Doctor says 'stop using creams' and lists superfoods that are better at 'reversing ageing'

A doctor is urging people to stop using creams, serums, and Botox to treat wrinkles and other signs of premature ageing. Instead, he recommends addressing the signs of ageing from the inside out.

Dr Eric Berg DC has shared a list of the best vitamin and mineral-rich superfoods you can eat that may help prevent premature ageing. In a newly uploaded YouTube video titled 'How to reverse ageing', the health expert, who has more than 12 million subscribers, revealed several anti-ageing hacks that could work better for you than cosmetics.

Dr Berg specialises in healthy ketosis and intermittent fasting. He is the author of the best-selling book, The Healthy Keto Plan, and is the Director of Dr Berg Nutritional.

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Explaining the reasons why we get wrinkles and lines on our skin as we age, he said: "By 40, we’ve lost around 25% of the collagen in our connective tissue. Certain antibiotics, ultraviolet radiation, high sugar consumption, and poor diet can contribute to collagen breakdown and speed up premature aging."

Collagen is a vital protein that helps maintain the structure and strength of various connective tissues in the body, such as the skin, bones, muscles, tendons, and ligaments. The body produces collagen from amino acids taken in through food, but this ability starts to gradually decline after the age of 20.

Besides food, Dr Berg says the most potent stimulus of collagen is exercise. "Focus on the plank exercise, eccentric exercises, and sprinting," he said.

"Not only will these exercises make you look younger, but they’ll also improve the health of the vessels, valves, and tissues around your heart." In terms of what you should eat, the expert says there are several anti-ageing vitamins and minerals you can get from food that you should add to your diet to prevent premature aging.

Best vitamins and minerals to 'reverse ageing'

• Vitamin C

• Vitamin K2

• Vitamin D

• Magnesium

• Zinc

• Copper

• Protein

Adequate vitamin C intake is essential to form collagen, Dr Berg says. Raw sauerkraut has the highest amount of vitamin C.

Vitamin K2 is vital for collagen and keeping your cartilage, ligaments, tendons, and fascia healthy. "It also helps give your skin a youthful glow", the expert said. Liver, egg yolk, and butter are the best food sources of vitamin K2.

He added: "Vitamin D helps protect you against the loss of collagen and premature aging. Magnesium allows your body to make collagen and helps vitamin D prevent its breakdown. Dark chocolate, almonds, and spinach are the best sources of magnesium."

Zinc can help keep your skin youthful and speeds up wound healing. Oysters, red meat, and liver contain the most zinc. Copper is also essential, according to Dr Berg. The best sources are oysters, red meat, shellfish, liver, and dark chocolate.

"High-quality protein is crucial in keeping you healthy and helping you look younger," he continued. "Grass-fed beef is the best source."

Dr Berg also mentioned the benefits of intermittent fasting, which can promote a process in the body known as autophagy, which he says has potent anti-aging effects. Intermittent fasting is an eating pattern that involves going without food for several hours a day.

Intermittent fasting is often praised for its potential benefits, including weight loss, disease prevention, and even slowing down the ageing process. By abstaining from food for 10 to 16 hours, your body taps into its fat reserves for energy, resulting in the production of ketones - fatty acids that enter the bloodstream.

These ketones might play a role in enhancing memory and learning while also helping to slow down certain disease processes in the brain. However, intermittent fasting is not for everyone, and some people might be unsuitable for it - it is best to speak to your doctor first to check.

"You must also prioritise sleep to reverse aging and have a youthful glow. Oxytocin is one of the most powerful anti-stress hormones," Dr Berg concluded.

Eating a balanced diet and regularly exercising is key to maintaining good health. While some vitamin and mineral-rich foods may help increase your body's collagen levels, it is not going to completely stop you from ageing, but can reduce signs on your skin.