Page 11 - Cosmetic Facial Acupuncture Booklet

This is because they can help to reduce undesirable cholesterol levels in the blood and
lower the risk of heart disease and stroke. They can also provide nutrients to help develop
and maintain cells and contribute vitamin E to the diet, a desirable anti-oxidant.

Similarly, Omega-3 fats also provide cardiovascular benefits, in addition to their anti-
inflammatory properties, and should be included in a health-conscious diet. Cold water fish
are a natural source of these fats as are non-meat sources such as walnuts, chia and flax
seeds, along with their respective oil extracts.

In the case of omega-3 supplementation, it is important to select fish derived supplements
that are fresh, high in DHA and EPA and that have undergone molecular distillation to
remove contaminants. Alternatively, krill sourced supplements can provide much of the
same anti-inflammatory benefits but in a more absorbable form. Krill oil is also a much
more potent anti-oxidant, is naturally less spoiled by environmental contaminants even
before purification, and derives from an ecologically sustainable source making it the
clearly superior choice for omega-3 supplementation.

Carbohydrates

Glucose is the body’s fuel but it can also cause damage to cells by reacting with proteins,
a process called glycation. This can have a denaturing effect on the structure of matrix
proteins which maintain the
skin’s firmness leading to
wrinkles, as well as other more
seriously detrimental effects.

Higher blood sugar levels, even
among non-diabetic individuals,
may promote the aging process
over time so it is best to keep
them within the lower to
average range of normal.

This can be achieved through
maintaining a healthy body
weight and sensible food choices which include lower glycemic index foods, enjoying any
sugary foods consumed on a full stomach (fiber and other non-sugary nutriments can
slow the absorption of glucose and give the body time to process it without producing
spikes in blood sugar) and limiting both portion sizes and the frequency of sugar
consumption.