Combating wrinkles by adjusting your diet

Wrinkles form when the skin loses its elasticity. As long as the skin is supple, any creasing of the skin disappears as soon as you stop making the expression that caused it.

But skin that has lost its suppleness retains the lines formed by smiling or frowning. For instance—even after you have assumed a more neutral expression. Overtime, these lines deepen into wrinkles.

Some amount of wrinkling is a result of ageing and is probably inevitable, no matter what you do; you will develop some lines if you simply live long enough. But other factors help to determine the rate and extent of wrinkling including diet and nutrition, muscle tone, habitual facial expressions, stress, proper skin care (or lack thereof), exposure to environment pollutants, and lifestyle habits such as smoking. Hereditary factors also play a role.

The most important factor of all is sun exposure, which not only dries out the skin, but also leads to the generation of free radicals that can damage the skin cells. The sun is your skin’s worst enemy; approximately 70 percent of the sun damage occurs during such everyday activities such as driving, and walking to and from your car. The ultraviolet-A (UVA) rays that do this damage are present all day long and in all seasons. These rays erode the elastic tissues in the skin, causing wrinkling. Worse, the effects of the sun are cumulative, although they may not be obvious for many years.

The skin pigment melanin seems to offer some protection against UV rays, since people with fair skin and blue eyes tend to experience more age-related skin changes (such as wrinkling) than people with dark skin and brown eyes.

The Role of Mono-Unsaturated Fats

Fatty acids are compounds found in the skin that contribute to skin health and appearance. Mono-unsaturated fats in the diet are thought to protect against wrinkling by helping the skin resist the activity of damaging free radicals. Good sources of mono-unsaturated fats include olive oil, canola oil, and avocado.

Milk and growth factors

Researchers at Australia’s CSIRO have found that certain compounds in milk, called growth factors, can boost the regeneration and repair of skin cells. The application of harvested extracts of these growth factors in anti-wrinkling creams and other preparations may speed up the healing of skin injuries such as ulcers.

Diet, Antioxidants and Disease

It makes sense that diet contributes to skin health. The importance of a diet high in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean meats has been shown to be protective against a host of diseases, including cardiovascular disease and some cancers.

More Recommendations

• Drink at least 2 quarts of water daily, even if you don’t feel thirsty; this helps to keep the skin hydrated and to flush out toxins, which helps prevent wrinkles.
• Protect yourself from the sun; always apply a sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 15 to all exposed areas of the skin, especially your face, regardless of the season or the weather; sun exposure is the single greatest source of skin damage.
• Avoid using harsh soaps or solid cleansing creams such as cold cream on your face; use natural oils such as avocado oil to remove dirt and make-up.
• Aloe Vera has soothing, healing and moisturising properties; apply pure Aloe Vera gel to dry skin as directed on the product label
• Wrinkle lines from the lips towards the nose may also be due to a deficiency of vitamin B2

Supplement your diet with one or more of the following nutrients:

• MSM (Methylsulfonylmethane) which has been shown to help prevent wrinkling of the skin
• Evening Primrose Oil which is a good healer for dermatitis, acne, and most other skin disorders—it even contains linoleic acid, which is needed by the skin
• Vitamin A is necessary for healing and construction of new tissue
• Beta Carotene – an antioxidant precursor to Vitamin A
• Vitamin B Complex – anti-stress and anti-ageing vitamins
• Vitamin B12 – taken with Vitamin B Complex as an anti-ageing vitamin
• Kelp – supplies balanced minerals needed for good skin tone
• Selenium – an antioxidant that works synergistically with Vitamin E
• Silica – Important for skin strength and elasticity
• Vitamin C with bioflavonoids – necessary for the formation of collagen, a protein that gives the skin its flexibility; also fights free radicals and strengthens capillaries that fee the skin
• Vitamin E – protects against free radicals that can damage the skin and contribute to ageing
• Zinc – for tissue restoration and repair
• Fruit and fruit products (especially prunes, cherries, apples and jams)

Foods that promote wrinkles in the Monash Study

• Full fat dairy products (especially unfermented products and ice cream)
• Saturated fat
• Soft drinks and cordials
• Meat (fatty processed meat)
• Butter
• Potatoes
• Margarine
• Exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation in sunlight causes changes to the skin. UV rays prompt the formation of free radicals, which contribute to wrinkling and skin cancer.