Once I turned 30 I realized that age really does start to do funny things to your body. It’s not that I want to look younger, I just want to look better. I mean, who doesn’t, right?
Ever since Eve took that first bite of the apple, the human race has been obsessed with beauty.
Alex Comfort once said that “A women’s greatest asset is her beauty.” I don’t know if I agree with that. I mean I would say that a woman’s greatest asset is her brain, but it still doesn’t mean I don’t want to look good.
The truth is we begin the aging process just as soon as we pop out of the womb. Every day of our lives our bodies slough off and regenerate new cells. The speed at which that process takes place when we are children is vastly different as we get older.
Every day you are bombarded daily with commercial messages and beauty tips that attempt to lure you into believing that the most recent miracle drug is just what you need to fight off the ravages of Mother Nature.
Today we live much longer than we did generations ago. Singularly, that can be a curse or a blessing, depending on your perspective.
The best route to natural beauty and healthy skin is to take care of what you have. Sounds simple, doesn’t it? The truth is that your skin takes a beating from the environment every single day. Here are some of our favorite beauty tips for keeping your skin fresh and healthy:
1: Stay Hydrated
We all know drinking lots of water is important but that isn’t your problem. The problem is how much of the other stuff you are drinking such as soda. Even if it is low cal. Soda (even diet soda) has a high concentration of sodium. Sodium retains fluids. You need fluid that will hydrate and flush your body free of toxins. Make sure you are drinking at least 6 to 8 glasses of water a day and do your best to avoid drinking things like coffee or soda that are bad for you.
2: Protect your skin
It’s important that you protect your skin from harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays. We all love the sun. We love being in it and we love having a beautiful tan. The truth is you can poison yourself with too much sunshine. UV rays cause skin cancer and if that isn’t bad enough it causes your skin to age faster than it should, contributing to unsightly wrinkles. If you must play in the sun, make certain you are using an adequate sunscreen. Don’t leave home without it!
3: Keep your skin clean.
You can keep it simple, just use a soft warm cloth. Skin does not require scrubbing. In fact, you may do more harm than good. All I’m asking is that every day you wash your face. I wash mine before I go to bed and every morning when I get up.
4: Stop squinting
The best cure for wrinkles is to never have them in the first place! If you are like most of us, you didn’t listen to your Mom when she tried to tell you to stay in the shade, stand up straight and stop squinting! If you need help seeing something then trying adjusting the light of the room. Also, wear sunglasses outside. The most common reason for squinting is due to the brightness of the sun.
5: Eat healthy
This one is obvious, yet more often than not, we don’t do it because it’s not convenient. Knowing how and what to eat, can make a huge difference in how you feel. Improper eating habits can cause depression, weight gain, illness, and overall lethargy.
Weight gain causes your skin to stretch. As you get older, it loses its elasticity and you’re left with sagging skin.
The best solution to this is to maintain a proper weight.
A rule of thumb for eating habits are, don’t eat more calories than you consume. Don’t go one single day without doing something extra and physical for at least 30 minutes per day. This can be three ten minute walks. Or 30 minutes of vigorous aerobics, or 12 minutes of weight lifting and 18 minutes of walking.
I also strongly suggest you go download a food tracking app on your phone. Until you actually see it in front of your face, you have no idea just how much you are putting into your body. There are a ton of great ones out there. I use one called Baritastic. My friend turned me on top it and it’s really simple to use.
6: Don’t worry, be happy.
A happy outlook appears to trigger the release of endorphins. Endorphins relax the cardiovascular system and cytokines which alert the immune system to pay attention to detecting abnormalities like cancer cells. Listen carefully to yourself. If you have put yourself down since childhood, over a lifetime, negative subliminal messages can take their toll by turning you into a pessimist. Spend one week writing down the phrases you use in your “self-talk.” Chances are you will find that you repeat a dozen or so phrases over and over again that reinforce that negative image. If you know about them, you can change them. Outer beauty and inner joy go hand in hand.
Here are a few quick tips for increasing joy, hope, and optimism that will work no matter what your age:
- Make a list of at least 50 great things that happen to you every day.
- Laugh a lot. You’ll heal your body and your mind.
- Discover a new challenge each month.
- Try meditating for just five minutes each day.
7: Sex – Ha! How many of you jumped ahead to this section?
The importance of physical intimacy actually depends on the couple, but studies have shown it can have an amazing impact on not only your relationship but your own personal well being. It’s been shown to boost your immune system, lower your blood pressure, and even lower the risk of a heart attack.
Is beauty really skin deep?
The answer is yes and no. It’s a paradox, isn’t it? True beauty begins from the inside out. Don’t you wish there was some way to “wriggle your nose” and regain that soft skin you had as a child? Well, until someone comes up with the true “Fountain of Youth” we are stuck with what we have.
Just remember that getting older doesn’t have to mean getting old.
