When we’re in our early twenties, we tend to think we’re invincible, between all the partying, junk food and long beach days in the sunshine, ageing is pretty much the last thing on our minds.
As we hit our late 20s and early 30s we start to notice changes - dark circles appearing, blotches and blemishes, uneven skin tone and the dreaded sagginess start setting in. This isn’t uncommon. There is so much more to aging well. Aging gracefully isn’t about trying to look like a 20-something — it’s about living your best life and having the physical and mental health to enjoy it. Like a bottle of wine, you can get better with age with the right care.
Be Active
Remaining active is vital for slowing the effects of ageing, and the oxygenation and the increased blood flow that occurs during physical exercise helps the skin regenerate collagen. It also helps reduce inflammation, aid weight loss and significantly lowers your risk of diseases, such as heart disease and cancer, and helps you retain your mobility longer.
Eat Clean
Healthy foods are the way to go when it comes to aging gracefully. Strive to maintain a healthy weight based on your height and age. If you’re too underweight or have poor nutrition, your skin can become dry and your body can lose soft tissue, resulting in deeper wrinkles. In contrast, people, who are overweight or have excess fat, can experience skin irritation, blisters, rashes, infections, stretch marks, and skin folds. Avoid using solid fats for cooking and use oils instead. Stay away from processed foods, refined sugars, and unhealthy fats. You should also keep your salt intake to a minimum to keep your blood pressure down.
Drinking enough water helps keep you regular and improves your energy levels and brain function. Coincidentally, it’s also been proven to help keep skin healthier and reduce signs of aging.
Skin protection
Your skin is your body’s largest organ. If you treat it with care, it can better protect your body from the elements, regulate your body temperature, and provide sensation.
Air pollution and toxic fumes have been shown to cause age spots, wrinkles, and other skin conditions, which can affect your appearance. To keep it looking and functioning at its best:
Wear sunscreen and protective clothing when outside.
Get yearly skin cancer screenings.
Stick to gentle products in your anti-aging skin care routine.
Stay hydrated
Mental Health
Being happy and keeping your stress down goes a long way in helping you live and age well. The effects of stress on your body are vast, ranging from premature aging and wrinkles to a higher risk of heart disease. In this day and age, stress is hard to avoid, so finding ways to manage and minimize it is important. There are a number of proven ways to relieve stress, including:
using relaxation techniques, such as meditation, breathing exercises, and yoga
exercising
talking to a friend
To maintain a healthy mindset, here are some options you can attempt:
Accept your age. There is evidence that people, who maintain a positive attitude about aging, live longer and may recover better from a disability. Aging is inevitable and learning to embrace it can make all the difference.
Do things you enjoy. Taking the time to engage in activities you enjoy will only fuel your happiness. Spend time in nature, pursue a new hobby, volunteer — whatever brings you joy. Finding new and meaningful hobbies can help you maintain a sense of purpose and keep you engaged throughout the course of your life.
Spend time with friends and loved ones. Meaningful relationships and a strong social network improve mental and physical well-being and longevity. Don’t forget your furry loved ones as having a pet has been linked to lower stress and blood pressure, reduced loneliness, and better moods.
Have quality sleep. We all know the importance of getting a good night’s sleep for overall wellbeing. It is not called beauty sleep for no reason. If you’re not getting enough sleep, all the expensive products in the world will be rendered useless as sleep is vital for your body to repair, replenish and rejuvenate cells and tissue thanks to the release of growth hormones during the deep sleep phase.
Quit smoking and decrease alcohol consumption
Smoking and alcohol have both been proven to cause premature aging and increase the risk of disease. The nicotine, that enters your body from smoking, can cause the blood vessels in the outermost layers of your skin to narrow, reducing blood flow and preventing your skin from getting enough oxygen and nutrients. Additionally, heat from the cigarettes, combined with the facial expressions you make while smoking, can also cause premature wrinkles, especially around the mouth.
While quitting smoking won’t reverse the damage, it will prevent your wrinkles from worsening and improve your overall health. Quitting can also help limit your risk of developing other conditions, including lung cancer and heart disease. Quitting smoking isn’t easy, but there are resources available to help you quit.
As for alcohol, limit your intake to the recommended amount to avoid health risks. That’s one drink per day for women and two drinks per day for men.
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