Natural choices to combat ageing

Ageing begins from when a child is born. However, there are other factors that can lead to premature ageing, including the usage of incorrect skincare products and gorging on unhealthy foods. One can achieve a perfect skin by including turmeric, ginger and green leafy vegetables in the food intake, says an expert.

Speaking at the Anti-Ageing Health and Beauty show, held at the London Olympia this past weekend, Geraldine McCulgan of the College of Naturopathic Medicine said: "What you eat today... you wear tomorrow."

The beauty therapist shared some helpful tips on natural choices for anti-ageing and the small changes that one can effect in one's lifestyle to help slow down ageing.

Accelerating ageing is affected by the following:

* Glycation - the process of sugar and it affects joints

* Inflammation

* Lack of nutrients

* Overload of toxins

* Free radical damages

* Stress

* Loss of ATP (Adenosine triphosphate) which regulates cellular energy

* Lack of oil and water

So if you want to slow down ageing, McCulgan recommends following a diet made up of whole grains, vegetables, legumes, mild-sweet and non-sweet fruits. One can also try the following things:

* Avoid refined sugar

* Eat protein with every meal

* Swap refined sugar products with wholegrain alternatives

* Eat plenty of fibre rich vegetables

* Include cinnamon - lowers blood sugar levels

* Consult the ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity) scale - which identifies the anti-oxidants in foods

Inflammation is behind many degenerative diseases, so here we have some advice from Geraldine on how to reduce it:

* Eat organic

* Turmeric

* Ginger

* Green leafy vegetables

* Fermented foods

* Acid/Alkaline balancing

* Omega 3 fatty acids