Sleep and Insomnia

Sleep and Insomnia

When people say they are having their beauty sleep they are certainly telling the truth.

Sleep can do more for anti aging than many other factors combined as this is a time when the body recovers and regenerates.

With a lack of sleep the body doesn't get a chance to recover from the rigors of the day and slowly but surely your state of health with degenerate.

As we become more and more tired from a lack of sleep other things are needed to help us make it through the day and they often come in the form of low value, high sugar energy drinks and high carb junk foods that give a temporary burst until hunger strikes again and another fattening mouthful of food is required.

Soon the combination of a lack of sleep and poor nutrition leads to sedentary lifestyle where there is no time, energy or inclination for exercise and the downward spiral of poor health continues to increase the aging process.

Without sufficient sleep you can't hope to look your best and soon the muscles under the skin will become tired and the skin will lose its elasticity. The face will begin to sag and you will look tired and older.

Sleep deprivation will cause the body to store more fat and that will also make you look older. The fitter and healthier you can remain the younger you will look and it is not possible to be at your optimum level of health when you are trying to get by without enough sleep.

Insomnia affects a large portion of the population and the fast lifestyle that we all lead and the financial stress that many people are under these days certainly adds to the problems we have relaxing however there are many good resources available that can help people overcome insomnia.

Alcohol

Alcohol

A little alcohol won't do you any harm, and in some circumstances it can actually be good for you in moderation but the consumption of excessive amounts of alcohol will do very little for maintaining a youthful appearance.

Even those who are young, stupid and drink too much alcohol will find that various aspects of their health will deteriorate and they will age faster than those who are drinking in moderation.

Alcohol will dehydrate you and by drinking a lot of alcohol the effect of the dehydration is magnified which will cause the skin to become less hydrated and thereby dry and lifeless.

Applying moisturizers will not compensate for the lack of hydration from within.

Often excessive drinking is also associated with partying and other factors such as smoking (and even secondhand smoke from others at the parties) that will play havoc with the skin and cause it to age faster.

Lifestyle choices will affect your appearance and unhealthy lifestyles will be reflected in an unhealthy complexion and that is not the way to stay young.

It is not uncommon to see young guys and girls with excess fat around their waistlines these days and much of it can be attributed to consuming excessive amounts of alcohol.

While they might 'get away with it' while they are still young it will certainly take it's toll as they age and if they continue to live in that manner they can't hope to look as good as they should as the years pass by.

Drinking a lot of red wine will also stain the teeth and this gives them an aged look that certainly won't enhance a person's youthful appearance.

It is good to have fun in life and that will help to keep you young but there are always limits where a little more of something that feels good can make you look not so good in the long run.

Moderation is the key to success.

Sun Protection

Sun Protection

One of the biggest causes of aging is from exposure to the sun. The sun can do considerable damage to the skin and it is this damage that causes the aging effect.

There are other more serious problems that can be associated with excessive exposure to the sun such as skin cancer that should always be remembered the next time you decide to sunbathe.

The tan that you will get from the sun isn't permanent but the damage certainly is so you should consider other alternatives such as the range of quality 'fake' tanning creams and lotions that are available. These will give you the tanned look that you desire without the negative side effects of skin damage.

Some exposure to the sun is necessary for good health but only a moderate amount is required and a good SPF sun protection lotion should be applied to the skin at all times when outside in sunny conditions.

Other damage from exposure to the sun such as discoloration and sun spots will make you look more aged and while there are many excellent treatments such as skin peels and laser resurfacing that can reduce these blemishes the best solution is to avoid them in the first place so such treatments aren't needed as they will never make the skin as good as it would be if it had never been damaged.

Skin damage from the sun on your hands is an area that will make you look more aged and a lot of this damage can come through the windscreen of your car when you are driving so make sure you have sufficient sun protection on your hands when driving and even consider wearing gloves if you live in a particularly sunny environment.

Wear a hat and sunglasses wherever possible to protect your skin and a good moisturizer to keep the skin hydrated at all times.

The Effects of Smoking on Aging

The Effects of Smoking on Aging

If you have ever watched the makeover programs that they have on television from time to time you will notice that the people they often chose for the shows where they are trying to make people look ten years younger or thereabouts are those who smoke.

There is a very good reason for this and that is simply because smokers will generally look a lot older than others of the same age.

Smoking is only second to over exposure to the sun for making the skin look old, tired and unhealthy. Of course there are the other factors that need to be considered with smoking such as lung cancer that will certainly shorten your life and decrease the quality of life along the way.

Smoking will also discolor teeth and teeth discoloration is something that is associated with aging. The smokers hair will also usually be somewhat discolored too.

Smoking leaches a lot of goodness out of the body and that is shown in the skin causing a lifeless dry condition.

Wrinkles also form around the lips of smokers from the action of sucking on the cigarette on such a regular basis and it is common for smokers to have more frown lines due to the fact that they often have to look through the smoke haze that they are expelling in front of their eyes.

When you add all these negative effects together it becomes easy to see why smokers look so much older for their age and how eliminating smoking can stop the speed of the aging process and to some extent reverse the trend.

Once smoking has ceased then various skin treatments, tooth whitening procedures and other positive anti aging processes can be implemented that will help the person to look considerably younger and healthier, provided they don't resort to smoking again.

Attitude and Positive Thinking

Attitude and Positive Thinking

Many people are surprised to learn how much their attitude and the power of positive thinking can have on their aging.

Quite apart from the fact that a person who has a positive attitude tends to smile more often and the affect that smiling can have on toning the face and making a person look younger there are the other aspects of better health that come with positive thinking.

Thinking positively will make a person focus more on the things in life that will deliver better results in health and mind and those alone will make you feel and act younger.

Positive thinking will help a person to set and achieve goals and do things that others of the same age might believe they are past doing.

When you feel better about yourself, as you will do with positive thinking and the correct attitude, that confidence will show on your face and that will make you look younger as people do tend to become more negative as they age and find that they aren't able to do certain things any longer.

Most of the things that we do in life are from the habits that we have formed and by simply creating a positive attitude or changing your attitude to one that is more positive you can end bad habits that are affecting your life.

These changes can result in ceasing smoking or refraining from eating the foods that have caused a person to become overweight. Once changes are made, more changes can be made more easily and all these little 'positive' steps can lead to big changes in a person's life.

And those changes can not only extend a persons life expectancy but they can also make them look younger at the same time - and that of course will be another added boost for their confidence.

Exercise

Exercise

Without a doubt the best way to looker younger, feel younger and live longer is by exercising on a regular basis and maintaining a better state of health. You don't need to do excessive exercise, and in fact too much exercise can actually make you look aged. Look at people participating in sports such as marathon running and you will notice that many of them look considerably older than they actually are simply because they are exposing their bodies to excessive stress and also because they are exercising outside for long periods of time their skin becomes 'weather beaten' and aged.

Everything should be done in moderation if you are looking for the best results where you get the benefit of the exercise and also the anti aging and health factors that are associated with the correct fitness programs.

There are many types of exercise that will give you considerable benefit for anti aging and they can range from tai chi which is excellent for both young and old people to various different forms of resistance training that is also suitable for most age groups but needs to be monitored with elderly people to ensure they don't get any injuries.

Resistance training when used correctly has many benefits that can help you to look younger. Apart from the benefits of toning the body, the tension that you get in your face muscles when doing the exercises can act in a similar manner to a face life and many people don't realize that the biggest change that you can get from a face life is from the muscles under the skin.

Resistance training will also reduce the percentage of fat in the body which in turn will make you look younger as a firm fat free body is a condition that most people associate with youth.

Supplements

Supplements

Supplements can certainly help to make up for any nutrients that are lacking in your diet and that can help you to look and stay younger for longer.

Any time there is something lacking in your system there will be some form of deterioration that will be caused by that. This can be in the form of weight gain, muscle loss, graying hair, dry and flaking skin and so on.

All these factors will make you look older as the years soon show where people have been abusing their health even to a minor extent.

The first step is to try to maintain a healthy diet with good quality foods and drink and a wide selection of the necessary fresh fruits, vegetables, fiber, water and so on. Unfortunately many of the foods that we get these days are lacking in essential nutrients or the nutrients that are there are considerably less than we are led to believe.

This is due to the quality of the land where the food is grown having been over utilized and the goodness has been lost over time. Even seafood can be affected by pollution in the water and while we are eating a good balance of food the food itself is out of balance.

This is why it is often necessary to supplement our diets with additional essential vitamins and minerals to maintain healthy levels in the body.

If you notice changes such as rapidly graying hair, your skin become blotchy or particularly dry and other such problems then this is generally a sign that there is an imbalance in your nutrition and using quality supplements can have a very positive effect on your health and well-being.

With so many different choices in the market it can be a little difficult deciding what you need so the best place to start without spending a fortune is to get a multi vitamin and mineral supplement and take that while looking to see whether there are any signs of improvement in areas of your health.

You can get a hair analysis for a comprehensive chart of exactly where you might be lacking in nutrition and this is where a sample of your hair is sent to a laboratory where they test it for various different levels of specific minerals.

Makeup

Makeup

Good makeup can transform your 'look'.

A good makeup artist can take years off your age in an afternoon with the right selection of colors and products and the correct application of those products.

Most women have been using the same colors and products for years and are unaware of the changes that can be made with good advice from the right makeup artist.

Often a slight change in the colors you are using for your makeup can make you look years younger and it is money well worth spending to get some advice from a recommended makeup professional.

As you will be applying makeup for the majority of your life the benefits that you can get from a good consultation can make you feel so much better about yourself on a daily basis that you might consider it the best money you have ever spent on yourself. Good makeup artists these days have knowledge of products that you will probably never have the time to research and they can look at your skin and make recommendations that will ensure your skin remains in top condition at all times. This advice alone is worth knowing as it will help you to help yourself look younger for longer.

Good makeup when applied correctly can hide a multitude of skin problems and the use of the correct shading and colors can have the same or sometimes better effect than a surgical face lift and look more natural too.

The majority of women who haven't had professional advice are generally using the wrong products, the wrong colors for their complexion and skin problems and are applying those products in the wrong manner. These facts alone would suggest that there are some good benefits to be had by most people seeking advice from those with the necessary experience.

We hire interior and exterior decorators for the house so why not for the face?

Resurfacing and Face Peels

By removing the outer layer of the skin with laser resurfacing the skin care specialist has the ability to reduce discoloration and other problems that are signs of aging.

Fine lines and wrinkles can disappear or at the very least be diminished and even scars can be faded somewhat where they are unnoticeable or can be hidden with a light foundation.

As well as improving the colors and marks on the skin, laser resurfacing also helps to tighten the skin and has the effect of a mild face lift for many people which gives a more youthful appearance.

This tightening of the skin can help it to remain firm for several months at a time after the initial treatment. People respond differently to the laser resurfacing treatment with some getting more benefits than others.

The laser also stimulates the growth of new collagen which helps the skin to remain tighter and appear younger looking.

A good dermatologist is always recommended as the laser treatment needs specific techniques when applied to the various skin tones. There are also two types of lasers that are commonly used and the dermatologist will need to decide which one will be most appropriate and in some cases both will need to be used to target varying levels of scarring.

Laser treatments can in fact cause scarring to the skin with people who have dark complexions so a well recommended professional is always necessary to ensure there is no damage caused in the process.

Infection after the treatment can be a concern and often medication is required to avoid any complications. Another concern is with those people who have sensitive skin where recovery can take longer and infection can be more likely.

While there are the possibility of problems with this form of treatment, if done right the results can be very good and help make the skin look rejuvenated and help to turn back the clock.

Skin Care

When you look at someone and try to determine how old they are there are various different areas that you will look at as signs of age.

You will look at hair color and/or lack of hair. You will look at teeth discoloration and even such things as posture but there is one thing that will show a persons age more than anything else and that is their skin.

Your skin is a mirror of your lifestyle and the choices you have made thus far in your life.

Discoloration and blotches are a sign of age and the way that hormones change over the years and also a sign of years of exposure to the sun.

Dry skin is a sign of dehydration and this can also lead to flaky skin and various other problems that people will associate with aging.

Dehydrated skin will also be more prone to wrinkles and add another factor to the aging process. The skin loses it's flexibility as we age and good nutrition, water and the use of good quality skin care products will help to slow down the aging process and make you look younger.

By using good skin care products you can wind back the body clock and keep that area of the body that is so telling on your age in the best condition possible.

We all have different skin types, from oily to dry and all different combinations in between so it will often take some experimentation before you find the right products for your skin. There will be products that you might not be able to use due to various skin sensitivities and so on. Once you find a product that suits your skin type it is wise to stick with it while it is working for you but always be aware that as you age you might need to change some of the products that you use simply because your skin will change with age and you will need to address changing aspects of it over time.

Essential Fats

Essential Fats

Essential Fats are so named because they are essential for optimum health however most people don't understand the importance and health benefits of the different types of fats.

As the body doesn't manufacture essential fats and they are necessary for our longevity then we must get them from the consumption of the foods we have in our diet.

Unfortunately the majority of people get their fats from the wrong sources of foods and in doing so have a detrimental affect on health and well-being.

The correct fats will help your skin to remain more supple and hydrated and as expected that will help you to get fewer wrinkles.

So what are the best supplies of essential fats?

Oily fish such as tuna, sardines, salmon and herring are high in Omega-3 fats as are soya and kidney beans. These Omega-3 fats help to transport oxygen throughout the body and assist in the healthy functioning of all aspects of the body. Be sure to check where these products are sourced from however as some of the Soya beans for instance have been genetically modified.

Almonds, pecans and walnuts all have high percentages of omega-6 and are an excellent source of essential fat as are sunflower and pumpkin seeds. These seeds are good to keep as a snack as they will help to maintain more level blood sugar levels and ward off hunger that might make you choose foods that have low nutrition value to boost energy levels.

Many people accept symptoms of ill health as something that is just a part of aging such as dry skin and eyes, poor memory, cardiovascular disease, arthritis and many more health related problems that are all associated with a lack of essential fatty acids. While we can still expect to get some of these problems with aging, getting a sufficient supply of these good fats will help to avoid or postpone them until a lot later in life.

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Antioxidants

The most popular antioxidants that are used for skin care products are the vitamins A, C and E.

Scientific tests have shown that they help to improve the condition of the skin and reduce additional damage occurring that causes the aging effect that we are seeking to eliminate.

The damage to the skin is caused by free radicals and antioxidants help to fight off these free radicals and thereby improve the condition of the skin.

Antioxidants are in no way harmful to the skin and not only can they protect the skin from damage but they have been to shown to actually reverse some of the damage that has already occurred to the skin of many people.

This has an anti aging effect and the publicity that has surrounded the discovery of this information has resulted in antioxidants being included in almost all skin care products to meet the demands of the consumer.

Sun damaged skin in particular has been shown to improve in condition when antioxidants have been applied directly to the affected area.

There are various different sources of antioxidants and some of the more popular ones are grape seed extract and green tea extract.

Grape seed extract has shown to reduce inflammation of the skin and in addition it helps to strengthen the capillary walls. It is a popular inclusion in many skin care products due to these properties.

Green tea on the other hand has shown to reduce the size of pre-cancerous skin lesions in various tests due to the active ingredient catechins.

With the use of these naturally occurring antioxidants the damage that is caused to the skin by the free radicals that degrade the collagen and elastin is reduced and the positive effect that they have in assisting the skin to renew damaged cells has the desired anti aging effect that people are looking for.