Top foods to keep you young

Culled from MSN lifestyle

Ageing, pollution, stress and fatigue can all take their toll on our appearance. From wrinkles to under-eye circles and eye bags to spots, the effects of our lifestyles can display themselves on our faces before we even start to feel them. Maintaining a healthy and well-balanced diet is one approach, and the good news is that there are some foods that are thought to give you extra ammunition when it comes to combating the signs of ageing. By eating the right foods and paying attention to your diet, you can drastically improve your appearance. Here are the top foods for a natural facelift.

Spinach

Spinach, like many other dark green leafy vegetables, is rich in an antioxidant called lutein. Not only is this great for healthy eyes, but more recent research has shown that it is also good for preventing wrinkles by helping to retain the skin's moisture and elasticity, increasing lipid levels and preventing damage caused by free radicals.The benefits of spinach do not stop there, however, as the leafy vegetable also has the power to reduce dark circles under the eyes due to its high levels of vitamins K and C.

Oysters

Besides being a well known aphrodisiac, oysters can also enhance your beauty. If you are suffering from pale, sallow skin or dark circles under your eyes, this may be due to vitamin B12 or iron deficiencies, both of which can cause anaemia. To beat pasty skin, try boosting your intake of these essential nutrients by stocking up on oysters, which have high levels of both.

Garlic

It may not be the most fragrant of foods, but garlic is a super food that can have great skin benefits. As a natural antibiotic with blood cleansing, immune boosting, antibacterial properties, garlic is an effective, cheap and healthy way to help naturally treat acne. While there are many reasons people suffer from spots, garlic - particularly when eaten raw and crushed - can help reduce future breakouts, while its anti-inflammatory properties can reduce the swelling and inflammation of acne.

Avocados

Avocados often get bad press due to their high levels of fats, however the healthy fats contained in an avocado can actually do wonders for your skin. Packed with omega-3 fatty acids, avocadoes can help to moisturise your skin from the inside and increase collagen production, helping to prevent wrinkles.

Bananas

Many people know that fluid retention is the primary cause of belly bloating, but it can also be responsible for a puffy face and bags under the eyes. Fortunately, fluid retention can be treated through the diet by redressing the body's sodium/potassium balance. As these two minerals work against each other to balance water in the body, too little potassium - or too much salt - is one of the most common causes of water retention. Redress this by increasing your intake of potassium through foods such as bananas. Other potassium rich foods include strawberries, melon and papaya.

Green tea

There is no end to the benefits of this super drink; green tea boasts a wealth of benefits that earns it the top spot in the anti-ageing food list. Green tea is believed to help regulate blood pressure, lower blood sugar, boost the immune system, lower cholesterol and studies have even shown that green tea can be effective at preventing cancer.

Red wine

A glass of red wine adds up a good dose of anti-ageing elements including polyphenol antioxidants, minerals, and resveratrol which help to increase 'good cholesterol' levels in the body and prevent blood clotting as well as a healthy circulatory system. Resveratrol found in red wine may also be beneficial for women during the menopause by reducing the risk for conditions like breast cancer and osteoporosis resulting from reduced oestrogen levels.

Water

Few people - whether active or not - drink sufficient water, and side effects of even slight dehydration include headaches, fatigue and low concentration levels. Yet increasing fluid intake can increase energy levels, aid digestion, give skin a boost and help boost your anti-ageing armoury.