Eating these foods will age you quicker and damage your blood vessels

Healthy foods can repair and renew cells in your body, which can help you age slowly

A health expert has warned against certain foods that could make you age quicker. Eating a well-rounded diet is important for overall wellbeing, with whatever we put into our bodies helping our system transport blood, oxygen, and nutrients to cells.

In a recent episode of ZOE Health, host Jonathan Wolf spoke with physician and scientist, Dr William Li, about ways to look after every tube in our body to help slow aging. Dr Li is a world-leading specialist in blood vessels and preventative health, he is also the author of countless papers on the topic.

The health expert says there are some foods to steer clear of as they can 'damage' your blood vessels, which can result in your body aging faster. Keeping your blood vessels in good shape can significantly reduce your risk of heart attacks, strokes and other complications of the cardiovascular system.

Foods that are greasy, fatty and processed are best to avoid, Dr Li says, as well as saturated fats, red meat, alcohol and sugar as eating too much will cause you problems. They clog up your blood stream and increase your risk of high blood pressure.

"High blood pressure is a silent killer. It sneaks up on you. It can exist and you don't even know it. You don't feel it until it becomes catastrophic," he warned.

Having high blood pressure can put pressure on your blood vessels, heart, and organs - like the brain, kidneys, and eyes. Sustained high blood pressure can escalate the likelihood of encountering several severe and potentially life-threatening health issues.

Dr Li says that by eating healthy foods, you can help your body preserve, protect, regenerate and renew the lining wrap on the inside your blood vessels. He said: "Foods can actually help you maintain that youthful elasticity of the blood vessels.

"So foods that are harmful can actually cause it to clog up. And so there is clearly value for longevity, for resiliency throughout your aging process for eating healthier foods. And likewise, if you nurture an unhealthy lifestyle.

"Just like our skin renews itself and our hair for most people renews itself, which is why we need a haircut. And the skin sheds, which is why people have dandruff. There's a renewal of the blood vessels.

"If you eat foods, lots of foods that actually have healthy bioactive, natural chemicals that can stimulate regeneration." Giving an example, the doctor suggested anthocyanins, which are present in dark chocolate and blueberries, can help to renew and replace old damaged liner cells in your blood vessels.

On top of fruit, vegetables, seeds and nuts, Dr Li recommends upping your intake of omega-3, as it is "a very healthy" form of fat. "Diet, by the way, is only part of the equation," he added.

"There are other things like regular physical activity. That's helpful, it gets the blood, your juices flowing, literally. Gets your blood flowing. That's important for reversing heart disease of stress and lowering stress. And sleep."