Aging is the natural result of our bodies taking a whipping over time – being constantly exposed to wear and tear, dietary choices, and other impactful habits. Fortunately, with a little mindfulness and a bit of preparation, you can make some simple changes in your life that will pay off big time in terms of prolonging your youthfulness. Here are some unique tips to slow the effects of aging, and even reduce or reverse existing signs:
Sugar has to go
You have to decide which is more important – that extra kick of sweetness in your food and beverages, or the sweet sensation of loving the way you look every time you glance in the mirror. For most of us mere mortals, it’s got to be one or the other. Not to say you can’t enjoy sugar from time to time, but frequent, daily use, can spike blood sugar levels, which can significantly age skin. What also happens is that fructose and glucose pair with elastin and collagen, causing a process called advanced glycation end product – a process that dehydrates your skin and robs it of its elasticity.
Hydrate with milk and water
Hydration is essential for restoring and maintaining your skin’s elasticity. This comes in the form of both milk and water, which can be equally important. Water helps with detoxification – carrying away toxins and supporting bowel health, as well as hydrating your body on a cellular level. Milk also hydrates while providing vitamin A as well as essential proteins and amino acids. If you’re lactose intolerant, there are other ways to get the benefits milk provides, but you still need to load up on the H2O. Your skin craves moisture, and no matter how much you add to the surface in the form of creams and lotions, most of it needs to come from within.
Your face will get stuck that way
Some of us were told this as kids, but there’s a lot of truth behind it – making awful faces, like the kind associated with stress, anger, frustration and other negative emotions, can cause your skin to wrinkle into what eventually become age lines. Grooves in your face and other areas of your body are the natural – and inevitable – result of creasing the skin with force and pressure. The lines you get from happiness, often called “laugh lines” and “smile lines,” add a beautifying factor to your face. Make a conscious effort to choose the types of facial expressions you frequently make. If possible, also avoid sleeping face-down on your pillow, as this creates facial creases as well.
Buy an air purifier to remove toxins
Enough can’t be said for the quality of the air you breathe in on a daily basis. If you are what you eat, you’re definitely what you breathe. Molds, viruses, bacteria and other contaminants and allergens not only go to war on the inside of your lungs, but they can also stick to your face and other areas of your exposed skin. No matter how gentle your facial cleansers are, the more times you have to detoxify your face – and the more intense the filth present – the faster you’ll wear out and age your skin. Protect your skin, and your overall health, by getting a high-quality air purifier to rid the air of toxins. If you suffer from dry, chapped and irritated skin, an air purifier and humidifier combo are probably what you’ll need to keep your skin vibrant and healthy.
Buy lots of veggies and fruits
You need antioxidants if you wish to stay healthy and look young for a long time. If you’re not getting at least eight servings per day, stop reading this article, and go to the store and buy fruits and vegetables right away. This is a super-important element of slowing signs of aging. The chemicals and toxins you’re exposed to on a daily basis result in damaged cells due to what are called “free radicals.” Aging and disease are often the results of cells getting obliterated by free radicals in the absence of a proper diet. Taking in a healthy dose of beta-carotene and vitamins A, C, and E – found in abundance in produce – fights free radicals, provides your skin with more elasticity and assists with the formation of collagen.
Get acquainted with calcium
Assuming you’re already planning on taking the advice of the milk tip above, you’ll probably be getting a decent amount of calcium intake each day. In most cases, it doesn’t hurt to add a little more and to make it a regular part of your routine. Calcium, in topical form, helps protect from skin cancer and also delivers a variety of anti-aging benefits. Consider adding it to your skin as a topical product, as well as consuming a healthy amount in your diet. Not only will you improve the strength and longevity of your bones – which in turn makes you feel younger – but you can increase your heart, muscle and nerve health for a long, happy and youthful life.
I hope our article can help encourage you to make these small lifestyle choices in order to stop the signs of aging on your skin!
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