Foods That Age You: 14 Things Including Drinks

I ask Koob if just drinking more water would dilute the alcohol in my system. Staying hydrated may help limit a blood-alcohol surge, he says, but the physiology of aging will prevail. And the old trick of alternating drinks with something nonalcoholic can help you pace yourself, he adds. But that system may indicate you’re still planning on drinking too much in one session and risking harm to your liver.

The body flags alcohol as a toxin, and the liver focuses on breaking down alcohol before any fat, carbohydrate, or protein. When the liver is constantly working to process alcohol rather than food, you start to gain weight. In the case of heavy drinkers, alcohol can cause so much does drinking make you look older damage to the liver that it stops functioning properly, which can lead to deadly conditions such as fatty liver disease or cirrhosis. This allowed for a detailed analysis of the effects of these extrinsic factors on 11 aspects of skin-and volume-related facial aging changes.

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This means that the organ produces more free radicals than the body’s antioxidants can handle. Modern scientists believe that free radicals are one of the biggest contributors to cellular aging because they attack everything from your fatty tissue to your DNA and proteins. The damage then leads to major conditions like diabetes, heart disease, neurological issues, and many other age-related diseases. When we talk about aging, we are often referring to the visible changes that come with getting older, like looser skin and changes in hair color. It’s something that affects one’s entire system, starting from the cellular level.

Note that these procedures may fix the appearance of premature aging, but they won’t correct the cause of premature aging. I’ve always been healthy and fit, and I kid myself that a little poison can’t hurt me. But by pushing the 14-a-week limit at my age, I’m also pushing my luck. Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine.

Alcohol and Aging: Does Drinking Make You Look Older?

When you’ve been drinking, you spend more time in the shallow parts of the sleep cycle, especially REM sleep, which is why you tend to remember your dreams more. After the first few hours, your sleep becomes disrupted as the alcohol is metabolized and your body starts to experience the rebound effect, which typically results in increased anxiety. Alcohol is the most widely abused substance in America due to its legal status, the effects it produces, and wide social acceptability. While many Americans consume alcohol on a regular basis, alcohol abuse or chronic, excessive drinking can take a major toll on the mind and body. Unfortunately, even though it is legal, alcohol abuse is extremely dangerous and can damage nearly every organ in the body – from your head all the way down to your toes. If you were thinking it’s enough to swap out dessert for a cocktail to account for the added calories, think again.

Dry, inflamed skin doesn’t function properly, limiting its ability to heal itself overnight, says Zeichner. (Inflammation is also bad news for your collagen.) Don’t be fooled by a label that says “0 g trans fat,” as it can still contain under 0.5 g of artificial fat. Make sure to avoid products that list a partially hydrogenated oil on the ingredient label, too. If you are prone to acne, you may want to limit how much cow’s milk you drink. Some studies suggest a link between drinking milk and acne breakouts, yet the potential reason why is poorly understood, according to the American Academy of Dermatology Association (AAD).

Mental Health

By adding extra stress to your body and depriving it of the nutrients it needs to rebuild, alcohol can place you years ahead in the aging process, and affect how you look. Once a person has identified a problem and wants treatment, it may be possible to reverse certain signs of aging that come from abusing alcohol. It is advised to eat a balanced diet so that adequate nutrition returns to the body.

They can also make you look older, according to a new study. “Alcohol is actually one of the worst, most aggressive compounds to destroy your skin,” says New York nutritionist Jairo Rodriguez, who counts designers and Vogue editors among his clients. “I always joke with my patients, ‘If you want to get older, go ahead and drink! ’” At a time when many are more sober curious than ever, Rodriguez breaks down the exact effects of alcohol on skin, as well as the benefits of giving up alcohol or imbibing more tactfully.

And because aging often brings more and more prescription medicines, your body has to work harder to process both the meds and the alcohol. “After 60 and 70 we probably also developed a few chronic ailments that are going to be needing a few medications,” says Dr. Sonpal. Neuroscientist Kristen Willeumier, PhD, explains that this happens because alcohol reduces the time spent in the rapid-eye-movement (REM) phase.