Glycalation: How Sugar is Aging You

 Ok, I have to admit...I have a major sweet tooth. I used to love sneaking into the fridge and swiping a scoop out of the can of condensed milk because it tasted like heaven. My favorite "cereal" was white bread with loads of sugar poured on it. However, as I have gotten older and more conscious of the impact of sugar on my health, I was also surprised to hear how sugar itself can cause you to prematurely age.

This process is known as glycation and is different than regular aging because it has more of crosshatch appearance to its wrinkles. It is also characterized by sagging as the collagen underneath is separated and damaged.

Basically what happens is that the sugar molecules prevent circulation and bind to the collagen molecule, which essentially ends up being destroyed. As we age, collagen is produced at a much slower rate and when the collagen can't bind together you see a loss of firmness and elasticity. In fact, this damage can render certain collagen induction treatments, like micro needling, inactive since micro needling may actually further damage skin which suffers from glycation and cause scarring to be more noticeable.

So, what can we do?

The biggest and easier step is to reduce how much processed carbs and refined sugar you eat. These can be easy to spot but it does get trickier when you start referring to the the Glycemic Index. Did you know that while peanuts and carrots are both typically considered healthy, carrots are higher on the Glycemic Index?? Or that certain fruit bars are higher on the GI than cupcakes? Of course there are other things to consider such as calories and ingredients when deciding what to eat but having a good idea of where foods fall on the GI helps you make informed decisions about your diet.

Add anti-inflammatory foods

So when we eat food that helps reduce inflammation, it helps aid our body's natural healing process. Foods like olive oil, kale, green tea, all have micronutrients that can help stave off glycation. Topical anti-inflammatory ingredients like reseveratol or Vitamin C can help but it is certainly only visible on a surface level.

Get moving!

An active lifestyle goes a long way in helping your body heal. Exercise helps your body flush out toxins and prevent aging. Research shows that dry saunas can also help you sweat out toxins.

Daily sunscreen

This goes without saying but make sure you are applying sunscreen! While it is a topical preventative step, it does help prevent further collagen loss and making the results of glycation more noticeable.

Oral Supplements

Sometimes it can be hard to eat all the minerals and vitamins we need on a daily basis from natural food sources. Vitamins, such as high-quality fish oil or grapeseed, can help enhance your diet. However, do keep in mind that the supplements industry is not regulated and they can pretty much claim whatever they want without having to prove it. Get your vitamins from trusted sources like a health food store instead of Amazon to help increase the chances that you are getting what you want.