Healthy ageing

Eat your way youthful with this three-day plan

By Lauren Godfrey

Annie Clark, author of Mind Body Bowl has shared her ultimate meal plan for gorgeous, glowing skin

Step away from the wonder lotions and potions and take a look at your daily menu. Are you eating your way young? Beauty starts from within so it’s no use adopting an intricate anti-ageing skincare regime if you’re fuelling your body with sugar, salt and fat. “I’m a big advocate for ageing gracefully – it’s a natural part of life that we can’t avoid and therefore should embrace,” explains Annie Clark, nutritionist and author of Mind Body Bowl. “However, over the years I’ve come to find that fresh, wholesome foods do wonders for my overall wellbeing, including the appearance of my skin as well as my energy levels.

“There are tons of products and services available nowadays that promise anti-ageing benefits, but I truly believe that the best way to continue looking and feeling our best is to boost our bodies with wholesome foods, plenty of water, and lots of fresh air!

“The good news is that if you already enjoy a healthy diet, you’re well on your way to eating yourself young. Foods such as blueberries, avocados, nuts, olive oil, fish, broccoli and flaxseeds are extremely nutrient dense and are packed full of healthy fats, vitamins and minerals as well as anti-inflammatory properties and an armful of antioxidants. These in turn have powerful effects on restoring skin, bone, cardiovascular and metabolic health.”

Want to give your diet an anti-ageing kick? Try Annie’s three-day meal plan to begin the process of winding back the clock by focusing on healing and repairing from the inside out!

Day One

Breakfast: Black Rice Porridge with Pear Compote
Click here for the full recipe

Lunch: A hearty vegetable salad with creamy tahini, honey, lemon and extra virgin olive oil dressing

Annie says: “Salads are a great way to use up whatever vegetables you have left over in the fridge, so I always encourage people to be creative and work with what they have. My favourite salad includes massaged kale (packed full of vitamin K) with a handful of seeds and a mix of red, yellow and orange peppers. Adding lots of colour is a great way of ensuring you’re getting a full spectrum of important vitamins your body needs for healing and repair.”

Snack: Ginger and Turmeric Cookies
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Dinner: Poke Bowl
Click here for the full recipe
Annie says: “Poke bowls, originally from Hawaii, are taking the London foodie scene by storm! Traditionally these bright salads include raw fish, but for me the stars of the show are the amazing and colourful vegetables that are packed with wonderful benefits. This recipe is designed as a starting point for anyone to use – adding fish would be a great way of getting the all important omega 3s.”

Day Two

Breakfast: A large green smoothie made with banana, spinach, kale and vanilla vegan protein powder
Annie says: “Especially in the warmer months this is my favourite way to pack in lots of goodness at the start of the day. Kale and spinach are some of the best sources of vitamin C with just one cup of kale containing more than an orange. Again, making smoothies is a great way of being experimental in the kitchen so I often encourage people to play with what ingredients they have and according to their tastes. As long as your using lots of fresh, natural ingredients, then you can’t go wrong.”

Lunch: Vietnamese Summer Rolls
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Snack: Chocolate Orange Energy Balls
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Annie says: “Energy balls are such a fantastic thing to keep in the fridge or freezer, ready for a sugar craving or to give you a little energy boost during the day. These are inspired by the winning combination of chocolate and orange, giving them a zesty and decadent taste and packed full of antioxidants.”

Dinner: Chickpea Curry
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Day Three

Breakfast: Banana and Raspberry No Bake Breakfast Bars
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Lunch: Asian Broccoli Salad
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Dinner: Turmeric, Carrot and Coconut Soup served with Rosemary and Caramalised Onion Farinata
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Annie says: “Farinata is a really simple recipe and a total joy for anyone that misses bread due to intolerances, allergies or just dietary choices. Made from chickpea flour, this style of flatbread is not only delicious but it also offers lots of anti-ageing benefits. While this is really easy to make, it does require to be left for around five hours, or overnight ideally, in order to allow the batter to begin fermenting, so if you’ve got the time, prepare the batter the night before.”

Dessert: Raw Pistachio and Raspberry Squares
Click here for the full recipe

Article by

Lauren Godfrey

Content Writer

Article by

Lauren Godfrey

Content Writer