Natural Skincare and Lifestyle Tips to Age Gracefully

Ahh aging. That all-time nemesis of the twenty-first century.  Everywhere you go, people are trying to look younger. We buy all sorts of high-tech anti aging skincare products, try exercise regimes, new workouts, spending hundreds or even thousands on spa treatments, facials and invasive surgical procedures.  Just so they can look 5 to 10 years younger.  And what is the bottom line? WHY are we all trying to erase the signs of our maturity and experiences? Many blame media or modern culture for putting such a high value on youth and vigor that all other valuable attributes have simply slipped away. Indeed, we see evidence of this all too often - from the workplace that lets their oldest employee go for “budgetary” reasons, to the new dating trend preference of of choosing someone 10 to 20 years your junior.

Maybe it’s the inevitable fear of death that keeps most of us clinging to our years already gone by, but our society looses so much of its value and wisdom by simply paying attention to the surface appearance. Doesn’t it make more sense to take care of yourself as best as you can and age gracefully - without regret or expensive ‘restoration work’?

Of course, most of us would all like to live longer and have a better quality of life. To have the gift of good health in your later years, it makes sense to take care of yourself in your youth. Here are some common-sense lifestyle tips and natural remedies to help grow old youthfully.

Drink More Water

Water makes up approximately 60% of the human body, and there is water in every cell of the body. We cannot survive without water for longer than a few days. With age our sense of thirst gradually diminishes, and the water content of body decreases so many elderly people are somewhat dehydrated. Dehydration is linked to allergies, hypertension, general aches and pains and of course, bad digestion.
Use Organic or Natural Skincare Products

Natural skin care goes beyond the application of products on one’s skin. It also pertains to a holistic philosophy surrounding the care of one’s body. This includes the belief that what is ingested will affect all aspects of health, including the health of skin. People who use natural skin care products are less concerned with artificial beauty enhancements, as they feel that natural beauty is healthy beauty.

Some examples of natural skin care ingredients include jojoba, safflower oil, rose hip seed oil, shea butter, beeswax, witch hazel, aloe vera, tea tree oil, and chamomile. Many of these natural ingredient combinations can be tailored specifically to the individual’s skin type or skin condition.

Eat Healthily

Easier said than done for some, but a healthy diet is essential to your well-being. The old saying “You are what you eat” rings true when we see the rise in dietary related diseases. Don’t be caught digging your grave with your teeth. A balanced diet of fresh, whole (non-processed), organic and preferably raw food should be a large part of your diet.

Basic Guidelines For A Simplified Balanced Diet

* Avoid white flour products
* Eat whole grains such as brown rice, quinoa, millet etc.
* Avoid sugar - rather use honey, agave, xylitol or stevia.
* Eat a variety of legumes (beans, lentils etc.)
* Avoid all hydrogenated fats (margarine etc.)
* Avoid fried foods
* Include low-starch vegetables preferably eaten raw.
* Include foods rich in omega-3 fats.
* Include low-fat, organic protein sources (fish, spirulina, organic whey protein, quinoa)
* Include fresh organic fruit (especially from the super food range) and raw nuts.
* Avoid colourants, flavourants, preservatives and artificial sweeteners.

Whole foods are better than processed. Refined foods result in both a measurable loss of nutrients and an unbalanced food, which creates imbalance in the body when eaten. Living food (such as fresh fruit and vegetables) are more nutritious and better than “dead food” (such as canned foods). Foods grown in “live soil” (organic food) is better than food grown in “sterile soil”. This has largely depleted trace minerals in foods.

How Does Eating Sugar Make You Old?

Eating sugar causes your body to secrete high levels of insulin. Insulin and the stress hormone, cortisol, are two hormones that can dramatically speed up the aging process. Sugar depresses the immune system; it contributes to atherosclerosis, and it causes oxidative stress by creating AGEs (advanced glycosylated end-products). These accumulate in body tissues such as the skin (causing age spots), arteries, kidneys and brain. In other words, eating sugar makes you old.

Do Exercise

Exercise is one of your key weapons in the fight against premature aging. Medical studies prove time and time again that physical exercise is a key factor in the
prevention of chronic disease as well as beneficial for mental function. The main benefit of exercise is the increased oxygen to the brain, heart and other organs which in turn increases their well-being and functioning. Bouncing on a mini-trampoline is a well recommended form of exercise that can be done in the comfort of your own home and at a time that suits your schedule.

Detox

The body detoxifies itself naturally through the skin and other organs of elimination. Assist your body with its cleansing ability by making some lifestyle changes. You need to minimize your exposure to external toxins: changes like drinking pure water, eating organic food, avoiding sources of air pollution and exposure to tobacco, and limiting consumption of alcohol, preservatives, caffeine, sugar and processed foods.

Simple measures like bathing daily, dry brushing, exercising, keeping hydrated, supplementing with herbal remedies that support the organs (like milk thistle for the liver), deep breathing and eating healthily are good routines to follow.

Get Some Sunshine

Natural Vitamin D is another key weapon in the pursuit of good health and longevity. Sunlight is the best form of Vitamin D and its levels in the body affects the entire body. Modern science is now realizing that vitamin D does more than just aid the absorption of calcium and bone formation. It is also involved in multiple repair and maintenance functions, touches hundreds of different genes, and helps to fight infection by regulating the immune system. Vitamin D deficiency is a growing epidemic across the world and contributes to many chronic debilitating diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, osteoporosis, cancer, inflammatory bowel disease and depression, as well as cognitive impairment in older people. Avoid synthetic Vitamin D2 in supplements like fortified foods as high doses have been found to be toxic.

Get More Sleep

Good quality sleep is essential, in fact some say that it’s the best anti-aging tool. While we sleep,the body “recharges” and repairs. The 24-hour circadian rhythm is our internal clock and governs the body’s functions.. This clock helps the body to adapt to the time of day and to environmental changes. Studies have shown a co-dependency between the circadian clock and the body’s metabolism and cellular performance. Disrupted sleep patterns can adversely affect health especially mental health. Some effects include short-term memory loss and impaired creativity as well as weight gain or loss and an increased risk of diabetes and heart disease. Lack of sleep weakens the immune system and may cause decreased production of melatonin, which is produced by the brain during sleep.

Take pleasure in living healthily and make good choices in nutrition, exercise, weight management, mental attitude, work and relationships. This will stand you in good stead for your later years.

References:
1. Science Daily March 19, 2009: How Your Body Clock Regulates Your Metabolism.

2.http://articles.mercola.com/sites/a…

3.http://www.topantiagingtips.com/sle…

4. Bland JS. Improving Genetic Expression in the Prevention of the Disease of Aging - A Functional Medicine Approach to Anti-aging Medicine. Gig Harbour, WA:
HealthComm Intl, 1998

5. Grossman T. The Baby Boomer’s Guide to Living Forever. Golden, CO: Hubristic Press, 2000:127

What is the Best Skin Care?

The best skincare is also the simplest. Easy to follow instructions means that you are less likely to forget what it is you should be doing. You’ll see that everything we mention here is logical.There’s no need to go to extremes, just follow a few rules and your skin will look more youthful for the rest of your life. Here’s some tips for the best skincare.

Stay in the Shade. We all need a little sunlight. It makes us feel better. Many people suffer from seasonal depression. It’s caused primarily by a lack of sunlight. But, limit your exposure to no more than 15 minutes of direct sunlight. 15 minutes three times a week will insure that you get enough vitamin D. UV rays from the sun do too much damage to the skin. They cause the cells to produce less hyaluronan, a protein import in tissue and skin-cell repair. Evidence continues to show that you cannot rely heavily on sunscreens.

Drink More Water

Why do people have dry skin? Well, there could be any number of reasons, but one that is very common is minor dehydration. Severe dehydration, of course, causes stomach cramps and other problems. But, many people walk around everyday with mild dehydration, because they simply don’t drink enough water. 70% of your body weight is water. Each of the cells in your body is comprised mostly of water. That includes the cells of your skin. At least eight 8 ounce glasses per day is a good rule to follow, but to keep it simpler, have a glass with every meal or snack, drink one when you wake up in the morning and another before you go to bed at night.

Eat Right; often people forget to include this step in their anti aging skin care guide. If your diet is lacking in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, then your body does not have the ingredients that it needs to go about repairing cellular damage on a daily basis.

Anti Aging Skin Care Treatment: Creams, Gels & Lotions

As you continue to follow the anti aging skin care guide above, you are ensuring younger looking, healthier skin throughout your lifetime. But, the right anti aging skin care treatment creams can undo some of the damage that occurred in your youth.  There are many on the market to choose from. Some are not very good, but others are great.  The best ones are designed to help your body produce new collagen and elastin fibers. The loss of those two components causes many of the outward signs of aging.  Now there are a number of products on the market that contain small amounts of collagen derived from bovine hide, but skin cells cannot actually absorb it.  So, products that contain it are ineffective.

Phytessence Wakame

Wakame is a specific type of Japanese seaweed or kelp. It was used for years both as a food source and also to keep younger more beautiful facial skin. Recently it was learned that there are components in Wakame that actually undo some of the damage that has already been done and prevents additional damage from occurring. The kelp is full of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Phytessence Wakame was created using a process that allows for quicker deeper absorption into the pores.

Nanobelle CoenzymeQ10

Coenzyme Q10 has become a popular ingredient in many anti aging skin care treatment creams, but the companies that use it did not consider that unless the antioxidant is finely ground to a microscopic powder, it cannot enter the pores. Only Nanobelle will penetrate to the deepest layers, healing and soaking up free radicals as it goes. Other things to look for include products that will light age spots and lighten dark circles.  High quality moisturizers are also important. Dry skin is more easily damaged. There are many more things that could be include in an anti aging skin care guide. All we attempted to do here was give you the basic rules and some key information about the newest ingredients.

So there you have it. Choose the best skincare and combine it with these simple steps and an the best skincare product to keep a younger and more healthy complexion.