Incorporating Antioxidant Foods into your diet could ward off the effects of aging. Antioxidants are found in fruits and vegetables. The following foods are super foods as they contain up to 20 times the antioxidant content of other foods.
Foods for memory
Prunes: Prunes help slow the aging process in both the body and brain.
Raisins: Raisins have many health benefits and Ibn al-Qayyim and some of the Salaf have advised to eat them for improving memory.
Blueberries: Blueberries have been shown in numerous studies to do wonderful things for memory and the brain in general. Blueberries contain anthocyanin, a known memory-boosting phytochemical. They also contain many other phytochemicals that may contribute to healthy brain function.
Blackberries: In an animal study, blackberries appeared to spur improvements not only in short-term memory but also in motor skills like balance and coordination -- all things that tend to decline with age. Researchers believe the polyphenols in blackberries may benefit aging neurons by quieting inflammation and oxidation and improving communication between brain cells
Kale: Kale is bursting with brain-defending vitamin K. Vitamin K, named for a group of vitamins well known for their coagulating power, also boosts your immune system and acts as a powerful antioxidant. Vitamin K also supports your brain and nervous system by helping to synthesize sphingolipids, the fats that help form the myelin sheath around your nerves.
A cup of boiled kale tops all other greens with a whopping 1300% of your DV for vitamin K; spinach, collard greens and Swiss chard are the next highest in vitamin K.
Strawberries: Brain boosters such as these are rich in anthocyanins, formidable antioxidants in deep red and purple pigments. They protect brain cells and the neuron's ability to respond to chemical messengers and discourage the formation of blood clotting.
Spinach: One study found that feeding rats spinach prevented and even reversed memory loss. This may be due in part to its high folic acid content, a nutrient that is believed to be protective against Alzheimer's disease and age-related memory loss. Just a half-cup of cooked spinach provides two-thirds your daily requirement of folic acid.
Raspberries: There is a powerful connection between Raspberries and memory. Research has shown that Raspberries might help reverse the short term memory loss that often comes with aging. Raspberries are thought to be a key in preserving a healthy young brain.
VITAMIN C
One of the most commonly used supplements is vitamin C, found in oranges, kiwi, broccoli, tomatoes, radish and watercress, cauliflower,turnip, papaya, and yellow and orange peppers. These vegetables also help to prevent cataracts and macular degeneration in eyes.Vitamin C is an antioxidant essential for wound repair and tissue maintenance. Deficiency of Vitamin C leads to scurvy, depression, the formation of brown spots on the skin, and softened gums that can cause the teeth to fall out. The recommended daily allowance for Vitamin C in adults is 75 – 90mg.
VITAMIN E
Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant that is believed to significantly decrease oxidative stress and blood pressure, contribute to cardiovascular and prostate health, and boost immune response. Spinach, almonds, sunflower seeds and seed oils, Eat a handful of sunflower seeds daily because these are remarkable anti-ageing food rich in Vitamin E and selenium which help look younger and improve skin elasticity and reduce wrinklescollard greens, beets, tomatoes, pumpkin, sweet potatoes, and avocados are rich in Vitamin E.
Nuts and seeds are rich in vitamin E, potassium, magnesium, iron, zinc, copper, selenium and essential fatty acids like omega-3 fatty acids. Eat a handful, about 30 g daily. .
Brazil nuts are a very rich source of selenium which helps slowing down the ageing process.
VITAMIN D
Vitamin D is found in food sources such as fatty fish, eggs, and milk, and is also absorbed from exposure to sunlight thru the skin.Older people are at risk of developing heart disease and diabetes due to a vitamin D deficiency as a result of natural aging process. They can reduce their risk by sitting more time in the sunshine to boost vitamin D in the skin.
New research on vitamin D appears to show an ability to prevent a myriad of cancers and other illnesses in people receiving significantly higher dosages than the common recommended daily allowance.
Deficiency of Vitamin D can result in weak or misshapen bones, rickets, osteoporosis and osteomalacia. The best natural source of Vitamin D is the sun, but since the sun’s harmful UV rays can cause skin cancer and premature aging, supplementation is on the rise.
VITAMIN A
Vitamin A is essential to the function of the reproductive systems, brain development, immune function, skin health, antioxidant activity, bone metabolism, and vision.
Spinach, corn, kale, broccoli, beets, onions, eggplant and red bell peppers score highest on the antioxidant scale. Antioxidants protect our bodies against oxidation, or cellular damage caused by free radicals. High doses of vitamin A have been successful in treating severe nodular acne that is resistant to other treatments, because of it’s ability to reduce the secretion of sebum and the size of the sebaceous glands.
Deficiency of Vitamin A causes blindness, impaired immunity, hypokeratosis, white lumps at hair follicles, and keratosis pilaris, while excess vitamin A has been shown to cause birth defects, headaches, hair loss, severe dryness of the skin, jaundice, blurry vision, and mood changes.