Food to fight ageing

There are many dietary precautions you could take to prevent ageing, but here are the most fundamental

easy to follow ones.

MINNAL KHONA

It goes without saying that being overweight causes several health issues and one of them is, most definitely, ageing. While fat is needed as a storehouse of energy and can keep the skin supple (notice how sudden weight loss causes the skin to sag), one should keep it well within healthy levels. You can enjoy butter, milk etc., if you can limit their intake. The culprits which are high in fat are lard, margarine, fried food, cream and processed food like biscuits and cakes. Include healthy foods like fresh fruit and vegetables, and whole wheat instead of processed flour.

In the oil you buy, check the percentage of mono and poly unsaturated fats. The mono unsaturated fats are healthier and can be found in vegetable oils, seeds and nuts. Poly unsaturated fats are found in beef, animal fat and full cream milk etc., which are bad for health and can increase cholesterol levels.

Go easy on the fizzies

There is something about everything that is bad for us, and usually they are tasty or very tempting. How many of us reach out for a cola or a coffee when we need a kick? I see so many people walking to work with a coffee to go. And these people have probably already had a cup with their brekkie that morning. Many even smoke, and an increasing number of women smoke too. Women’s bodies age faster if there is too much intake of alcohol or nicotine. Not to mention the fine lines that develop on the upper lip because of pursing the lips to take a drag on a cigarette. Increased intake of caffeine, alcohol or cigarettes can speed up ageing by initiating bone loss.

Caffeine is, in fact, the cause of a lot of problems and people don’t realise it as they guzzle endless cups of very strong coffee. It can make one jittery and hyper, and add to stress levels.

I have never understood the Western concept of a coffee after dinner. The milk in the coffee can curdle and cause diarrhoea, once it hits the stomach. And black coffee can keep you up for hours, playing havoc with your sleep patterns. Caffeine can also dehydrate and this makes the skin dry too, causing it to wrinkle faster. Just like you would consume alcohol in moderation, do the same with coffee. Don’t mindlessly step out for a smoke and a coffee. Drink some water instead, it will benefit you far more than a cup of coffee ever will.

Detox to de-stress

We may not realise it but all the stress of work and sometimes family life, as well as suppressed emotions like anger, hurt and resentment cause the build-up of toxins in our bodies. Pollution, poor eating habits and for some, a sedentary lifestyle can result in other ailments that have their foundation in these negative phenomena.

Enter detox treatments. When you detox your body – preferably once a week –the body flushes most of the toxins out and the right kind of food gets ingested. A leafy salad, some fruit like watermelon, papaya and apple can provide the body with fibre to clean out the stomach. Vitamins get absorbed and antioxidants perform the function of powerful anti ageing agents. So make sure that at least once a week you eat salads and fruits for breakfast and lunch, and a fibre-rich cereal for dinner, if you are still hungry. This kind of food will also help you de-stress.

Check your calcium

As one ages, it is important to ensure high calcium intake to keep the bones and nails strong. Women especially, should take a calcium supplement that has a bit of magnesium in it as on its own, the body can only absorb small amounts of calcium. Milk, dairy products like yoghurt and boiled potatoes are good sources of calcium. In fact, one boiled potato is equal to a cup of milk. Some nuts and fish are also good sources of calcium. Make this a daily habit if you don’t want osteoporosis or dull and brittle nails.

High on carbs

Carbohydrates are very important and when people go on a diet, the first thing they do is give up on carbs. But it is important to keep in mind that if your diet has more calories than you need or expend, you will gain weight. The extra calories in carbs left over after the daily requirement has been met is what gets converted to fat. So it doesn’t matter if you are eating a low fat diet or not. Instead of supersizing everything, go for smaller portions. What works for me is this simple trick – to keep my weight under control and not give up on foods I love, I eat slowly to start with. Then the moment I begin to feel full, I stop and tell myself I am full. That’s how I avoid overeating. Some people eat healthy food, but they just don’t know when to stop, and eat large portions. If you are self-aware, you will know what works for you, and what doesn’t. Do not opt for yo-yo diets to lose weight. These play havoc with your body and hasten the anti-ageing process. Instead, eat small, eat healthy and exercise. If you stay stress free and find happiness in little things, your skin and hair will look good too.

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This is where Buddhism was first introduced to our land,” says Harsha, my guide, while standing in front of a white stupa at Mihintate in Sri Lanka. It is said that at this spot around 247 BC, Mahinda, Emperor Ashoka’s son met Sinhalese King Devanampiya and inspired him to accept Buddhism as the national religion.

Marked as a significant event in the land’s history, this devout espousal led to the integration of state royalty with religious orders which in subsequent periods influenced art, culture, lifestyle and architecture. It is evident throughout Sri Lanka; but most expressively in the ancient cities in the northern plains from where 2500 years ago, the vibrant journey of a nation and a religion began.

An odyssey through past legacies following the steps of the royals and Buddhism is a major attraction of the Indian Ocean Island, currently witnessing unprecedented growth in tourism at the end of its long-drawn ethnic unrest.

Speculations suggest that the island of 64,000 sq km area was originally occupied by huntergatherers called Veddahs, until 5th century BC, when Vijay, an ousted Indian king touched its shores and instituted the first Sinhalese kingdom that ruled the land from their capital Anuradhapura for the next 1200 years. It was during this golden era that myriad palaces, temples, stupas and monasteries were built; townships were developed with massive irrigation systems needed for survival in the hot dry land,