Anti-oxidants, free radicals and wrinkles
Here's one of the great paradoxes of life - everybody wants to live longer, but nobody wants to look older!
With life expectancies growing longer and longer, research in to anti-aging is growing by leaps and bounds. Revolutionary new formulas and ingredients are being touted as the answer to crow's feet, wrinkles, age spots, and sagging skin. Only a few of these, of course, really live up to their promises. Finding a good anti-wrinkle formula can keep you looking younger, and so can eating the right foods.
One of the most detrimental factors in aging is the presence of free-radicals. These are naturally occurring molecules, which attack healthy cells in the body. Unfortunately, their effects are particularly devastating to the sensitive skin on our faces. Free radicals attack and break down collagen, which is responsible for keeping skin elastic and firm. The result, of course, is wrinkles.
Modern nutritional science has identified several foods that are rich in anti-oxidants. These neutralize free radicals before they can destroy healthy cells. This is great news for anyone suffering from puffy eyes, laugh lines or just the very fine lines that make us look old.
* Here are a few of the food nutritionists think we should eat to help combat the signs of aging:
* Berries, particularly blueberries, raspberries and blackberries.
* Broccoli (just like Mom always told you!)
* Garlic, also available in a supplement if you can't take the smell!
* Tea. This is nudging coffee off the top morning beverage spot.
* Carrots. It turns out that the anti-oxidant properties in carrots are greater when they are cooked.
* Artichokes. Proving that you can be elegant and healthy at the same time!
Antioxidants are also the key ingredient in many anti-aging formulas. Many of these are extremely expensive, and are advertised as miracles creams. As with any product, it is up to the buyer to be sure that the claims are substantiated.
LifeCell moisturizing cream, developed by renowned skincare company South Beach, actually lives up to its promises of younger-looking skin. This company has put their money into research, rather than fancy packaging and advertising campaigns. Not only are their ingredients proven to really work, they include quantities that are effective. Unfortunately not all cosmetics companies are willing to do this. Often the ingredients that are proclaimed as beneficial appear in such tiny amounts that they do very little real good.
There is no doubt that antioxidants fight the free radicals that cause wrinkles and skin blemishes.
