Is your diet ageing you?

I take my collaborations quite earnestly and only work with individuals that resonate with my brand and my philosophies. I partner with those I believe will offer the best information and insight for my VitaSoul Blogs. Often these partnerships stem from friendships that I have made during my own health journey. One such friendship is with Claire Pye. I have a huge amount of admiration for Claire, she is a dynamo when it comes to exercise and nutrition. Even though she runs a successful nutrition and wellness business Nutri FYI, while studying further and running a happy home. She always has time for her clients and her friends. Her wise words of motivation and inspiration in health and wellness are changing lives daily.

Claire obtained her BSc (Hons) in Nutritional Science from Middlesex University in the United Kingdom and has been working in the field of dietary consulting and health coaching for more than 10 years. She is passionate about educating people on health and wellness. She is currently busy with a Integrative Health Coach Course through Health Coaches Academy & Zest4life and is a registered member of COMMENSA. She is also busy with her Certificate of Integrative Sports Nutrition through CISN with plans of specialising in female health and athletic performance.

Anti-ageing is a bit of a ‘dated’ term in my books, simply because we are designed to age. What we should be focusing on is how we age. How we can support the body AND our skin through this ageing process.

In 2018, the global anti-ageing market was estimated to be worth about R735 billion.

Think about that for a moment.

I feel I possibly contributed to the bulk of that sum, trying to find the ultimate anti-ageing serum. Skin health has always been important to me. Being someone who grew up with hormonally driven acne and dark blotches all over my face, I would sell my house along with my husband to buy any treatment that had some promise in ‘righting’ my skin. But when I really dug deeper, I noticed that regardless of the skincare treatments I was using, many of my lifestyle habits were playing a major role in speeding up the ageing of my skin:

• I was not moving or exercising enough
• I had poor eating habits and a diet high in processed foods, including dairy
• I was under a fair amount of stress
• I hardly used any SPF factor
• I had poor sleeping habits
• My skin care regime, though, was on point.

Skin deep…

Our skin is a definite reflection of all that is going on internally. We can use as many products as we can afford, but if our lifestyle choices are not on point, then true, long-lasting anti-ageing cannot be achieved.

The skin is a complex biological membrane. There are three layers to the skin:

1. Epidermis: The outermost layer (the skin you can see)
2. Dermis: Consists of connective tissue and cushions the body from stress and strain.
3. Hypodermis (or subcutaneous tissue): Attaches the skin to your bones and muscles, and supplies blood vessels and nerves to the epidermal layers.

As there are no blood vessels supplying nutrients to cells found in the epidermal layers of the skin, it makes sense that we need to nourish the skin both topically as well as feeding it nutrients from within.

As we age, nutrient production and absorption slow down. Genetics is an obvious role-player here, but according to US plastic surgeon Dr Bahman Guyuron, environmental factors and personal lifestyle choices can add years to a person’s appearance.

If the biological clock is designed to make you age in a certain way, you can alter that by eliminating some of the external factors that make you age faster Dr Bahman Guyuron

These factors include smoking, alcohol consumption and food intake – which all have a huge influence on inflammation.

What is inflammation?

Inflammation is a necessary immune response. But our modern lifestyles can cause an excess in this. This type of systemic inflammation may contribute to the development of disease.

According to dermatologist Dr John Sullivan, the key is to reduce the inflammation that disrupts the normal function of the skin. A build-up of toxins also creates an inflammatory environment that allows skin conditions such as acne, clogged pores, psoriasis and eczema to thrive – not just premature ageing.

A lifestyle fueled with external and internal stress, like the ones mentioned above, can cause cellular damage. This is where antioxidants come in to play an important role in damage control. Antioxidants found in foods protect your cells from the effects of free radicals and may help reduce an overabundance of inflammation in your body. You can also supplement this and there are some great products on the market that include ingredients like Curcumin which are instrumental in reducing inflammation.

Product featured: Lipolife Liposomal Curcumin – TurmerEase

Antioxidants: anti-ageing foods

There is no quick fix!

The aim would be to reduce the number of toxins you are exposed to in your diet as well as external factors to help manage chronic inflammation and to better control free-radical damage through antioxidant support.

• Avoid a high-GI diet full of sugary, processed foods such as cakes and biscuits.
• Limit milk and alcohol consumption. Alcohol dehydrates the body, including the skin. Like refined sugar foods, it promotes premature ageing by causing inflammation in our cells.
• Incorporate green leafy vegetables (spinach, kale, broccoli), garlic, and vitamin C (sweet potatoes, watercress) and Omega 3 rich foods (oily fish, walnuts) into your daily meals.

Product featured: Coyne Purest Omega 3

Combine them with nutrient-rich foods and natural supplements that can also help slow down the ageing process.

My top nutrients for healthy ageing are:

Nutrients	Food Sources	Benefits
Alpha Lipoic Acid	Tomatoes, organ meats, spinach, broccoli, carrots, beetroot	Powerful antioxidant and has shown to have an anti-inflammatory effect.
CoQ10	Trout, sardines, oranges, strawberries, lentils, sesame seeds	Neutralizes free radicals. Protective function on elastin and collagen.
Product featured: Coyne Biomax PQQ with CoQ10
Essential fatty acids	Nuts, seeds, oily fish	Help boost collagen production.
Fibre	Pineapple, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, sweet potatoes, spinach, collard greens, psyllium husk	Increases absorption of nutrients and aids in toxin elimination.
Glutathione	Peppers, carrots, cauliflower, broccoli, asparagus, avocado, melons	Powerful antioxidant serving a protective function. Assists in vitamin C and E regeneration and assists in DNA production.
Magnesium	Spinach, avocado, raspberries, broccoli, asparagus, artichoke, salmon	Helps maintain elasticity and retain moisture. Also, has a healing and calming effect on inflammation on the surface of the skin (such as acne).
Resveratrol	Pistachios, grapes, blueberries, cranberries, cocoa	Protective function on UV radiation and stress. Combats damaging effects of free radicals.
Vitamin A, C, E	Beetroot, watermelon, limes, blueberries, mushrooms, pineapple.	Protect skin from free radical damage.
Product featured: Mineralife Daily Multiple
Vitamin B’s	Peas, sesame seeds, spinach, mushrooms, bananas, avocado	Promote tissue growth and cell production. Attracts and retains water in the skin, thus improving elasticity.
Product featured: Coyne Biomax Activated B Complex

Antioxidant Smoothie Recipe

Ingredients

• 1–2 green tart apples
• 1–2 beetroots (depending on your preference in taste, the more beets, the more ‘earthy’ the taste)
• 1 small ginger head
• 1 celery stalk with leaves
• 1 carrot
• Handful of spinach or kale
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 scoop of Collagen
• Optional: 1 tsp turmeric and a crack of black pepper (helps aid absorption)

Product featured: Beauty Gen Naked Collagen

Method:

Blend all ingredients together in a juicer or blender and enjoy.

Final thoughts…

Nothing can reverse ageing entirely – it’s built into our DNA and is a normal part of life. However, there are lifestyle changes that you can adopt that will help support the body through this process. Although food is always a first priority for obtaining nutrients, we have to question the quality and age of the food we are eating. Supplementing is a great option where optimal dietary intake levels are not realistically obtainable.

Wishing you an abundance in health,

Claire Pye (Certified Nutrition & Wellness Coach)

References

1. J. Michels, 2011. Skin health – Linus Pauling Institute [online]
2. Guyuron B, 2019. Factors contributing to the facial aging of identical twins – PubMed – NCBI [online]
3. Value of the global anti-aging market
4. Mateljan G, 2019. The worlds healthiest foods
5. Szalay J, 2019. Inflammation

Photography & Styling by Project Flash Photography

Disclaimer: Each person’s physical, emotional, and spiritual condition is unique. The information in this article is intended for your educational use only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Please consult your doctor for matters pertaining to your specific health and diet. The author of this article is not held responsible for any adverse effects or consequences resulting from the use or misuse of any information, suggestions or procedures described herein. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition and before undertaking any diet, supplement, fitness, or other health program.