Diet can age you
us to have strong, healthy bones, teeth, and hair,” Snyder explains.
7. You don’t take a break.
When your exercise routine is so intense that you’re tired all the time but can’t sleep at night, you’re setting yourself up for overuse injuries – not to mention dark circles and bags under your eyes from those sleepless nights. These symptoms could be a sign of over exhaustion, says Ryan Halvorson, a personal trainer and IDEA Health and Fitness Association expert.
Other clues that you’re working out too much include extreme muscle soreness that persists for several days, unintended weight loss, an increased resting heart rate, interruptions in your menstrual cycle, or decreased appetite.
“Plan your rest as well as you plan exercise,” says Polly de Mille, a registered clinical exercise physiologist at the Hospital for Special Surgery in Manhattan. “If there is no balance between breakdown and recovery, then the muscle is in a state of chronic inflammation, and what may start as a simple case of soreness after a hard workout can turn into an actual overuse injury.”
8. You drastically cut fat.
When your diet isn’t balanced, your skin, hair, and nails will suffer. Cutting calories can deprive your body of certain nutrients that promote healthy cell division, cell regeneration, and overall skin tone and texture, explains David E. Bank, director of the Center for Dermatology, Cosmetic and Laser Surgery in Mount Kisco, New York. “The skin also requires essential fatty acids – which the body can’t produce on its own – to maintain hydration. A diet that’s too low in fat could cause dry skin, hair loss, and brittle nails.”
Other key youth-boosting nutrients include vitamins A, C, and E. Being deficient in A can cause acne, dry hair, dry skin, and broken fingernails. Get your daily vitamin A fix by eating five baby carrots each day. A lack of vitamin C can affect collagen synthesis (the “glue” that binds our ligaments, bones, blood vessels, and skin), impair wound healing, and make you more likely to bruise; incorporate vitamin C–rich foods in the form of citrus fruits, brussels sprouts, peppers, and leafy greens.
Low levels of vitamin E can result in easy bruising and cause chronic skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis to flare up. Get more vitamin E in your diet by eating almonds, hazelnuts, peanuts, spinach, and fortified cereals. – Prevention magazine/ Tribune News Service