Our everyday diet and exercise habits can help – or harm – us, particularly when we overdo them. In fact, they can make us age faster than we would like.
Here are five bad habits that could be ageing you:
Your sweet tooth
Eating a diet high in sugar isn’t just bad for your waistline, it’s bad for your skin too. Excess sugar in the body can damage collagen production, which is what keeps your skin elastic, resulting in skin that doesn’t bounce back, becomes stiff, and is prone to wrinkles, according to Ann Rosenstein, author of Diet Myths Busted; Food Facts Not Nutrition Fiction. The solution? Limit your sugar intake to unprocessed wholefoods, like fruits and vegetables, as well as grains that aren’t overly refined. Stay away from high sugar, overly processed food.
Your salty fix
Too much salt has been shown to contribute to kidney disease and high blood pressure, but it also has an effect on the rate that our cells age. According to research conducted by Georgia Regents University, overweight teenagers who eat a lot of salty food show signs of faster cell ageing. The solution? The researchers recommend eating more fresh whole foods such as fruits and vegetables, and staying away from processed foods that have had salt added to them – as many of these products have double or more the salt that we need in a day.
Sticking to just cardio
While exercise is great for you, sticking to just cardio won’t prevent your skin from sagging, according to Patricia Farris, a dermatologist and contributor to Prevention magazine. Farris compares strength training for the body to using fillers on the face. She notes that as we age, we need to do strength training to create a more supportive muscle tone. Her advice? Follow a moderate exercise routine that includes strength-training, cardio, and stretching for overall health.
You’ve cut out the healthy fats
A diet that is too low in fat can cause dry skin, hair, and brittle nails according to dermatologist David E. Bank, a contributor to Prevention magazine. However, this does depend on the type of fat. A diet that is low on healthy fats can lead to a poor overall skin tone and texture, where healthy cell regeneration and division is compromised. This doesn’t mean you should up your intake of fried or processed foods as trans fats – the fat that is generally added to processed foods to give them a longer shelf life is very bad for the body. Farris recommends consuming fat found in healthy wholefoods like fish, lean meat, nuts, and eggs, as well as dietary supplements that include omega 3 and 6 fatty acids.
Overdoing exercise
It seems strange to think of exercise as anything but good for you, but like with most things, you get the best results when you do it in moderation – particularly when it comes to the appearance of your skin. Intense exercise over an extended period can hasten ageing, says cosmetic physician Dr Van Park. One marathon or triathlon every now and then is fine but participating in them frequently can be bad for your skin, she notes. Park explains that it may be a combination of factors that make skin appear older in marathoners – from ongoing sun exposure and high protein diets, to the release of the stress hormone cortisol during high-level exercise, which can lead to premature ageing. Exercise, though, when not done in extremes is one of the best anti-ageing forces out there, emphasises Park.
The key to healthy skin is moderation, as these five bad habits have shown. Cutting down on salt and sugar, getting enough sleep, eating a balanced, healthy diet, and having regular, varied, moderate intensity exercise, will all help unlock a healthier, younger you.
References:
http://www.prevention.com/beauty/defy-your-age/aging-diet-mistakes
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/05/anti-aging-food_n_3683456.html
http://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/diet-and-fitness/is-exercise-ageing-you-20130527-2n6x7.html