Aging Beautifully and Gracefully: 3 Tips for Success
It's easy to believe youth will last forever when you're young. Getting old is something that only happens to, well, old people! And “old people” includes anyone who is older than you! The truth is that, unless tragedy strikes, we all get older. From the moment we find that first gray hair or notice that first wrinkle, the fight against time begins.
If you think the solution lies in the use of anti-aging cream, surgery, and injection, think again! There are lots of natural ways to age gracefully and beautifully, and get that youthful glow you seek.
- Apply Sunscreen
While the sun is a great source of vitamin D, overexposure to its UV rays can be damaging. Wrinkles, fine lines and dark spots on the skin, not to mention skin cancer, all result from overexposure to the sun. As you age, your collagen level declines, too. Exposing your skin to the sun speeds up the degeneration process. Be sure to apply sunscreen to protect your skin, especially when you'll be spending a lot of time outdoors. Remember to cover all your skin evenly. Make sure you have sunglasses and a hat for extra protection, too.
- Work Out
The positive effects of regular exercise on physical and emotional well-being are numerous. Exercise stimulates the production of feel-good hormones known as endorphins, which not only make you happy, but they also increases your energy levels. Keeping active helps with muscle tone and flexibility, too. Cycling, hiking, walking—or simply using the stairs instead of the elevator—are all great ways to stay active and in shape. Even skin benefits from staying active! Exercise increases blood flow to skin cells, which in turn make the skin glow. The increased blood flow also helps in getting rid of waste from the cells, thus cleansing the skin.
- Supplement with DHEA
As you age, your body will actually make less of certain hormones. DHEA is involved with more than 150 repair functions, in different ways. It’s made by our adrenals and brain, with DHEA production peaking during the “prime” of life (age 18 to 30). But DHEA production declines quickly as we age—with the decline accelerating over decades of life. At age 70, most of us only produce 10 to 15% of what our bodies were making at age 25. Such low levels mean catastrophic health consequences that can differ for each person. Though DHEA declines rapidly as we age, it can be taken in supplement form.
Biochemist Stephen Cherniske, M.S., recommends DHEA as the most important supplement to start with. His formulations of DHEA for men and DHEA for women also contain ingredients that help the body absorb and balance DHEA in ways that each gender needs. Other supplements can be helpful, but start with DHEA to support you best as you age.
Aging is inevitable, but these tips will help you through the decades ahead of you.