Anti – Aging Tips

Growing old is inevitable and how we age is relevant to genes. The most important factors are: lifestyle, environment, positive thinking and outlook on life. At 50 you will never look 20 again but you can be an attractive and a healthy 50 year old, because as we grow older being healthy becomes more important than our looks. I don’t know about you, but I hope to be mentally and physically strong and active still doing my planks and push-ups in my 80s and 90s. Growing old is not a disease it is a part of life that needs to be embraced. You can be beautiful at any age. Beauty comes from within. If you look after your internal organs you will have an abundance of energy and look good at any age! Here below are tips that I hope will help you in reaching your full potential on your journey of life.

Exercising your body and brain

Staying physically and mentally active are crucial to aging well. Aerobic exercise is fantastic for circulation and preventing cardiovascular disease. You do not have to go crazy exercising for two hours a day. 30 mins of cycling, brisk walking, swimming, jogging are good enough. Strength training is great for muscle mass and prevention of osteoporosis. Keep your mind sharp through out your entire life by doing crosswords, playing scrabble, solving math problems and by always keeping your brain active.

Foods to avoid

Sugar is the biggest poison of all. It corrodes your body and ages your skin. If you have a diet high on sugar and instead of exercising you are leading a sedentary life style it will convert to fat causing your body to age very quickly leading to the onset of disease. Cut down on refined carbohydrates such as white bread and pasta, cakes and pastries. Other foods to avoid are all ready-made meals, they contain zero nutrients. Limit your intake of coffee, full fat dairy products, alcohol and fizzy drinks like cola that deplete calcium levels. Avoid non organic meats as they are often injected with hormones and antibiotics. Avoid salt that is sodium based. Go for Himalayan salt or seaweed instead.

Foods to include

Make sure you eat fresh whole foods. Cook everything from scratch so you know exactly what you are putting into your body. Eat lots of fresh fruit and vegetables, make sure half the plate at lunch time and dinner is half full of greens. A green vegetable juice a day is fantastic as it takes just 15 minutes for the juice to hit your blood stream. Omega 3 rich foods are vital for healthy brain function and are good for the skin keeping it supple. They are also very good against inflammation protecting joints tendons and cartilage. Good sources include: wild salmon, sardines, mackerel, hemp, flaxseeds and pumpkin seeds. Include herbs in your cooking like rosemary, basil and thyme. Parsley and coriander are great detoxifiers and should be introduced into the diet. Keep your body alkaline by eating healthy foods. Eating the wrong foods will lead to an over acidic body which will lead to disease.

Supplements

Vitamin C is my favourite nutrient. It strengthens your immune system, is good for the skin stimulating the production of collagen reducing wrinkles.

Vitamin A is good for eyes and skin preventing premature aging and treating acne.

Vitamin E is a very powerful antioxidant, which combats free radicals. Free radicals are present in our every day life through drinking too much alcohol, smoking, pollution, too much exercise and stress. Vitamin E is good for scars, prevention of wrinkles and age spots.

CoQ10 helps in energy production and is essential for a healthy heart and people taking lowering cholesterol drugs like statins should take this.

Collagen is vital for healthy nails, joints, tendons, hair and skin. Always go for marine collagen.

Hyaluronic acid is a natural occurring protein that tends to decline with age. It keeps skin plump and supple.

Other helpful tips

Stay away from the sun. Baking all day in the sun like a lizard will not make you more attractive, you will end up looking like a shriveled prune and lead to skin cancer so stay away. Always wear a sunscreen to protect yourself. Of course sunlight is needed  vitamin D, which is good for bone health but please be sensible. The sun is more powerful today than it used to be. Avoid sunbathing between 12-3pm. Sunbathe in the early morning or late afternoon. Fifteen minutes in the sun every day is all you need for healthy vitamin D levels.

Make sure you drink plenty of water and get a good night’s sleep. Lack of sleep and dehydration will not only age you but you will not be functioning well either.

Last of all do not stress and be happy. Do not waste your time thinking of what you cannot have. Learn to accept the things you can’t change and remain positive focusing on being fit and healthy so you can enjoy a long and fulfilling life.