Some people can eat like a horse and not put weight on, and some are genetically predisposed to age more quickly than others…life’s a bitch! But there are ways to give nature a helping hand by focusing on a little nurture. Here are some guidelines to help you figuratively shoot olde man time in the foot.
Do Not Worship False Sun Gods
Ageing UVA radiation – UVA for ageing, UVB for burning – can penetrate glass and cloud cover, so skin damage is happening even when you are in your car or outside in the winter. Any dermatologists you care to ask will tell you that protecting your skin daily from the sun with a broad-spectrum UV protection is THE best defence you have against skin degeneration.
Thou Shalt Commit Hydratory
The more hydrated your cells, the more efficient their function. When your body is hydrated your brain works faster, you feel more awake and less hungry and your skin cells are plumper so make sure you drink your eight glasses a day. Moisturisers protect against water loss and environmental attack from the outside by bolstering your complexion’s natural oil content.
Get Thee To Sleep
Continued periods of sleep deprivation not only creates the sort of eye-luggage you get charged for at airports, it also weakens the collagen in your skin, which effects all-over elasticity. Aim for eight hours a night, treat your skin to a lovely night cream and try a Holistic Silk Pillowcase to stop skin creasing and hair snagging as you slumber. This will not only slow wrinkle formation and extend the life of your blow dry, it also makes you feel like royalty.
Forget Not Thy A,B,C
Although their name sounds exciting and progressive the only thing Free Radicals do liberally is damage your skin and vitamins A, B & C are all antioxidants that neutralise these agressors. Vitamin A (retinol) not only slows the oxidation process, it works as an exfoliator to decrease the depth of wrinkles. vitamins B-3 (niacin) and B-5 (pantothenic acid) help keep skin hydrated, which makes it plumper, pushing out wrinkles. Not only is vitamin C an antioxidant, it helps to regenerate other antioxidants in the body, including vitamin E. Vitamin C also improves collagen production and helps protect your skin against sun radiation.
A double-pronged attack, where you ingest ABC supplements as well as applying them in creams and serums, is the best ways to counter sun damage or the ageing effects of a less than saint-like lifestyle.
Thou Shalt Not Stress
Stress causes cells to age faster, exacerbates allergies such as eczema, supresses your immune system and increases the likelihood of depression. The first thing to do if you are feeling tightly wound is to breathe deeply (getting rid of all of the air in your lungs on the out-breath, and filling them to capacity on the in) keeping your shoulders back and down. Then think about what you like to do to relax, go for a walk, call a good friend, soak in a bath with aromatherapy oils or practice yoga, to bring your heart rate down. Ask yourself the question, “When I look back at this situation in five years will it still matter?”…