With these tips, the dream of preserving your youth is achievable
“You look younger than your age,” is a phrase that delights anyone who hears it. But how can you make your appearance look younger than your actual age?
Dr. Mohamed El-Houfi, a professor of food science at Ain Shams University in Egypt, answers with a “yes” that a person can appear younger than their real age with vitality and great activity if they follow a healthy preventive lifestyle, including aspects of nutrition, exercise, and mental well-being.
“The secret” lies in proper nutrition:
El-Houfi links the importance of a healthy preventive diet to the youthful and vibrant appearance of the body based on:
- A healthy diet protects against diseases by reducing inflammation and cell damage because it enhances the body’s self-defense (immunity), thus speeding up self-healing by combating viruses and bacteria.
- This diet also protects the human DNA, which over time can be damaged when food, water, and air become polluted.
- Healthy food repairs and renews damaged and aging stem cells.
How do we choose this healthy food?
A professor of food science provides examples of the necessary food to achieve each of the points mentioned:
- Boosting immunity is achieved by consuming foods such as olive oil, broccoli, hot peppers, and zinc found in meats and fish.
- Repairing and renewing stem cells is achieved by consuming fish, fish oil, dark chocolate, mangoes, and olive oil.
- Stimulating DNA repair itself is achieved by consuming spinach, carrots, oranges, berries, broccoli, red peppers, lentils, eggs, sardines, and flax seeds.
- All of the above requires a healthy digestive system to be able to extract beneficial nutrients from food. To improve digestive system function, it is necessary to protect beneficial bacteria in it by consuming yogurt, buttermilk, kiwi, fiber-rich beans, and all fermented foods, while avoiding repeated sugars and processed foods with preservatives.
Non-negotiable essentials:
Healthy food alone is not enough. To protect oneself from excess and obesity and maintain a youthful, vibrant, and youthful appearance, other necessary matters are also required, according to El-Houfi:
- Regular exercise.
- Stress management.
- Getting an adequate amount of sleep, with a minimum of 6 continuous hours each day.
