My Top 10 Foods For Aging Well
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Most women I meet who are over 50 have a few goals in common:
They want to stay healthy
They want to stay alive
And they want to age well!
Well, I’m happy to report that this blog post, and the foods I’m going to tell you about in it, check all of those boxes and pass that test with flying colors. As you know if you’ve read the blog for a while, what we put into our bodies reflects on the outside of our bodies, and it has a direct correlation to how we feel and how we age. The best thing you can do for your body is nourish it with nutrient-packed foods, and in return, you’ll feel and look magnificent.
Without further ado, here is a list of my top 10 foods that can help you age well. They’re delicious, nutritious, and the benefits are endless.
1. Green leafy vegetables
Spinach, romaine lettuce, kale, arugula, swiss chard, rainbow chard, collard greens, microgreens, bok choy—these are some of the healthiest foods on our planet. Dark green vegetables in general, including broccoli and brussel sprouts, are loaded with fiber (for digestion and gut health), antioxidants (to fight disease and detox us), iron (for energy and tons of bodily processes), and other essential vitamins and minerals. Studies have found that eating leafy green vegetables can also lower your risk of heart disease and obesity.
2. Blueberries
Wild blueberries in particular are considered a supreme superfood (like the creme de la creme of health foods), but any kind of blueberry contains a lot of antioxidants. Antioxidants are important for so many things, but in terms of physical effects, they can help reduce premature aging, protect our skin from environmental damage, encourage skin healing, and give your skin a nice glow!
3. Avocado
Avocados contain healthy fats, as well as vitamin E, K, C, A, and B, which make them extremely nourishing for the skin. Because of that, they’re a great food for reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. They can also help with memory retention and reduce cognitive decline that often comes with age.
4. Fatty fish
In a similar vein, fatty fish like tuna, salmon, mackerel, and sardines contain omega-3 fatty acids, which have been shown to have beneficial effects on memory loss, Alzheimer’s, dementia, and even depression. Healthy fats have long been associated with improved brain health, but like I mentioned above, they’re wonderful for your skin, as well as your hair and nails. If you’re not a fish lover, you can take fish oil, but I encourage you to try getting your nutrients in the form of whole foods.
5. Fermented foods
Back in July I devoted a whole blog post to the importance of fermented foods—for your gut health, your immune system, everything. Check out my blog post here, which includes a list of my favorite fermented foods!
6. Nuts and seeds
Again, another healthy, fatty food—are you picking up on the pattern? Walnuts, hazelnuts, pistachios, almonds, cashews, and macadamia nuts are all solid choices for nuts. Seed-wise, my go-tos are sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, hemp seeds, flaxseed, and even jackfruit seeds. All contain healthy fats, all great for skin and brain health.
7. Legumes, pulses, and beans
People often get these three categories mixed up, but they all have similar benefits, so it’s really no big deal. All three contain antioxidants, and they’re packed with fiber. Fiber feeds the bacteria in our gut microbiome and helps keep our digestive system moving. Longevity-wise, they can help prevent digestive cancer, they’re powerhouse disease fighters, and they can extend your life expectancy!
8. Sweet potatoes
Another vitamin-rich food, sweet potatoes contain carotenoids and beta carotene, which are converted to vitamin A in the body. Vitamin A plays a key role in our bodies cell and tissue regeneration, including our skin. They also contain soluble fiber, which bulks up our stool and feeds gut bacteria.
9. Olive oil and olives
Okay, one last fatty food on the list (or two, if you count olives). Rich in vitamin E, olive oil and olives help your skin stay soft and supple, while keeping free radicals that cause signs of aging at bay. They’re also anti-inflammatory, which helps the whole body. I have a blog post about turmeric that has a breakdown of what inflammation is here, in case you want to learn more.
10. Herbs and spices
Finally, we have herbs and spices. If there’s one tip we can take from Ayurvedic medicine and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), it’s that herbs and spices are extremely powerful for both combating aging, inflammation, disease, and more. Fresh herbs and spices are my preference for dishes like salads, pastas, and soups, but dried herbs and spices have just as many or even more benefits than fresh herbs, because the polyphenols and flavonoids have been preserved in the drying process.
Herbs and spices that I love for anti-aging include: basil, turmeric, rosemary, cayenne pepper, chili powder, garlic, onion powder, cumin, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, sage, oregano, cardamom, mint, parsley, and cilantro.
There you have it! My top anti-aging foods. I hope this gave you some valuable information and that you’ll check out my other blog posts about aging, nutrition, and skincare, including:
In the meantime, I hope you’ll join the Pure Joy Squad—a private Pure Joy Wellness community with unparalleled access to me, my expertise, PJW experts, and more!
Xo,
Renata