The average age that people live to in the African world is steadily decreasing as medical advances continue at pace. This has led to many people wanting to find solutions to help them to stay looking young for longer periods. A new market has been borne, one of anti ageing products and advice.
We are often shown pictures and images in the media and on our television screens, of famous people who look far younger than they actually are. Just yesterday, I saw a picture of Regina Askia looking super sexy at 52; damn! Most people marvel at them and wonder how they have managed to keep up their youthful appearance, despite their advancing age. They then want to emulate these famous people by finding ways in which they too can delay this ageing process.
Top cosmetic companies are now hiring some of these people to help them to advertise their own anti ageing products. Products such as wrinkle cream are becoming big business and are being marketed in such a way that make people believe that it will help them to stay looking young for longer. These products are not that cheap however, and for how many years are we supposed to keep using these creams for example? The cost could soon mount up causing certain people to stress; this alone could easily lead to even more wrinkles!
I am sure that some of these products are beneficial and are very popular, however we are not all in the position where we can keep buying them each week or each month.
In my opinion there are a number of simple steps that we can follow to delay this ageing process, steps that actually will not cost us anything; all organic.
What can you do to stay looking younger? There is no Anti Ageing Magic Portion that will clear your wrinkles overnight, but with discipline and a good Anti Ageing Skin Care routine in place you will be on your way to looking younger for longer. The process of ageing is a natural one but the skin’s process of ageing can be significantly reduced with the proper prevention methods and relevant natural skin care techniques. These processes involve looking after your mind and body.
The major factor in our skin prematurely ageing can be attributed to the sun. The sun damage you might see on your face today could have started over thirty years ago. When it comes to sun damage prevention is much better than cure. Too much exposure to the sun can be a very bad thing and can have the effect of speeding up the ageing process. Sun beds are also known, from what I have read, to be a cause of wrinkles, if over used. Therefore, avoid too much sun and sun beds!
Ways to prevent sun damage occurring are:
. Wear a high protection factor sunscreen every day on the face, neck and décolletage
. Wear a hat whenever you venture outside; even to hang out the washing
. Wear make-up that contains sunscreen
. Try to remain in the shade when possible
We hear a lot about “free radicals” these days. Free radicals are unstable molecules produced from sources like air pollution, radiation, and chemicals. They are also caused by bad diets high in fat and can even be caused by over exercising. These free radicals can over run your system and are now recognized to cause devastating health problems, such as heart disease and rheumatoid arthritis. They are a major concern in premature ageing.
Ways to prevent Free Radical damage are:
. Increase your intake of antioxidants like Vitamin A and E
. Eat a diet high in colourful fruits and vegetables
. Reduce your use of chemicals in and around the home
. Source natural skin care products that contain antioxidants
Using natural skin care products will significantly reduce the amount of chemical substances you absorb into your body that can cause premature ageing. Some every day chemicals such as synthetic emollients contained in some commercial products can be stored by the body in the liver and lymph nodes. Others such as Sodium Lauryl Sulphates can irritate the skin.
Ways to prevent absorbing chemicals through the skin are:
. Use only natural skin care products
. Scent the skin with essential oils or naturally scented creams
. Use only soaps made from plant oils and that contain herbal extracts, Aromatherapy oil blends and clays.
. Shower daily to rid the skin of dust and grime
Exfoliation has been around for thousands of years as a natural way to remove dead skin cells from the surface of the body and prevent premature ageing, revealing the fresh new skin cells beneath. There are many benefits to ex foliating the skin. Not only is new skin revealed but the circulation is stimulated enabling toxins to be dislodged and removed from the layers of the skin and the lymph nodes.
Ways to exfoliate are:
. Use a body scrub weekly in the shower
. Use a natural bristle skin brush to brush the dry skin before showering daily
. Use loofahs to remove dead cells when bathing
. Dry the skin with a scratchy towel to stimulate your circulation
Dehydration is yet another factor in premature ageing. Many people simply do not drink enough water to maintain a healthy system. Six to eight glasses of water a day is said to be what we should be drinking and that does not include soft drinks and coffee! They actually tax the system of moisture. Water flushes out toxins, keeping your body and skin clean. Also, your skin will look clearer and plumper if it is not dry. Definitely the first step for anti-ageing skin care to look younger.
Ways to ensure you drink enough water are:
. Always carry a bottle of water with you and drink it!
. A good guide to calculating the right amount of water you should be drinking a day is to divide your weight by 8. This is the amount of 250ml glasses of water you should have per day to help prevent premature ageing.
Eat a healthy balanced diet: include something from all the major food groups each day in your diet. Eat plenty of fibre and fresh fruit and vegetables. Dieticians recommend five portions of fruit and vegetables are eaten daily, however this should be the minimum amount you eat. Fruit and vegetables contain many essential vitamins and minerals that help maintain and repair the skin and cells. Not only will your skin look younger but your body will age better and you will be less prone to many common diseases of old age. The prefect anti ageing skin care solution. Also avoid eating fatty and oily foods which increase your weight but do not give you anything nutritionally. Overweight people generally look and feel much older than they are.
Aim to lead a stress free, calm existence. If you are stressed the body releases chemicals which years ago would have helped you to deal with the problem with fight or flight. Since these are not a solution to most life today’s problems, the chemicals will stay in your body and cause you to become mentally or physically ill. Ensure that you sleep well and exercise regularly. Use whichever techniques help you to relax – taking a long warm bath, massage or aroma therapies are just a few to try. Remember, extreme stress will just cause your hair to go white and your face to look tired and lined. Enjoy life!
A lot of people in Nigeria work far too hard in my opinion, in a quest to earn more money. They can lose valuable sleep by doing this and the stress of the work is also likely to have a damaging effect the ageing process. Obtaining plenty of sleep is important for people wanting to delay this ageing process, as is attempting to live as stress-free a life as possible.
Regular exercise, taken at least 3 times a week and daily if possible, will work wonders in helping you look and feel younger. Ensure the exercise is vigorous enough to make you break out in a sweat and your skin will look younger as toxins are flushed out. Remember to contact your doctor before drastically changing your exercise regime. Swimming and jogging are great ways to exercise.
Try to cut out nicotine and alcohol consumption. Smoking will age you as chemicals in the smoke are ageing to the skin and will reverse your anti ageing skin care process. Smoking cigarettes is certainly not going to help people to stay looking young. Additionally, if you are forever squinting through smoke, crow’s lines around the eyes will appear all too quickly. Alcoholic drinks contain many toxins which are harmful to your health. Excessive drinking will mean your liver no longer copes with ridding your body of these toxins. I would also advise people to look after their own health.
Avoid UV radiation as it is the major cause of premature skin ageing and wrinkles. Ensure you always have adequate sun protection for the climate and your skin type. Buy facial moisturizers which contain UV protection for daily use. Use of a good quality high factor sun cream should be part of your daily routine. A tan might look good for a while but you will age and wrinkle quickly and be more prone to skin diseases such as cancers.
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