We live in a world where health and beauty go hand in hand. The healthiest of habits can make us all appear youthful. Having good genes also doesn’t hurt our attempt to age slowly. However, there are also plenty of habits that can help or hinder our appearance.
You must consider what you put in and on your body, and when. Keeping your skin and cells healthy will no doubt slow down the aging process. There are a few other things to consider as well.
These are the the habits that are aging you.
1.Smoking and Drinking
It has never been a secret that smoking and excessive drinking will age you. Besides emphysema, heart disease, cancer, liver disease (and a whole host of other diseases), smoking and drinking will make you look older than ever before.
Cigarettes in particular creates more wrinkles, they give you vertical lines around your lips and can make you look more pale. Of course cigarettes contain toxins, and those lead to a break down of elasticity of your skin, making it sag.
Alcohol in moderation has some proven positive effects on your body. However, excessive drinking is just bringing you closer to the grave. Alcohol dehydrates your body. This includes your skin and can lead to puffy eyes, wrinkles, dryness, red cheeks and purple capillaries. It is time to kick your cigarette habit to the curb and bring your drinking way down.
2.Your nightly routine
At nighttime, if you are not washing your face then you might be in for a few extra years added to your face. Many people do not consider washing their face before bed and that is just a plain no-no. You need to wash away the dirt and debris from the day.
Each night, your skin heals and repairs itself while you sleep. You can help your skin by washing your face. Especially if you are not washing away your makeup, it can lead to increased pimples, blackheads, irritation, dull complexion and premature wrinkling.
Your nighttime face washing routine does not need to be intense by any means. A refreshing 30 second scrub with a cleanser and makeup removal will help tremendously. Don’t forget to include your neck when washing your face.
3.Feeling Stressed
Nearly everyone has some type of stressor in their daily routine and life. However, constant worry, anxiety and stress will make you age much quicker.
The research now indicates that stress can be linked to shortened telomeres. Telomeres are a part of your chromosomes that is tied to cellular aging. When telomeres become depleted, they die off and thus speed up your aging process.
Also keep in mind, high levels of continual stress will lead to other things. Things like increased blood pressure, aging your brain and interrupting or preventing proper sleep.
4.Eliminating Fats
Once upon a time we were all told that fat makes you fat. Many people chose to go on low fat diets, but the truth is, sugar makes you fat, not fat. Now, not all fats are created equal. Limiting saturated and trans fat is appropriate.
Saturated fats include foods like butter, fatty cuts of pork, beef and lamb, dark chicken, cheese and palm oil. Examples of trans fats include donuts, cookies, crackers, muffins, pies, and cakes. They also include fried foods dripping in shortening or partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.
Healthy fats should be part of your diet and to help keep you looking and feeling young. Healthy fats include salmon, nuts, avocados and certain oils. Healthy fats have been known to reduce inflammation, lower your risk of heart attack and keep your hair, skin and joints vibrant.
5.Sleep routine
By now you realize the importance of sleep for many reasons. It is not just getting enough sleep, but good quality, uninterrupted sleep. Therefore, not getting enough sleep will also hinder your ability to keep a youthful appearance.
Just like your skin repairs itself at night, the rest of your body uses your sleep time to repair damaged cells and heal overall. If you body isn’t given the time to heal overnight, the aging process will speed up.
Bottom Line
Tweaking some of your daily habits can easily reduce the speed of aging to your body. There’s many aspects of your daily routine to consider when trying to stop or slow the aging process. Taking great care of your skin and general health will be a priority.
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