November 2013
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Diet Discoveries
Top 8 Tips to Slow Your Biological Clock
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The secrets to amazing, youthful skin, a healthy body weight, and slowing or reversing the signs of aging may not be to avoid fried foods, chocolate, or alcohol, according to a new book by Dr. Stefanie Williams, MD, popular dermatologist, author of over 100 published scientific journal articles, and the medical director at European Dermatology in London.
In "Future Proof Your Skin! Slow Down Your Biological Clock by Changing the Way You Eat,"Dr. Williams cuts through the noise, basing her claims on lab-proven studies, rather than pop-science or influence from product manufacturers or anecdotal evidence. She extols the benefits of fatty foods, chocolate, and even tequila—while calling into question old dieting standbys like lentils, brown rice and the new "grazing" craze, where snacks throughout the day replace full meals.
Here are eight top tips to eating your way towards a younger-looking you, without fads, pills, or calorie-restrictive dieting:
- The scoop on sweets: A study by the British Journal of dermatology showed sugars such as glucose and fructose (found in fruit and fruit-juice) react with the collagen in our skin, accelerating the look of aging and the pliability of our skin. The higher your baseline blood sugar levels, the older you'll start to look, so the less sugar you eat, the better. Even natural sweeteners like honey or agave syrup cause the same reaction.
- Grains are sugar, too: A diet rich in grains such as brown rice and whole wheat is also high in starch, a carbohydrate that's nothing more than another variety of sugar molecules. White rice, brown rice, pasta and bread should be eaten sparingly or not at all.
Cooking Tip: Instead of rice, try grating raw cauliflower and briefly frying in olive oil with a pinch of seasoning.
- Lentils, peas, and beans ... oh my: Dr. Williams doesn't object to lentils, peas, or beans—even though they also are high in carbohydrates and contain natural toxins—as much as sugar and grains. She prefers you eat more nutritious carbs like vegetables, sweet potatoes, yams and squash.
- Get thin, eat fat - Saturated fats and coconut oil were getting a bad rap as late as the 1990's, but according to research, carbohydrates are to blame for the weight-gain and premature aging. Eating more "good fat" (coconut, avocado, olive oil) actually makes skin more elastic and even eliminate wrinkles.
- Stop nibbling, get irregular: The recent popular advice for eating six to eight small meals a day has the opposite intended effect—instead of regulating blood sugar, it keeps it too high, making skin and body age more quickly. Instead of grazing like a cow, try adding a few irregular meal times to keep your body guessing, revving up your metabolism.
- Quick ... fast! In addition to irregular meal times, the best-kept anti-aging secret is intermittent fasting. Dr. Williams suggests fasting for 24-hours two times per week. Several benefits: your body will be more sensitive to insulin levels, you will produce more human growth hormone, and collagen synthesis will be stimulated in your skin.
- Artificial sweeteners stink: Zero calorie artificial sweeteners trick the brain and trigger an insulin response when none is needed. Artificial sweeteners have now been linked to diabetes.
- Bottoms up!The occasional alcoholic beverage of choice is dry red wine, since it is lowest in sugar and contains the natural anti-aging chemical "resveratrol." But also, high-quality tequila mixed with lime and water has a lower impact on blood sugar levels. In any case, alcohol should be kept to a minimum when you're trying to lose excess body fat.
As always, before you change your diet or begin a new exercise program, make sure to check with your doctor first.
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