This article is brought to you by Derma-e, an extraordinary skin care company in the U.S. that believes healthy, glowing skin is possible when you simply use the right combination of potent vitamins, wholesome nutrients and exceptional ingredients. Right now, Derma-e is offering all readers of The Hearty Soul a XX discount with the promo code XX.
In a society that praises youth and beauty, we are all either trying to maintain our youthful appearance or get it back. In our quest to stay looking younger for longer, the actual science behind aging and anti-aging has been forgotten and instead we are trying crazier – and at times dangerous – things to turn back the clock on our complexion.
Why we’re approaching anti-aging all wrong
Unfortunately, many conventional methods to reclaim our youthful appearance involve harmful procedures such as botox or anti-aging creams that contain synthetic ingredients, often linked to allergic reactions, hormonal imbalances and even cancer.
The second problem with our approach to anti-aging is focusing on the outside instead of the inside. No matter how many creams or lotions you use, if your cells are being fueled with poor nutrition or you’re making damaging lifestyle choices such as getting inadequate sleep and exercise, you’re essentially pouring money down the drain.
What does anti-aging really mean?
When we say anti-aging, what we’re referring to are wrinkles and the loss of our skin’s elasticity. This depends on three main nutrients: collagen (provides firmness), elastin (provides elasticity), and glycosaminoglycans (GAG – provides hydration). There are intrinsic and extrinsic factors that contribute to the sagging and wrinkling of our skin and loss of these nutrients:(15)
Intrinsic
This is the natural process of aging that happens inside your body. After your 20th birthday, your skin produces about 1% less collagen every year, as well as a decrease in elastin and GAG production, causing it to become thinner and more fragile. (15)
Extrinsic
This refers to the impact of sun and environmental damage and has a much greater effect on your skin than the intrinsic factors do. Extrinsic factors, such as UV damage and exposure to pollution, cause a drastic increase in the loss of collagen, elastin, and GAG, as well as cause discolorations and changes to the texture of your skin. All of this leads to deep wrinkles, sun spots, thin, sagging, rough-looking skin. (15)
21 Secrets for How to Look Younger
Skin aging is complex and needs to be tackled on the surface and from the outside.The solution includes both internal changes (what you put in your body), and external aids (what you put on your skin). We have compiled a list of our top natural beauty secrets to help you look and feel 10 years younger without the harmful side effects of conventional treatments.
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Drink Water
The health benefits of water are no secret, and we are learning more and more how health and beauty are connected. Water should be every woman’s (and man’s!) number one beauty product.Your skin is roughly 64% water, so when you are dehydrated, your skin will sag, wrinkle, and become dry, as well as lose that glowy, dewy appearance. Proper hydration keeps your skin looking plump and fresh. (2) Aim for six to eight cups (1.5-2L) every day for optimal benefits.
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Moisturize
As we age, our skin tends to become drier and we develop wrinkles and a “sunken” look. It is important to moisturize your skin morning and night, after showering, and throughout the day as needed. Look for products that contain hyaluronic acid, which binds water and helps to plump and smooth the skin. Your skin has different needs during the day versus overnight, so you should be using a day cream in the morning and a night cream before bed.
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Eat Healthy Fat
Don’t fear fat! The walls of your skin cells are made up of fats, and when you don’t have enough in your diet, your skin will look dull and saggy. The best fat for your skin are the Omega 3 fatty acids, which can be found in fresh fish such as wild caught salmon, tuna, mackerel, sardines, and halibut, and in vegetarian sources such as walnuts, pumpkin, chia, and hemp seeds. The current recommendation for Omega 3 fats is 1.6g/day for men and 1.1g/day for women, which you can get from food or supplement form. (16) These fats will give your skin the plump, healthy glow of youthful skin at any age. (3)
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Biotin
Another important nutrient for skin health is biotin, which promotes fat metabolism in your skin. Biotin-rich foods to include are fish, egg yolks, almonds, tomatoes, swiss chard, avocado, and sweet potatoes.(3) You can also take biotin in supplement form, however the recommended dosage is quite low (30 to 100 micrograms) because it is easy to get through diet. (17)
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Get your Vitamin C
This nutrient isn’t just for colds! It is an important antioxidant for collagen production (the main structural protein in your skin) and may also reduce and treat damage from UV rays. Beyond including fresh fruits and vegetables in your diet, applying vitamin c containing products topically has powerful anti-aging effects. (4)Try one of these vitamin-c containing products and watch your complexion transform before your eyes!
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Sweat Once a Day
Sweating achieves a few things for our skin: It increases blood flow to the skin, which delivers nutrients and oxygen, and it also purges the skin of bacteria and toxins that cause acne, scars, and blemishes. This keeps your skin looking fresh and clear. It is important, however, to wash your face immediately after a sweat-session or workout, to clear dirt and salt that remains on your face and could clog up your pores. (5)
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Exfoliate
Your skin is constantly regenerating itself, leaving behind dead skin cells. If those skin cells remain on your face, they will leave it looking dull and even clog up your pores. Exfoliating once or twice a week removes these dead cells for instantly brighter looking skin.(6)
If you have difficult acne scars or other spots, try this Microdermabrasion scrub. In any case, always be sure to use products with fine, gently exfoliants, like walnut powder. Exfoliants like sugar are too large and rough on the delicate skin of your face. -
Use Sun Protection
Protecting your skin from overexposure to the sun is crucial for preventing age spots and wrinkles, as well as damaging, cancer-causing UV rays. When you can, wear hats, use umbrellas, or wear long sleeves. Be sure to apply and reapply sunscreen, especially when outdoors swimming or sweating.
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Get Some Vitamin D
That being said, Vitamin D, aka “the sun vitamin” is important for the health of your skin. Though more studies are being done in this area, adequate vitamin D exposure may have a photoprotective effect, increase wound healing, and decrease and prevent the signs of aging. (7) If you are unable to get enough vitamin D through sun exposure, you may want to consider supplementation or these vitamin D rich foods. The dosage for vitamin D depends largely on your personal needs, time of year, etc, but the most often recommended dosage is 2000 IU/day. (18)
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Get More Antioxidants
Other anti-oxidants that have a major impact on your skin are vitamin E and carotenoids (which convert to vitamin A). These protect your skin from oxidative damage, sun damage, and improve the overall glow of your skin. Eating plenty of dark green leafy vegetables, as well as orange and red vegetables such as sweet potatoes, squash, carrots, tomatoes, and red peppers, will help you fight back against the signs of aging. (8) Consider using topical products to supplement your skin-diet, such as a vitamin E oil.
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De-stress
Chronic stress has a huge impact on your health and is aging you more than you realize. Often one of the first places that stress shows up is in our skin. Find a way to destress that works best for you, and consider trying essential oils such as rose oil to help you relax.
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Harness the Power of Oils
For a long time, we were told to look for oil-free products to benefit our skin. More recently, it has been discovered that oils are actually extremely beneficial for our complexion and have incredible anti-aging capabilities. Try this vitamin A and E oil combination to decrease the look of fine lines and wrinkles, or this multi-use oil that will have your skin glowing, hair shining, and hands looking like they did when you were younger.
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Stop Eating Sugar
Sugar not only causes chronic disease and obesity, but it is also wreaking havoc on your skin and aging years beyond your actual age. Cut all processed and refined sugar out of your diet for an instantly brighter, lifted skin, along with increased energy that will have you looking and feeling younger. (9)
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Whiten Your Teeth
Nothing screams old like a yellow smile. Beyond implementing a proper oral hygiene routine, consider taking extra steps to whiten your teeth. Instead of using chemical-filled commercial whitening products, try one of these natural teeth whitening tricks for an immediately younger looking smile.
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Exercise Regularly
We’ve already talked about the benefits of getting your sweat on, but there are other anti-aging benefits to exercising as well! Regularly participating in both cardio-based and strength training exercises will keep your body strong and healthy from the inside out. Your lungs, heart, and other organs will be healthier and work more efficiently at pumping blood around your body and removing the toxins that cause aging. You will have toned, young-looking muscles and the energy and vitality of a twenty year-old. Short on time? Try this 4-minute fat burning workout routine to get the benefits without hours spent in the gym.
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Drink Green Tea
The polyphenols found in green tea that have been shown to fight cancer and Alzheimer’s also have the ability to lighten age spots and protect against damaging UV rays.(10) You can get the anti-aging benefits of green tea by drinking it, or by applying it topically in the form of moisturizers, eye creams, and purifying face masks.
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Improve Posture
How you carry yourself as a big impact on how old or young you look. Picture the bent over little old lady – not what you want to look like, right? It is important to work on your posture every day to decrease pain and discomfort, and continue to hold your head high no matter what decade of life you are in.
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Don’t Smoke
Wrinkles, skin damage, dull hair, and yellowing eyes, teeth, and nails are only a few of the ways smoking causes you to look older. The more you smoker and the longer you smoke, the more the aging process speeds up. (11)Quit smoking (or never start in the first place) and look ten years younger, fast.
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Limit Alcohol
Alcohol has a dual impact on your skin: It damages the liver cells that detoxify your body and it dehydrates you, leaving your skin looking dull and lifeless. Being sure to limit weekly alcohol consumption, as well as drinking plenty of water along with your alcoholic drinks, will help you to maintain a youthful glow. (12)
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Get Proper Sleep
We are all familiar with the unsightly bags and dark circles that appear under our eyes when we don’t sleep well (or enough) the night before. New studies, however, show that sleep quality has an impact on skin function and aging, giving us even more reason to get a good night’s rest. (13) Struggling to fall and stay asleep? Try one of these solutions to finally get some quality shut-eye.
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Pucker-Up
We saved the best for last: Turns out, a little lovin’ goes a long way! Spending quality time with your loved ones and especially your significant other, not only boosts your mood but can actually make you look younger. The science is unclear at this time, but whether it’s just a quick smooch or you and your spouse are having an intimate night at home, this simple act will have you looking 10 years younger! (14)
This article is brought to you by Derma-e, an extraordinary skin care company in the U.S. that believes healthy, glowing skin is possible when you simply use the right combination of potent vitamins, wholesome nutrients and exceptional ingredients. Right now, Derma-e is offering all readers of The Hearty Soul a XX discount with the promo code XX.
The post 21 Of The Most Effective Secrets To Look 10 Years Younger appeared first on The Hearty Soul.