By Douglas Nsimbe
Haajji. Suleiman Kizito is 63. But many don’t believe it because the old man from Namasanja, Wakiso has a flawless skin almost free of wrinkles and blemishes.
A wrinkle is a crease in the skin where the tissue (collagen) beneath it has been imprinted by continual muscle actions such as frowning, smiling or squinting. They develop with age and become a permanent dwelling on elders’ faces. But, according to experts, the speed at which they come can be slowed down.
Kizito says his trick could be in resting a lot at night with an average of eight hours of sleep. He also eats local foods basically; including raw fruits, vegetables, nuts and honey. He thinks that regular fasting during Ramadhan, long simple exercises like walks, digging have helped. “I have not had any serious disease for the past 40 years”.
Coulombus Omuta, 61, a vegetarian of Kajjubi zone Ndeeba, Kampala is another wrinkle-free old man. He said he takes regular supplements of aloe vera, vitamin F and a low calorie diet mainly of bananas, greens, egg plants, avocados and a lot of clean water.
Sheila Tibaleka, a nutritionist at the House of Health, Dewinton Road says factors that bring wrinkles fast include stress, poor nutrition, too much exposure to sunlight and extensive use of creams containing hydroquinone acid. Control these factors and you will be assured of a smooth face. “Vitamins are the way to go. A, C, E, and Zinc are the best”, she said. “People who are usually exposed to the sun may need vitamin F supplements to reverse the effects. Vitamin F constitutes essential of fatty acids which can be got from butter, wheat germ, oils of grains, nuts and seeds, such as soybean, walnuts, sesame, and sunflower. Also in avocados, meat and fish, vegetables, flax and black currants. But you need around 25 International Units (IUs) and supplements are better because the quantity can be monitored. According to herbshop.com, an online vitamin guide, Vitamin F is a growth-promoting factor; necessary for healthy skin, hair; normal glandular activity and helps maintain resilience and lubrication.
Kenton Leslie, an author of The Ageless Ageing puts her money on water intake. “Youthful skin holds an amazing eight litres of water on which its good looks largely depends”, she wrote. “We lose up to two litres of water a day through the skin. When water loss is excessive, the skin tends to become fragile and cracked”.
Kennedy Maureen Salaaman, author of All Your Health Questions Answered Naturally, says ancient Egyptians invented milk baths and shampoos to keep their skin and hair young. Cleopatra indulged in milk baths and yogurt facials. “Sour milk and yogurt contain substantial amounts of lactic acid, which is an excellent skin moisturiser and helps the skin in shedding off its outer layer of dead cells”, the book says.
Ladies of the court of Louis XIV are said to have applied old wine to their faces to remove wrinkles and blemishes. Old wine contains great amounts of tartaric and malic acid. The Polynesians, who were exposed to tropical sunlight containing skin-damaging ultra-violent radiation, used a mixture of sugarcane juice and citrus juice. These are rich in glycolic acid and citric acid.
Fiona Nalubowa, another nutritionist at the House of Health says a fresh skin is also bout what you should not do. “Smoking, too much exposure to sunshine and a high salt diet lead to faster development of wrinkles.
You can fight wrinkles the natural way after all.
Ends