How to age gracefully with a healthy diet

The secret to ageing gracefully comes from within, you are what you eat, and if you want to continue to look youthful as your number goes up, you need to consider the foods you’re eating.

Here we run through the tips you need to ensure that you age gracefully, naturally.

Eat balanced meals and snacks regularly

Research has found that excess insulin can speed the ageing process and create inflammation in your body. But you can help balance the insulin and blood sugar levels in your body by:

• Eating meals with a combination of complex carbohydrates, lean protein and antioxidant-rich vegetables like leafy greens.
• Snacking on quality food between meals, rather than reaching for the biscuit tub. Snack on hummus with vegetables or oatcakes to maintain energy and balance insulin levels.
• Avoid stimulants like coffee which can increase insulin production.

Increase your antioxidants

Antioxidants are an important part of overall health. They play an important role in reducing inflammation, repairing cells that are damaged and help restore balance to the body.

Antioxidants are also said to help with things like diabetes and cancer too, plus they're hugely beneficial in helping to reduce the signs of ageing. The work to improve skin's elasticity which decreases as we age, and repairing skin damage which is caused by pollutants and the sun too.

Increase your antioxidants by:

• Include more berries into your diet, as well as citrus fruits. Eating dark leafy greens is also beneficial.
• You might also want to consider a supplement, look for a quality product that includes antioxidant-rich plant extracts.

Balance your Omegas

We're constantly told of the importance of eating plenty of fatty acids to ensure we get omega 3 and omega 6, but did you know that it's important to balance them? To get the right balance it can have a positive effect on the body, which reduces inflammation and supports cognitive function.

Maintain the balance of your Omegas by:

• Limiting the number of processed foods you eat, as well as avoiding refined foods and eating takeaways as much as you can.
• Including oily fish in your diet, try and eat salmon, mackerel and haddock at least three times a week.
• Use coconut oil to cook with as an alternative to oils or butter.

Support immune function

As you get older your immunity usually takes a hit, but you can promote a healthy and functioning immune system by doing certain things. Having good immunity is essential for helping to fight infections as well as aiding your body to fight chronic illnesses.

Support your immune function by:

• Ensuring you sleep well and get enough rest.
• Try to manage your stress levels as much as possible. This is important because stress hormones have natural immunosuppressive actions on the body.
• Boost your vitamin D through the foods you eat, taking a supplement or get 15 minutes of sun every day.
• Eat foods that will boost your immunity, such things like vitamin B and C, flavonoids and zinc all work to support your immunity.