Good skin care is essential for healthy aging; here are 10 easy practices to keep you looking and feeling your best
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Aging is inevitable but it isn’t something to be ashamed of since it happens to all of us. However, making minor adjustments to our daily routines can help us preserve our youthful glow. Just by tweaking your lifestyle or introducing new strategies you can make impactful improvements as you age. If you’re unsure where to start, look no further. Try out these ten tips so you can be proactive and start embracing your aging in a healthy way.
1. Get a Good Night’s Rest
In order to age with grace, it’s important to start with the basics. Getting a full night’s rest can help the body combat an array of issues. In fact, it has been proven that depriving your body of sleep can increase your risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, and diabetes. If you find yourself not being able to get enough sleep each night, make it a goal of yours to start going to bed earlier.
Decide and balance all the things you have to do during the day and get them done ahead of time so you don’t find yourself rushing at night.
Try staying off your phone or TV before bed as well, these things distract us easily and push our sleep schedule back later and later. Studies have even shown that sticking near your gadgets at night can drastically decrease the quality of your sleep. Don’t eat within an hour prior to bedtime, as digestion elevates your metabolism. Meditation can also be effective to help your mind transition to a restful place. Want more ideas? Here are 15 tips for getting a good night’s rest.
2. Wash Your Face
The next step in healthy aging is another simple, yet overlooked task. Washing your face at least once a day will give you the physical appearance of looking younger. Purging your face of excess oils and grim will lead to less skin irritation that could potentially scar. Make sure that you use the proper soap for your skin type and don’t just use regular body wash. The best time to do this is usually right before bed, as it’s the best time to clean away the day’s dirt.
Deciding which cleanser to use and what result you’re going for is important; your product selection is key! Stray away from alcohol-filled face wipes that can inject oily substances that causes breakouts and stick to traditional face washes or balms/oils like Garnier or Cetaphil that provide a much smoother and luscious skin feel. Don’t be afraid to experiment either, because one product might work better for you than another.
3. Exfoliate Your Skin
In addition to washing your face, it is equally important to exfoliate your skin once a week. Using an exfoliating wash on all parts of your body will keep your pores are clean, again reducing the risk of scarring from acne and other skin irritations. Be careful not to scrub too hard on sensitive areas, as this could reverse the effects. Exfoliating is the single best way to get rid of the dead skin cells that sit on your face and give you an aged look. For the best success, try mixing your exfoliator with a little facial cleanser and scrub in circular motions for 30 seconds to a minute before rinsing with lukewarm, not hot, water. Developing exfoliating as a habit can lift years off your face and instantly give you glowing skin to match your smile.
4. Moisturize
Now, this may seem trivial, since we have just spent so much time discussing how we need to purge our skins of oils, but moisturizing is just as important as washing. Having the proper amount of moisture on your skin will help preserve its elasticity, delaying the effects of time. Preserving perfect skin is a balancing act between cleaning and maintaining, but having ‘good’ moisture on your skin is never a bad idea. Look for moisturizers with humectants and occlusives that are perfect for obtaining water and transferring it down into the inner pores of your skin.
5. Shave and Maintain
As we age, our bodies begin to produce hair in places that there wasn’t any. This is totally normal, but a way to combat this is by shaving and trimming. It is very important that you have a clean, sharp razor. Using a dull, dirty razor can lead to more nicks and infections. Thankfully, there are subscription services like Harry’s that make it easy to find a fresh razor every time, so that unfortunate shaving instances don’t occur. While shaving, be sure to apply adequate amounts of shaving cream or gel and shave with the grain of the skin to avoid cutting your skin and getting red itchy patches. This should always be thought of as a careful process, so remember not to rush your grooming routine because it can lead to a rugged and aged look.
6. Eat a Balanced Diet
Eating a balanced diet will not only keep you healthy, it also directly impacts the look of your skin.
Consuming foods that are high in antioxidants can lead to a more radiant appearance.
According to Lawrence Gibson from the Mayo Clinic, there is also a corollary to this. “On the flip side, some foods seem to be associated with skin damage,” he says. “A diet high in processed or refined sugars or other carbohydrates and unhealthy fats promotes skin aging.”
While altering your diet is arguably the hardest lifestyle change to adapt to, there’s no doubt that it can lead to some pretty significant results. Look to include fruits and vegetables such as blueberries and tomatoes that provide necessary vitamins that improve your immune system and skin. Nuts like walnuts are also beneficial to include in your meals as they’re full of nutrients that moisturize and maintain your skin. Definitely avoid highly processed ‘fast’ foods. And check out these other good foods for good skin!
7. Exercise Regularly
Not only is exercise a healthy habit to maintain, but it also improves other aspects such as mood, bone density, and brain function. Not only should you live a healthy lifestyle as you age, but focusing on your mental wellbeing is just as important. If you struggle to find the motivation to go to the gym each week, make personal goals that can help you feel a sense of achievement and help you drive yourself to where you want to be. Find an exercise routine that’s best for you (cardio, weights, a mix of both) and give it a try. Rome wasn’t built overnight, so there’s no need to feel like you’re not doing well enough and get discouraged. It can serve more than one purpose!
8. Take Supplements
Taking supplements to help boost your health can also a good idea, provided you’re clear on where you may be deficient. There are tons of different vitamins you can incorporate into your daily routine to help you get that glowing skin. Supplements with Omega-3 fatty oils (the ‘good’ oils) are what give your skin the positive radiating look. Vitamins A, B, and C are all great as well, for different reasons. Taking both Vitamins B and C will help boost collagen, cognitive ability, and energy along with fighting the physical effects of aging, like wrinkles. Meanwhile, Vitamin A protects against sun damage and has antioxidants in it to help heal cuts and scrapes. Mix and match your vitamins until you find the formula that’s perfect for you. There’s no one size fits all model, so decide what works for you and run with it!
9. Drink Less Alcohol and More Water
If you consume alcohol, keep in mind the calories that come with the package. Instead of drinking that beer or glass of wine with dinner, replace it with some water. Water helps a variety of bodily functions, benefiting everything from your skin to digestion. Consuming plenty of water is crucial if you want to keep the appearance of looking younger, longer. While this isn’t suggesting you stop drinking alcohol completely, it is a call to be more mindful of how much you’re consuming when water may serve you better.
10. Schedule Routine Visits with a Healthcare Professional
Following these suggestions isn’t enough to live your healthiest life, but it is a good place to start — especially in regards to your skin. As always, you should schedule regular visits with a healthcare professional to make sure that all aspects of your life are healthy!
You may also enjoy reading 5 Easy & Nurturing Self-Care Treatments You Can Do At Home by Tori Lutz
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