Nowadays, it costs so much to have that youthful glow in our face, in our body. Some people spend for surgeries, others for highly expensive cosmetics, and there are those who spend for food supplements. I’d be a hypocrite if I will say that I don’t care if I lack the youthful look. We all want the looks and the energy of a youth at our adult age. For those without the capacity to undergo surgery and buy expensive cosmetics and food supplements, can simple, less expensive foods help them have or regain youthfulness (in looks and in physical strength)?

To begin the search for the answer to that question, let’s first be informed of what makes adults lose the youthfulness in them; foremost, stress. Things that make up stress are lack of sleep, exposure to pollutions, over and under nutrition, and lack of physical fitness. Sleep is very important as it helps restore our bodily resources. As much as we wouldn’t want our car’s engine to heat up, so do we want to keep our body machine to be in the right condition, and one way of doing this is by putting our body machine into a temporary stop through sleeping. With regards to good nutrition, when a person is too under-nourished, you will notice that he or she would look so aged, often times, with dry (nearly scaly) skin. On the other hand, an overly nourished person who becomes overweight and obese would sometimes manifest with dark colored areas of the body like the neck or nape area. Truly, these features show the loss of youthfulness in a person.

Using food as a means to restore youthfulness is not strongly backed up by clinical studies, but knowing the functional backgrounds of nutrients in food may make you opt to try some food or beverage out there in the market. Here are some nutrients and how it may help restore youthfulness:

• Aloe Vera Gel - consists of 99.5 percent water, and is made up of polysaccharides, amino acids, enzymes and trace minerals that play an important role in the power of this gel. In a review of the benefits from aloe vera, the gel from the aloe leaf has been used for centuries as a topical remedy for minor burns, cuts and other skin irritations. The other benefit is its laxative effects from internal use of aloe juice or encapsulated powder. The substance associated with its laxative effect is anthraquinone glycosides which are converted by intestinal bacteria into aglycones.

• Collagen – the fibrous constituent of bone, cartilage, tendon and other connective tissues, thus it occurs naturally in the body. Collagen also supports the skin’s health. Some people claim to feel and see the benefits from collagen with having increased mobility and reduced joint pains. Others claim that they see improvements in the appearance of their skin, hair and nails. While there is a lack of research on these benefits, we can’t erase what others have felt and seen as an effect on their youthfulness.

Foods and its active ingredients can truly work wonders in our body, but eating should always be in performed for a purpose and in balance with what we do in life. Keep your eyes opened for new foods that will bring health benefits to your body. Before the Christmas parties starts to kick off, make sure you’re most aware of what foods can best protect your health.

(Write the author at wellbeing@mb.com.ph.)