Adults are constantly fighting to turn back the hands of time, while children are wishing away their youth. It’s a natural and fascinating construct. Most adults don’t want to trade in their life experiences or memories, but instead, simply want to look and feel younger Aging means wrinkles, gray hair, sore muscles and bones, and fatigue. And while there’s no magic pill and we haven’t yet discovered the fountain of youth, there are a few adjustments you can make to help you look and feel younger.
1. Take Care of Your Skin
One of the first, and most obvious, signs of aging is wrinkles. These can surface as young as 20 or 30 years of age and get progressively more visible. Your greatest defense against early onset wrinkles is taking care of your skin. Adopting a healthy skincare routine will keep your skin looking young, smooth, and tight. Things like avoiding too much makeup, washing and exfoliating your face often, moisturizing, and limiting direct exposure to the sun can all reduce your risk of developing wrinkles. There’s a lot of debate over whether or not anti-aging creams work. While there’s no guaranteed remedy, these creams are designed to increase the skin’s elasticity, making wrinkles less likely and less obvious. Retinol is a natural form of vitamin A and found in most over the counter creams.
2. Get Adequate Rest
They don’t call it beauty sleep for nothing. Getting adequate, quality sleep at night is essential for looking and feeling younger. The average adult should get between 6 and 8 hours of sleep. While this isn’t always possible, strive to go to bed and wake up at the same time each day. Adopting a healthy sleep schedule and habits will help your body enter a natural routine, leaving you more energized and happier. Lack of sleep creates bags under your eyes, which make you look worn out and much older than your actual age. Bags are caused by mild swelling and puffiness as the muscles of your eyelids weaken and sag.
3. Eat Vitamin Rich Foods
What you put into your body is equally as important as the products you put on your skin when trying to achieve a younger look. Eating the right foods and paying close attention to portion control are both essential for appearing and feeling younger. Foods rich in vitamin A, C, fiber, iron, and antioxidants can all promote a healthier, younger looking appearance. They also boost energy levels and help with muscle repair and strength. Try things like avocado, kale, walnuts, carrots, green tea, and almonds. Read more now about other essential vitamins to include in your diet.
4. Exercise
Diet alone isn’t enough. You need adequate exercise and physical activity to keep you looking and feeling young. Exercise actually slows down the aging process of cells in your body. So not only will exercising strengthen your heart, lungs, muscles, and bones, but it might actually slow down the again process. Telomeres in your body are caps at the end of chromosomes. As you age, these caps become shorter. Longer telomeres are associated with longevity. As you exercise, the shrinking of telomeres is said to slow down. Other added benefits of exercise are boosted energy levels, improved mood, and weight loss — all factors that help you feel and look younger.
5. Kick Bad Habits
Nothing wears on your body and mind more than bad, addictive habits that speed the aging process and complicate your health. Things like smoking cigarettes or drinking alcohol in excess are detrimental to your health and your appearance. Smoking is one of the leading causes of wrinkles. Nicotine causes a narrowing of the blood vessels in the outermost layer of your skin, which limits blood flow. Blood carries oxygen and without adequate oxygen, your skin is also lacking in essential nutrients including vitamins A and C. Without these essential vitamins, your skin will lose elasticity and begin to sag. Smoking is also responsible for 15 types of cancer and 30% of all cancer deaths. Alcohol is a toxin that, when consumed in excess, can also lead to wrinkles. Over time, alcohol kills the cells that help detoxify your body. It can also wreak havoc on your internal organs, mainly the liver.
6. Reduce Stress
Stress is a killer. Six leading causes of death are linked to stress including heart disease, cancer, lung ailments, and suicide. If you want to look and feel younger, you need to keep your stress levels in check. Unfortunately, this is easier said than done. Nearly 50% of the world’s population admits to feeling stressed on a regular basis. Although stress comes in a variety of forms and the effects have much to do with the individual and their tolerance, combating stress is crucial for maintaining both physical and mental health. Stressed individuals also appear physically tired, worn out, and frazzled. This can add years to their life, instantly. Try some of these methods for reducing stress:
- Yoga
- Meditation/Mindfulness
- Positive affirmations
- Change of career/job
- Speak to a therapist
- Keep a journal
Find the stress-reducing method that works best for you. It will reduce your anxiety, help you sleep better, and leave you feeling and looking happier and more energized.
7. Keep Your Hormones in Balance
As you age, your hormone levels decrease. In men, this means less testosterone and for women, lack of estrogen leads to menopause (generally, after the age of 40). While this is a natural part of the aging process, there are steps you can take to help reverse the effects of a hormone imbalance. Hormones impact your mood, weight, and energy levels. Healthy fats like avocado and nut butters can help boost estrogen levels in women. Men can boost testosterone levels through vitamin D supplements, a good balance of proteins, carbs, and fats, and regulating cortisol levels. Cortisol levels in women are equally as important. This chemical is released during times of stress or anxiety and can lead to excess weight gain. This hormone is also responsible for controlling blood sugar levels, reducing inflammation, and keeping your mind sharp. Hormone supplements and hormone therapy are also viable options for keeping your hormones balanced and helping you feel young and energetic.
A final note
Aging is a natural process that can’t be reversed. But that doesn’t mean that you can’t age with grace. By taking a few preventative measures, caring for your body, and being realistic about the results, you can promote a healthy lifestyle where you feel and look younger.
Article Submitted By Community Writer
