6 Essential Vitamins To Fight Aging

Now that we are in summer it is necessary to remember that overexposure to the sun is one of the factors of premature aging of our cells, and with that the appearance of wrinkles earlier than expected.

This is one of the questions I get the most from the Eat Clean community: what can I do to slow down aging ?

While the use of quality, natural cosmetic products are important, your lifestyle and eating habits can help you maintain a youthful and vibrant look for years to come.

Causes of premature aging: toxic load and oxidative stress

As you know, I am a great defender of purifying the body, and the accumulation of toxic waste within the body derived from the ingestion of inappropriate foods and long and copious digestions ends up taking its toll on us. This toxic load reduces the space in the body as well as the flow of oxygen, leading to be one of the main causes of cellular aging.

Many scientists support the hypothesis that oxidative stress is one of the primary causes of aging, like this 2018 scientific review. Free radicals, caused by oxidative stress, can damage DNA, fats, and proteins in the body, leading to premature aging.

But what are free radicals ? These molecules are a by-product of metabolism and are extremely reactive in the body. When the body is in balance it is able to quickly repair any damage caused by them.

However, unhealthy habits with excessive consumption of sugar, processed foods with abundant chemical additives, alcohol, smoking or prolonged and excessive physical exercise, can unbalance the body. And when the body is out of harmony, the body loses its ability to restore free radical damage.

In this article we focus on preventing the symptoms and signs of oxidative stress on a physical and aesthetic level, but it should be remembered that oxidative stress not only ages your skin and external appearance, but also deteriorates the internal cells of the body, reaching situations of degenerative diseases such as cancer or arteriosclerosis.

Take vitamins to prevent aging?

There are several vitamins that help the body fight aging. Those that have an antioxidant effect are particularly effective, as they help us fight free radicals before they cause any damage to our cells.

An Eat Clean diet is highly rich in antioxidants, which is why it is effective in combating premature aging and promoting a vibrant and youthful appearance.

As you know, I am in favor of consuming the nutrients by eating our vegetables and not taking synthetic pills, since our body is perfectly equipped with the “tools” necessary to process and use the natural vitamins that we find in real food and not in artificial capsules.

Some studies conclude that there is no evidence to justify that taking laboratory supplements lengthens life. In fact, in some cases it is shown that taking some of these supplements could be counter-prudent, as in a study published in 2015 in The New England Journal of Medicine.

That said, if there are certain supplements necessary in some cases, such as vitamin B12 in vegans and vegetarians and the increasingly necessary vitamin D3.

At the same time, I do not want to undervalue the supplements made from real and whole foods that we increasingly find in dietetics and herbalists. In these cases, helping us with them is an insurance or guarantee of being taking enough micronutrients.

The most important antiaging vitamins

With all this, let’s talk about the vitamins with the most anti-aging properties and the foods where we can find them.

• Beta carotenes. They are precursors of vitamin A, since they are converted once inside the body into retinol. They have the property of strengthening the immune system and prevent inflammation and cell damage caused by medical situations. They are foods rich in beta carotene : carrots, sweet potatoes, spinach, kale, red pepper, apricot, peach, watercress.
• Vitamin A. It is a fat-soluble vitamin. It plays an essential role in maintaining eye health (our vision), strengthens the immune system, and helps maintain cell growth and regeneration. It is a powerful antioxidant that fights oxidative stress. They are foods rich in vitamin A : sweet potato, carrots, green leafy vegetables, pumpkins, oregano, parsley, basil.
• Vitamin C. Vitamin C is an excellent antioxidant and provides us with high protection against free radicals. It also helps us in the absorption of non-heme iron (that of vegetable origin) and cooperates with the regeneration of vitamin E. They are foods rich in vitamin C : citrus fruit such as grapefruit, oranges and lemons, peppers, melon, strawberries, red fruits , green leaves, broccoli, kiwi.
• Vitamin E. It is another highly antioxidant fat-soluble vitamin. It protects the skin from UVA rays and fights external and endogenous free radicals. are foods rich in vitamin E: sunflower seeds, spinach, broccoli, almonds, tomatoes, hazelnuts.
• Vitamin K. Vitamin K helps with the blood clot. On an aesthetic level, it helps us to prevent the appearance of a clear sign of aging, permanent dark circles, usually caused by leaky capillaries. It also contributes to bone health, preventing osteoporosis. They are foods rich in vitamin K : dark green leafy vegetables, romaine lettuce, broccoli, parsley.
• Vitamin B complex. Group B vitamins have endless functionalities, but when we talk about beauty and aesthetic results, niacin helps us keep the skin hydrated, and biotin strengthens hair and nails. They are foods rich in B vitamins: mushrooms, sunflower seeds, potatoes, nutritional yeast.