AGEs; STAYING OUT OF TOUCH. . .

This is where the most important question lies; how do you prevent yourself from AGEs?

The answer to that lies in two words, "STAY HEALTHY". . .

It is well-known that overeating and obesity can lead to insulin resistance, triggered by chronically elevated oxidative stress and chronic inflammation. The body naturally rids itself of harmful AGE compounds, but it doesn’t eliminate them effectively when too many are ingested through food.

So how can you help yourself?

•  DIETARY INTERVENTIONS

Dietary interventions that reduce the consumption of foods high in AGEs, which are common in the standard Western diet, can be effective in helping prevent these metabolic disorders.

Dietitians recommend patients eat less sugar and fewer processed foods, and this is very important for patients who need to lower their AGE intake.

To reduce AGE consumption, eating foods that contain low AGE levels is key to decreasing the risk of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes.

• COOKING METHODS

The most effective way to reduce intake of foods high in AGEs is to modify cooking methods.

Cooking methods that use high temperatures to brown or char foods, such as grilling, roasting, and broiling, have the largest impact on the amount of AGEs consumed. So they must be prevented.

It is rather advisable to cook foods with moist heat, less oil, shorter times and lower temperatures, and acidic ingredients such as vinegar or lemon juice also help reduce the amount of AGEs.

• GO FRUITY

As meats high in protein and fat are likely to form AGEs during cooking, carbohydrate-rich foods such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains maintained low AGE levels after cooking.

Important dietary phytonutrients, which are found in the pigments of various colorful fruits and vegetables, also help to lower AGEs in the body.

One type of phytonutrient in particular, called iridoids, which are found in deeply coloured blueberries, cranberries, etc can lower AGEs in the body.

•   GENERAL LIFESTYLE CHANGE

1. Get the recommended seven to nine hours of sleep per night. Sleep is very important.
2. Exercise 150 minutes per week
3. Treat preexisting conditions such as obesity and high blood pressure

I know it's difficult to adjust to some of these news lifestyles, but it'd be better to steer clear off any health endangering factor(s).

#STAYHEALTHY.