Finding out what causes your skin to age faster than it should, can help you win the war against wrinkles. For decades scientists have looked for an answer and at least eight contributing factors have been identified; not surprisingly the majority of them are related to diet, environmental toxins and stress.

Typically it’s not one factor that makes skin look older but several working together. They are all interconnected and addressing one factor will often deal with several others. Here are the main contributors to wrinkles with advice on how to avoid or deal with them.

1. Free radicals

We generate free radicals through the natural process of metabolism but we also inhale, absorb and digest them as well. Free radicals come from environmental pollutants, radiation, pesticides, preservatives, cigarettes, car fumes, antibiotic residues and mercury fillings to name just a few.

Free radical damage has been linked to as many as 60 illnesses, including cancer, heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease and immune system disorders. And it also plays a significant role in the aging process of our skin. Over the years, the skin’s collagen suffers mercilessly from free radical attack. Normal, healthy collagen proteins gently mesh with each other, giving skin its softness and elasticity. Once damaged, these proteins become cross linked and hard, and ultimately collapse on themselves, preventing them from holding water and remaining plump. The overall effect is a confusion of cross linked collagen fibres, manifested on the skin’s surface as wrinkles.

The only thing that neutralises free radicals is a group of nutrients known as antioxidants of which the most potent are vitamins A, C, E and flavonoids found in fruits and vegetables. Antioxidants have an even great affinity for free radicals than for tissue and when consumed or applied to the body they neutralise free radicals and prevent tissue damage. The message is simple; the more fruit and vegetables you eat the less chance you have of developing wrinkles. A good antioxidant formula in supplement form is Nutriguard by BioCare (see Resources Page).

2. Insulin resistance

Preventing insulin resistance and blood sugar imbalances is another key factor in preventing wrinkles. More and more research is suggesting that steady insulin levels are an indicator of how healthy and vital a person feels and looks. This is because insulin isn’t just responsible for lowering blood sugar it is also responsible for storing nutrients such as magnesium in cells. If insulin resistance occurs the cells become deficient in magnesium and other nutrients that are essential for good skin. To maintain healthy blood sugar levels avoid eating sugar or foods that are highly refined and easily convert to sugar such as white bread, cakes, pastries and alcohol and make sure you eat a meal or snack every three to four hours.

3. Weak immune system

Colds and infections make you look much older than you are so it is important to keep your immune system strong. Catching one infection or cold after another can be highly damaging for your face, as infections can promote inflammatory responses. Therefore make sure you boost your immunity with healthy eating, plenty of vitamin C found in fruits and vegetables, regular exercise and lots of antioxidants.

4. Environmental toxins

Every day your body is exposed to a sea of wrinkle causing environmental toxins such as pesticides, industrial chemicals, car fumes, cigarette smoke and additives and preservatives in processed or refined food. When exposure to these toxins becomes overwhelming the toxins accumulate in your body, damaging cells and contributing to wrinkles and saggy skin. The best way to reduce your risk of wrinkles is to eat a diet that is as fresh and as healthy (preferably organic) and whole food, as possible and to avoid unnecessary exposure to environmental toxins.

5. Inflammation

Another primary cause of wrinkles is inflammation. The theory is that when cells are under free radical attack substances are activated that cause the cells to produce inflammatory agents known as cytokines, a killer agent in your cells. As a result other chemicals are produced which digest collagen; collagen is what keeps your skin looking fresh and young and so when under free radical attack your skin has no defence system in place. The best way to reduce the risk of inflammation is to feed our bodies with antioxidant rich foods than can remove inflammatory compounds. In addition to a diet low in antioxidants another contributory factor towards inflammation is stress.

6. Stress

When you are under long term stress, whether that stress is physical, emotional, psychological or environmental, your body produces increased levels of cortisol which can age your skin fast. Vitamin C, an essential nutrient for firm skin, is also used up by stress and this can lead to the loss of facial tone. The way to combat stress is to eat a healthy diet, exercise regularly, make sure you get a good night’s sleep and set aside quiet time each day to mediate or relax. You can also take Siberian ginseng to help nourish the adrenal glands to offset the effects of stress and some extra vitamin C in supplement form (see Resources page).

7. Sleep

During sleep your body can repair cells and release hormones. One of the hormones that is released by the pineal gland while you sleep is melatonin, which helps to prevent free radical attack. Your skin is under free radical attack every day so every night you need to protect it with a good night’s sleep. Melatonin may also help reverse the actions of toxins. Sleep experts believe that the most important time for skin repair is between 10 pm and midnight so try to get to bed early and aim to eat your meal before 8 pm so that your body is not digesting when it should be resting.

8. Sun damage

The sun’s UVA and UVB rays can damage the DNA in skin cells and it is thought that the great majority of visible signs of skin ageing in some women, such as wrinkles, age spots and sagging skin may be caused by too much sun exposure. And even though darker or olive skin may not burn easily, a suntan is evidence of injury to the epidermis, the top layer of skin.

Prevention is the best way to reduce the risk of sun damage. Using a natural sunscreen lotion or cream, especially on the face and hands, is important as is avoiding excessive exposure to the sun. Don’t shut yourself indoors though, just avoid the midday glare and go out in the early morning or in the evening to get all the vitamin D benefits of natural light without the burning heat of the sun.

Good food sources of antioxidants:

You’ll have noticed that in the majority of cases your greatest weapon in the war against wrinkles is a diet rich in antioxidants. Consuming more antioxidants helps provide your body with the tools it needs to neutralize harmful free radicals.

It’s estimated that there are more than 4,000 compounds in foods that act as antioxidants. The most studied include vitamins C and E, betacarotene and the mineral selenium.Many people think “supplements” when they think about getting more antioxidants. The supplement aisle, however, is not the only place to find these important compounds. Better places include the fresh and frozen fruit and vegetable section and the whole grains section of your supermarket. Why? Because the foods in these sections come packaged with other complementary nutrients and phytochemicals. They can provide better insurance than supplements that you’re getting the antioxidants you need in the right amount and form. Here are some good food sources of the four most studied antioxidants.

Vitamin C – Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin found in all body fluids, so it may be one of our first lines of defense. This powerful antioxidant cannot be stored by the body, so it’s important to get some regularly – not a difficult task if you eat fruits and vegetables. Important sources include citrus fruits, green peppers, broccoli, green leafy vegetables, strawberries, raw cabbage and potatoes.

Vitamin E – A fat-soluble vitamin that can be stored with fat in the liver and other tissues, vitamin E is helpful for a range of purposes – from delaying ageing to healing sunburn. While it’s not a miracle worker, it’s another powerful antioxidant. Important sources include wheat germ, nuts, seeds, whole grains, green leafy vegetables, vegetable oil and fish oil.

Beta-carotene – The most studied of more than 600 different carotenoids that have been discovered, beta-carotene protects dark green, yellow and orange vegetables and fruits from solar radiation damage. It is thought that it plays a similar role in the body. Carrots, squash, broccoli, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, kale, collards, cantaloupe, peaches and apricots are particularly rich sources of beta-carotene.

Selenium – This mineral is thought to help fight cell damage by oxygen-derived compounds and thus may help protect against cancer. Good food sources include fish, grains, eggs and garlic. Vegetables can also be a good source if grown in selenium-rich soils.

Bear in mind that when it comes to antioxidant content, all foods are not created equal. A study published in a recent issue of the Journal of Nutrition analysed the total antioxidant content of various fruits, berries, vegetables, cereals, nuts, and legumes. These are the results:

Overall Best Sources of Antioxidants

• Berries: dog rose, sour cherry, blackberry, strawberry, raspberry, crowberry, blueberry, black currant;
• Walnuts;
• Sunflower seeds;
• Pomegranate;
• Ginger

Research from the University of Southampton has also showed that when it comes to lettuce leaves the darker they are the more health boosting wrinkle erasing antioxidants they contain. It’s recommended that we eat 3,000 ORAC( the measure of antioxidant activity) a day and here’s what 100g of some of the most common lettuce leaves contain: iceberg – 105; lambs – 956; lollo – 987; spinach – 1,260 and rocket – 2,373.

This entry was posted on Saturday, September 1st, 2007 at 9:00 pm and is filed under Healthy Ageing, Skin and Hair. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.