Look and feel 10 years younger

This story was originally titled "Look & Feel 10 Years Younger" in the July 2009 issue. Subscribe to Canadian Living today and never miss an issue!

Part one: Eat to be 10 years younger
By Julie Beun-Chown

Marjorie Silcoff stares thoughtfully at the ceiling of her Montreal home. The 37-year-old has been trying to think of a downside to looking 10 years younger than her age and, apparently, she's just found it. "Last year, I was carded," she says with a giggle. "I was in California and we went to a lounge. The guy wouldn't let me in without ID. I couldn't believe it."

Tough break. Then again, she brought it upon herself.

Five years ago, she radically changed her diet and within weeks, her acne-prone skin had cleared up and smoothed out, and she had more energy to boot.

A remarkable transformation, but not unexpected, says Sam Graci, a Canadian nutrition researcher and founder of Genuine Health Products. "Our skin's composition is totally affected by the foods we eat," he says. Researchers at an Australian university found a diet rich in fruit, vegetables and oily fish reduces wrinkles and signs of aging.

So, if we are what we eat, what's on the menu to help us look and feel 10 years younger?

Wild fatty fish
Good for: firm skin
Rich in omega-3 fatty acids, wild fish does double-duty as a beauty food, says Alan Logan, a naturopathic doctor and author of The Clear Skin Diet (Cumberland, 2008). Wrinkles and drying skin are exacerbated by sun damage, pollutants and free radicals. "But omega-3s can reduce the resulting inflammatory process and protect collagen, the structure of the skin," Logan says. Omega-3s also support healthy bones.
    
Low-fat yogurt
Good for: dental and gut health
The link between dairy foods and skin problems such as acne may have been established by three Harvard University studies, but low-fat yogurt is the exception. "Yogurt's calcium and phosphorus [also boosts] tooth enamel, which can reduce cavities and give us a beautiful smile," says Lisa Drayer, a beauty nutritionist and author of The Beauty Diet (McGraw-Hill, 2008). Probiotics in good-quality yogurts also help with food digestion, says Logan. The result? Eased constipation, fewer toxins stored in your body and reduced inflammation.

Oysters
Good for: hair, nails and skin
The zinc in oysters not only encourages healthy hair and nail growth, but it also plays an important role in skin renewal and repair. "The high zinc content of oysters is a great beauty benefit," says Drayer. Too slimy? Add crab, white beans or fortified cereal to your diet instead.

Page 1 of 5 – head to page two for more tricks to make you feel (and look) younger!