As time goes on our skin ages; it becomes less elastic, more fragile, and the deeper layers of our skin lose fat. The skin begins to appear looser and the lines become more obvious. Most of us like to avoid the deep crevices of aging skin for as long as possible. Many of us know that getting too much sun, drinking too much alcohol, smoking cigarettes, taking certain medications, allowing ourselves to be dehydrated, and of course, genetics can accelerate the formation of wrinkles. Certainly, there’s little that can be done about genetics; we’ve either been born with light skin (easier to experience sun damage and, therefore, wrinkles) or not. And yes, it’s true; if we smile (or frown) a lot, it eventually will form a wrinkle in our skin. Having said that, maybe some of those lines are just part of living; just a part of our evolving character as a person of experience.

Of course, we can be proponents of the tanning parlor and when that proves to hasten wrinkles, and then we can head for the plastic surgeon. But if you’d like to try to protect your skin for as long as possible and avoid those costly and risky surgeries, you may be over-looking one item that helps to keep skin healthy. A good healthy diet, low in trans fats; one that avoids too much sugar and processed carbohydrates (like baked goods and white bread) too much processed meat, and too much saturated fat, then we are on the right path. To those ‘don’ts’ we add these ‘do’s’: a generous supply of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, nuts, and fish, and a modest amount of lean meat.

A diet as described in the previous paragraph is low in advanced glycation endproducts (AGEs). AGEs are related to oxidation, inflammation and ultimately may boost the risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, kidney disease, diabetes and, yes, accelerated aging.  To keep AGEs under control, try to keep the heat down in cooking and use moist heat more often than grilling and broiling; try poaching, stewing and steaming.

Sugary pastries, candy, soda all contain sugar, by whatever name, they all can produce the wrinkle-generating AGEs. Research has shown that the fructose portion (about 50% of sugar-sucrose) is seven times more likely than the glucose portion to bind to protein and get stuck in arteries and form AGEs.

Trans fats – yes, they’re still out there; especially in bakery products where there is no FDA requirement to have a nutrition label in many states. (See our November 12, 2013 blog for news on the FDA trans fat announcement.) On products with nutrition labels look for ‘partially hydrogenated oils’ and ‘vegetable shortening’ as well as ‘trans fats’. These terms imply a hydrogenation process which will produce some trans fats, even if the label does not mention it (usually because it is below .5 gram within the given portion size).Trans fats definitely add to the wrinkle problem, not to mention chronic diseases like heart disease and diabetes.

Use fatty meats and dairy products sparingly. Be especially Spartan with processed meats that have both saturated fats and nitrates, which can lead to inflammation.

Include plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fish, beans and nuts.  These foods supply not only antioxidants; they also provide protein (with the exception of fruit). New skin cells are made of protein, so if you’re eating junk food too often, you may be shortchanging your chance to protect your skin. Being well nourished is more than just balancing calories to maintain a healthy weight – the goal is to nourish both your inside and outside cells.

Do you notice that the same foods that keep the inside of the body healthy, also keep the skin healthy. It’s hard to monitor how the arteries and internal organs are doing, but looking in the mirror may give you a heads up. Both excess weight and wrinkles are your body’s way of sending you a message: “Time to pay better attention to what’s being eaten.”