoid

Sugary foods such as cakes, soda, pastries, candy and cookies.

High-fat meat (red in particular).

Fats, including oil, butter and margarine.

Fried foods.

Processed foods (sausages, deli meats, bacon).

What to Eat More Of

Living foods, meaning lots of fruits and vegetables.

Whole grains.

Nuts and Seeds.

Antioxidant packed foods such as berries, green tea, matcha and other vegetables.

If you eat meat, eat ideally only eat meat from pastured chicken and grass-fed beef.

Choose wild caught cold-water fish low in mercury, such as salmon and halibut.

Vegan protein alternatives include lentils, legumes, tofu, and seeds.

Cooking Methods

Use a slow cooker.

Cook foods slowly in water through boiling, steaming, or poaching.

Marinate foods in acidic or citrus-based sauces not sugary sauces.

Raw is always an amazing option.

Healthy Lifestyle Changes

Get the recommended seven to nine hours of sleep per night.

Keep hydrated (this has a huge influence on your skin).

Get sunlight.

Get regular exercise.

Get regular sleep, 7 -9 hours if possible.

AGEs accumulate more as you get older, so the best thing is to start changing your diet today. You will be so shocked at how easy it is to start healing and turning back the clock with the right focus on the right foods.