This is the biggest bang for your buck for youthful skin, according to a Nutritionist.
Written by Alex Kingston - Alex is a degree qualified clinical nutritionist based in Sydney, Australia. To find out more about Alex click this link to view her website.
Are you wondering how you can improve your skincare routine without spending a cent? It can be so easy to get caught up in the latest products and treatments, but have you heard of autophagy?
Autophagy – which is derived from ancient Greek, meaning ‘self’ (auto) ‘eating’ (phagy) is a natural process that occurs within your cells. The role of autophagy as per the meaning of the word is to recycle and break down components within the cells whilst getting rid of old and damaged materials and toxic waste. This process allows for the regeneration of new, healthy cells. Hello, new, fresh, glowing skin!
Autophagy occurs throughout the entire body and whilst it is well known for its anti-ageing therapy and positive effects on skin renewal, the research on autophagy suggests that it is an important cellular process that also promotes blood sugar regulation, modulates inflammation, protects against neurodegenerative diseases, supports immune function, and promotes longevity.
Now you’re probably wondering how to know, if and when you are triggering this process. Intermittent fasting is the simplest and most effective way to trigger the process of autophagy. Autophagy is switched on when the body can no longer detect glycogen in the liver, this is generally after about 16 hours. This is when the fasting benefits of fat burning, anti-inflammatory processes and autophagy begin. Although fasting is the easiest and most effective way to trigger autophagy, it can also be induced during sleep and with certain foods rich in plant polyphenols such as turmeric, ginger, cinnamon, pomegranate, citrus fruits, green tea, and coffee.
Emerging evidence suggests that skin ageing is associated with and partly caused by defects of autophagy. Autophagy plays a huge role in the maintenance of skin homeostasis; it really is the ultimate anti-ageing therapy that won’t break the bank and requires minimal effort.
References
Cao, C., Xiao, Z., Wu, Y., & Ge, C. (2020). Diet and Skin Aging-From the Perspective of Food Nutrition. Nutrients, 12(3), 870. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12030870
Choi Y. J. (2020). Shedding Light on the Effects of Calorie Restriction and its Mimetics on Skin Biology. Nutrients, 12(5), 1529. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12051529
Condello, M., Pellegrini, E., Caraglia, M., & Meschini, S. (2019). Targeting Autophagy to Overcome Human Diseases. International journal of molecular sciences, 20(3), 725. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms20030725
Levine, B., & Kroemer, G. (2019). Biological Functions of Autophagy Genes: A Disease Perspective. Cell, 176(1-2), 11–42. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2018.09.048
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