Ayesha Aziz

Only if food could turn into an elixir of immortality, unmitigated disaster would await the planet. Thankfully, it’s not possible. Scientists have made much progress in discovering the gene for ageing, but here we are getting old and wrinkly. Death is inevitable, as bleak as it may sound. But you can try and pull of a Cleopatra on your deathbed. For those who don’t know, she died looking pretty. Some foods can do just that for you. And what’s the harm in self-care? It makes me feel confident and happy, most of the times.

Before we divulge in the list of foods that can make you look ageless, I want to tell a little about alchemy. Its idea was to create a potion that would purify the spirit and body of a person. That would make them an immortal. Human greed for turning ordinary metals into gold is not something we’ll get into here. What I mean is, we as humans have always coveted youth. There shouldn’t be any shame in it. The process of ageing perseveres regardless and is contributed to by UV radiations, pollution, radiations, and stress, among other factors. I rest my case now before I blabber off into another dimension.

Let’s take a look at the foods before you begin to brood.

• Aloe Vera

This plant takes me back to the memories of me struggling to pluck a leaf out of the plant. I had to apply the gel on my face. It was quite hard, especially in cold winters. But I’m a dedicated person.

This succulent plant belongs to the lily family originating from the Arabian Peninsula. If you look beyond the short spiny stems, you’ll see a rosette. It’s a good practice to start seeing what lies behind the veneers. Anyway, Aloe Vera is almost a magical plant. According to a study, it has anti-inflammatory, healing, moisturizing, antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral properties. That pretty much covers a lot of the problematic biological problems.

Other than that, research has shown that through increased collagen production Aloe Vera can help with skin elasticity and wrinkles. My gel putting time is drawing near again. You can also eat it, but do not go overboard with it.

• Anything with Vitamin C

Surprisingly, at least for me, other than being in citrus fruits such as oranges, lemons, lychees, and kiwis, it is also found in the green stuff. I’m talking about veggies, of course. Food that we all (don’t) really love to it. It is found in Japanese mustard spinach, parsley, thyme, broccoli, kale and many other “greeneries.”

Quite commonly, you’ll find it as an ingredient of skin cosmetic products. It is found in lightening creams (which we’re all so fond of), sunscreens and anti-ageing creams. How does it help in anti-ageing you ask? One study shows that vitamin C can help fight against reactive oxygen radicals through antioxidant action. It was an experiment on rats, though. The jury is still out there on this one. But as long as it tastes good, I’ll continue to believe in Vitamin C’s anti-ageing powers.

• Consume some Vitamin E

Before you think that I’ve been sponsored by some vitamin supplements chain, hold your horses. That’s is why I want to begin by telling you of Vitamin E toxicity. According to Mayo Clinic, if you overdose on this compound, it can cause bleeding, dysfunction of gonads, fatigue, nausea, and blurred vision, among other symptoms. Celebrities on social media relentlessly promote supplements. They are not regulated by the FDA, so anyone could make any claim. It’s all about marketing.

Now that the fear has settled in, let’s come to the good part. Make sure that you do consume Vitamin E found in natural food sources. You can find it abundantly in spinach, broccoli (again), olive oil, sunflower oil, almonds and peanuts. Research has shown it to help against ageing. But again you need to be careful to not overdo it.

Conclusion

That’s all I have for now. I’ve mentioned the above items because they’re easily accessible most of the time. If you have anything else, please comment down below. I’d love to know your thoughts.