Defying the Years: 6 Ways to Keep Your Skin Looking Younger
Posted by Michael Byrd on Jun 20 2008 | Tagged as: Antioxidants Benefits, Healthy Eating Habits
“Mirror, mirror on the wall, who’s the fairest of them all?” This one line from that famous fairy tale actually goes more than skin deep, so to speak. It conveys what most people want“ a youthful beauty that defies time. You would agree when I say that all of us want to age as gracefully and as slowly as possible, wouldn’t you?
To do just that, you need to take extra care of your skin. It is by far the largest organ in our body and the only one exposed to the harsh elements. Eventually, the skin will get thinner, drier, and more wrinkled. Age spots may likewise begin to show up. Well, you can’t stop the aging process but you can definitely do something to slow it down.
How? By looking for the proverbial fountain of youth? Nah, the solutions may be far simpler than you think!
- Go for a healthy diet. GIGO (garbage in, garbage out) doesn’t only apply to your computer “ it also applies to your skin! To have youthful, healthy looking skin, be sure to have more of the “good” foods“ particularly whole grains and fresh carotenoid-rich fruits and vegetables. Carotenoids help protect the cells from free-radicals which can hasten skin aging.
- Avoid loading up on fats. As a rule, you need to limit your fat intake to less than 30% of your total calorie requirement. Better yet, replace the “bad” with the “good” and you’ll never go wrong! One example of a “good” fat is omega 3 fatty acids, found in cold water fatty fish like salmon, tuna, herring and sardines.
- Maintain a regular exercise routine. Keeping an active lifestyle facilitates the transport of vital nutrients to your cells, and helps flush out the toxins in your body. And when you are healthy from the inside, it usually shines through.
- Drink up. Water is important in keeping your cells hydrated. It also helps carry the toxins out of your body.
- Avoid excessive sun exposure. Always wear your sunscreen (at least SPF 15) whenever you go out and don’t forget your sunglasses as well. Long pants, long-sleeves, and a wide-brimmed hat may also help you from being too exposed to the sun’s UV-rays. And consider having your car windows tinted, too. UV-rays can cause damage even when you’re inside the car.
- Consider taking supplements. To make sure you’re getting optimum benefits for your skin, a good whole food carotenoid supplement can help.
