Eat Greek for a Week: Fabulous food that will improve your health in seven days - Tonia Buxton (2015)

EAT GREEK TO LOOK (AND FEEL) YOUNGER

‘There is a fountain of youth, and it’s Greek’

- Kypros Constantinou

IBELIEVE THE PROOF IS IN THE PUDDING, as the saying goes, and when you ask people who look great and have great energy what type of lifestyle they have, it is often exactly like the Greeks.

Before I go into all the good stuff I first need to go over what you shouldn’t be doing. First: DON’T SMOKE. IF YOU DO, GIVE UP NOW! There is just no point to it, just stop - it makes you sick, it makes you look old and it makes you smell awful! There are so many medical facts as to why you should not smoke, I’m not going to go over them here, but needless to say there is no way you can look good past your 30s if you do. Can you tell how passionate I am about this?

The other thing not to do is drink too much - a glass of wine or two a few times a week is fine but any more than that will cease being medicinal and the effects will ravage your face and body. I am a child of the 1980s and boy did we worship the sun then. We didn’t know about Sun Protection Factors (SPFs) and the damage the sun can do. But we do now, so always wear a high SPF, even in cloudy weather, and I recommend not sunbathing, it will make you look older in the long run.

You do need to help your diet with some moderate exercise to get the blood flowing and to keep you supple. I try and raise my heart rate two or three times a week with brisk walking, jogging and sprinting. Then as we get older our muscles atrophy so it is very important to do something to prevent that - perhaps push weights or go to a pump class, one or two times a week. Finally, to keep supple, you should try to stretch every day, or go to a yoga or a Pilates class.

Work at being happy and surround yourself with people who are fun - nothing enhances youth more than a young spirit.

Now, how to eat. Nutrition is the best place to start when you are working towards looking younger because, here’s the pun, it is more than skin deep. What you put into your body has deep ramifications. One way we age is when the oxidants in our system start to break down our fibres and collagen. Think of it as rusting - oxidants cause our bodies to stiffen up and rust. Antioxidants are what prevent this from happening; they keep us smooth, oiled and supple.

The secret to looking and, in fact, feeling younger is very achievable through your diet; all you need to do is do what the healthy people of the Mediterranean have been doing for centuries and eat Greek! Changes to your diet can have great improvements not only on your skin, but also on your entire well-being. Something as simple as increasing the antioxidants in your body can make a visible difference, which you and all those around you will notice.

The Greek diet is especially effective when trying to look and feel younger. The ingredients used to create the dishes will not only complement each other with anti-ageing properties such as antioxidants and essential fats which keep your skin elastic and your blood running efficiently with fewer free radicals, but they are quite the opposite to the foods which increase the rate of ageing, so they’re twice as effective, and four times as tasty.

With each meal, you will be pouring the secrets of the Mediterranean into your body - it will be like your skin has gone on holiday and forgot to write you a postcard! If you are anything like me, you will want to stop reading and start cooking yourself younger! The journey begins in your kitchen.

NUTRIENT	WHAT IT DOES	FOOD FOR OPTIMUM RESULTS
Vitamin A	✵ Several beneficial factors for keeping the skin looking and functioning healthily including smoothness, firmness and texture. ✵ Used in treatment for several conditions including severe acne and psoriasis. ✵ Produces and protects the oils for healthy hair and scalp. ✵ Deficiency leads to scaly skin, rough and dry skin and suppression of mucus secretion and hair loss. ✵ Boosts immune function. ✵ Aiding in healthy vision.	Olive oil, liver, kidney, egg yolk, sweet potato, carrots, kale, butternut squash, cos and romaine lettuce, dried apricots, cantaloupe melon, red peppers, tuna, mango, cheese, yogurt.
Vitamin B6	✵ Essential for the creation of the substance that carries oxygen around the body (haemoglobin).	Tuna, turkey, lean pork, lean beef, liver, salmon, cod, bananas, spinach, bell peppers, turnip greens, collard greens, garlic, cauliflower, celery, cabbage, asparagus, broccoli, kale, avocado, Brussels sprouts, pistachio, sunflower seeds.
Vitamin C	✵ Involved in collagen production. ✵ Antioxidant for the skin. ✵ Strengthens immune system. ✵ Protects the skin from sun damage. ✵ Keeps hair follicles healthy.	Bell peppers, citrus fruits, dark green leafy veg, kale, kiwi, broccoli, berries, cooked tomatoes, peas, guava, pineapples.
Vitamin D	✵ Helps cell growth, hair growth and bone development. ✵ Keeps a healthy immune system. ✵ Deficiency leads to poor hair growth, increased cancer risk, bone failure and weakening of the muscles.	Eggs, oily fish, caviar, dairy, mushrooms, extra lean pork, cereal.
Vitamin E	✵ Acts as a guard for the cell membrane, protecting what enters and exits the cells. ✵ Reduces moisture loss. ✵ Combined with vitamin C, protects against UV harm. ✵ Reduces risk of age-related eye damage (macular degeneration). ✵ Reduces heart disease by oxidation of the blood and reduces chance of clots. ✵ Reduces chronic inflammation. ✵ Found to reduce risk of dementia. ✵ Acts as an antioxidant in the stomach and may reduce cancer risk.	Olive oil, wheatgerm, sunflower seeds, peanuts, almonds, avocados, spinach, shrimp, rainbow trout, butternut squash, pumpkin.
Iron	✵ Essential for transportation of oxygen to all parts of the body. ✵ Deficiency leads to pale skin, fatigue, weakness and even organ failure.	Molluscs, liver, spinach, beans and pulses, sesame seeds, squash and pumpkin seeds (raw), venison, beef, lean lamb, nuts, egg yolk, whole grains, leafy greens, dark chocolate, berries, apricots, grapes.
Selenium Increases the effectiveness of vitamin E, so double antioxidant effect. Organic is most beneficial as it has been found to contain more nutrients than non-organic food	✵ Protects the skin’s quality and elasticity. ✵ Protects the skin against the sun. ✵ Antioxidant which fights age-related disease by protecting the cells from free radical damage. ✵ Deficiency associated with premature ageing. ✵ Relieves hot flushes and other menopause symptoms. ✵ Reduces risk of heart attack, stroke and cancer. ✵ Increases good cholesterol and decreases bad cholesterol.	Brazil nuts, oysters, tuna, salmon, cod, halibut, shrimp, wheatgerm, brown rice, lean pork, beef, lamb, chicken, turkey, liver, mushrooms, rye, eggs.
Zinc	✵ Aid in tissue repair and regeneration. ✵ Promotes wound healing. ✵ Deficiency leads to hair loss and flaky scalp. ✵ Increases vitamin A in the blood by aiding transportation.	Tahini, yogurt, spinach, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, cashews, bran flakes, wheatgerm, lentils, calf liver, oysters, beef, lamb, lean pork shoulder, chicken, venison, turkey, green peas, beans, shrimp, chocolate, mushrooms.
Omega-3 Get it from your diet, not from fish oil capsules as they can thin the blood!	✵ Keeps the skin lubricated. ✵ Keeps maintenance and strength of hair. ✵ Keeps cell membranes at their optimum so they keep harmful toxins out of the skin as well as keeping the cells supple and flexible. ✵ Protects against sun damage.	Wild Salmon, mackerel, sardines, tinned tuna, halibut, shrimp, snapper, fish roe, scallops, oysters, flax seed and oil, walnuts, red peppers.
Fats	✵ Contain polyphenols, powerful antioxidants that may help prevent age-related diseases.	Olive oil, nuts, seeds, fish, organic meats, avocado, macadamia nut oil.
Unsaturated	✵ Help your skin stay hydrated. ✵ Aid absorption of vitamins and nutrients that your skin needs for optimum health.
Protein	✵ A building block for skin and collagen. ✵ Essential for strong hair. ✵ Aids muscle growth, especially after damage. ✵ Essential for growth and function of the human body.	Turkey breast, chicken breast, tuna, salmon, halibut, cheese, pork loin, lean beef and veal, beans, eggs, yogurt, nuts and seeds.
Beta-carotene Olive oil helps the absorption of beta-carotene!	✵ Essential for skin health ✵ Converts to Vitamin A, which is vital for cell repair and growth. ✵ Powerful antioxidant found to assist healthy ageing and protect against cancer.	Sweet potato, carrots, pumpkins, cantaloupe melon, Swiss chard, spinach, kale, cos or romaine lettuce, butternut squash, red peppers, peas, paprika, chilli, parsley, coriander, cayenne.
Magnesium	✵ Keeps a healthy immune system. ✵ Boosts energy levels. ✵ Deficiency can lead to age-related issues including osteoporosis and high blood pressure. ✵ Essential for every cell in the body, especially those in the heart and brain. ✵ Deficiency can lead to mental confusion, disorientation, muscle cramps, amongst other things.	Dark leafy greens (spinach), nuts and seeds, mackerel, beans, lentils, whole grains, avocado, bananas, dried figs, dark chocolate.
Polyphenols (plant)	✵ Been found to reduce the risk of sun-related cancers. ✵ Antioxidant aiding cell growth and reproduction. ✵ Aids prevention of atherosclerosis. ✵ Increases the body’s defence, protecting against various chronic diseases including heart disease, allergies and cognitive decline.	Cloves, star anise, cocoa powder and dark chocolate, capers, black olive, green olive, hazelnut, pecan nut, plum, sweet basil, globe artichoke heads, dried ginger, apple, spinach, red wine, extra-virgin olive oil.
Water Though not a nutrient, absolutely critical! And, we can find it in our foods!	✵ Essential for keeping natural skin moisture, soft skin and to avoid tightness and flaking of the skin. ✵ Reduces dry skin. Dry skin is extremely prone to wrinkling. ✵ Deficiency leads to reduced skin elasticity. ✵ Regulates body temperature, stopping natural sweating and lubrication of the skin. ✵ Transports nutrients and oxygen to all cells. ✵ Removes waste and toxins from the body, which would otherwise try to exit through the skin, causing headache, fatigue, acne and even aggravate eczema. ✵ Prevents cells from dehydration.	Our main water source should come from drinking fresh water, but, let’s have some fun with foods which have high water content: Watermelon, grapefruit, strawberries, celery, radishes, cucumber, spinach, peppers, pineapples, tomatoes, lettuce, cantaloupe melon, courgette, aubergine.