They say an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure and while Franklin Roosevelt’s famous quote was meant for fire safety, the same holds true for your health and appearance. Every day we are bombarded by new cures, new ideas, new approaches to lifestyle. Should we be in the present, the here and now, or think about the future as this NY Times article points out?
The answer to looking young or youthful or full of life and vigour is probably a balance of both. On one hand being in the present and being mindful of others and other things helps us enjoy where we are and what we have. But the human essence of planning for the future, and one’s place in it, is also an important part of one’s life journey and maintaining the overall balance needed to stay healthy on the inside and out.
According to this article in the Washington Post, by the time you become 50 the way you age is about 70% up to the choices you make in diet and lifestyle and 30% up to your genetics, so there is obviously a whole lot of space and wiggle room for you to dodge looking old before your time. And you don’t need expensive lizard creams and miracle cures to make that happen. Some research shows that the more natural and simple a cream is, the better it is because it doesn’t contain preservatives or materials that might actually cause damage to your immune system.
Quick fixer-uppers to make your body healthy, like a detox weekend might make the appearance of aging and stress look less on your body the long-run sustainable way to manage your looks and health is an overall package of diet, stress management and exercise. Botox is made from a naturally-occuring bacteria, but there are some risks with its use.
Botox treatments require the injection of botulinum toxin for improving age and hyperactivity related rhytids, also known as wrinkles. Botox has been used around the world for over 30 years, but it wasn’t used in the USA until 2002, when at that time it was approved by the FDA for widespread use.
Not smoking, avoiding sun damage and not drinking much can overall effect the way you age too, so avoid those behaviors or limit them, if possible to stay looking young.
A diet low in red meat and high in foods like fish and vegetables can slow down the aging process as well. Dark fruits like blueberries, blackberries, dark romaine lettuce and watermelon have been noted to be excellent sources of antioxidants.
Moisturizing your skin and taking care of it with natural products (see our sugar scrub post) in concert with choosing the right job and managing your stress levels with exercise (cardio and activities like yoga) can all contribute to a younger, healthier looking you.
According to the New York Times, managing your stress in the right way can make you stronger, not weaker, so ultimately looking younger has so much to do with your mind and the choices you make every single day, and less about genetics and the raw materials you were given at birth. Watch this fascinating TED talk on how you can make stress your friend.
