Our society today has subjected us to various unhealthy lifestyle, which in turn has brought about a down turn in our health and physical appearance.
Many of us in turn ignorantly play daily to the hazardous life deteriorating games pushed to us by life, sometimes unintentionally, sometimes irresistibly and sometimes intentionally. This in turn never leaves us without the physical consequences, making one look older than they really are.
Here I am going to briefly revealing few out of the many reasons why we look older than our ages below,
1. You Act Your Age
The mind wins over matter when it comes to aging, because studies show that people who thrive in old age think younger.
Infact, having a positive self-perception of aging can mean up to an additional 7.5 years in longevity, and those over 40 who remain positive feel up to 20% younger than their than their biological age. So therefore, "A you think in your heart, so are you!", think wisely, smartly but don't think old.
2. You Don't Boost Your Physical Activity
It is very essential to make sure you’re active daily – recent research shows that vigorous exercise, particularly high-intensity interval training, can slow aging by almost a decade at a cellular level! Exercise also increases blood flow, moving oxygen and nutrients to working cells in the body – skin included – promoting a more youthful look.
Exercise is also linked to maintaining muscle mass and strength, maintaining more brain volume, in areas that affect motor control and coordination, fewer menopause-related hot flashes, improved memory and brain function with age, and adding nearly 5 years to your lifespan!. Now get busy getting younger, don't just sit and watch yourself get old. Do those little strolls, walk escorts and dancing, do what you love doing to keep your body active and looking younger.
3. You Expose Yourself To The Sun Alot
Welcome to my part of the world (Nigeria) where our sunny days are like a few distance from hell to earth. In this part of my world, and everyother parts I will give you a priceless advice, Always, always, always wear sunscreen with at least a 30 SPF rating, and make sure it’s broad-spectrum (blocks both UVA and UVB rays). Doesn’t matter if the day is cloudy or bright – the UV rays are always there. And remember to reapply every few hours so it continues to protect your skin.
Damage from the sun’s UVA and UVB ultraviolet light is linked to about 90% of the visible signs of aging, UV rays break down elastin, the tissue that gives skin its elasticity, resulting in a dull, saggy appearance, and they also cause uneven skin tone, wrinkles, and age spots. The damage may not show for years, so early prevention is critical to stay forever young (speaking with the voice of Bob Dylan )
4. You Don't Eat A Plant-Rich Diet
Staying young and healthy is easier when you eat a healthy diet of mostly fruits and vegetables supplemented with lean protein and whole grains. These foods provide key nutrients that support healthy aging inside and out. Fruits & veggies also boost your intake of important phytonutrients that help defend against damaging free-radicals. You can start making this a habit by eating fruits and vegetables based on its seasons, then it did be very fresh and affordable. Don't miss out in eating as much as possible a each fruits or vegetables as it comes (as e de hot!)
5. You Don't Drink Plenty of Water
You Want that ever young radiance without the diverse combination of chemicals and all the harsh procedures? Drink 6-8 glasses of filtered water each day to keep skin supple and support optimum health.
Dehydration causes skin to become dry and wrinkled. Proper hydration ensures tissues and skin cells are replenished, allowing for younger, healthier-looking skin.so don't get scared of getting drown by drinking alot of water, because that's just one vital factor needed to look younger,aside that your skin shrinks and wrinkles are revealed earlier than normal.
6. You Over Indulge In Too Alcohol & Caffeine
This has nothing to do with religious sentiments and personal beliefs, the old saying "Too much of everything is bad" never disappoints. Much as Alcohol (in moderation) can have some health benefits, but too much alcohol and caffeine has a negative impact on both your health and appearance.
Alcohol and caffeine dehydrate and deplete your body of vital nutrients. Alcohol causes blood vessels in the face to dilate, and drinking too much has the potential to make these effects permanent, resulting in an unpleasant flushed appearance and red, spidery veins – never good if you want to look younger.
7. You Consume Too Much Calories
Eating higher calories has been linked to shorter lifespan while eating fewer calories has been linked to longer lifespan. And other studies have shown that exercising and restricting calories lowers production of a thyroid hormone called T3, slowing metabolism and helping slow the aging process.
The Japanese have the world’s oldest population as well as the greatest proportion of centenarians (people aged 100 and over), and much of their philosophy of how to feel younger and live longer centers around diet and avoiding overeating. Mind your diet, because it keeps records of those who abuse it and recorns them later in life with early old age.
8. Exercise Your Brain
“Use it or lose it” is true when it comes to brain function. In the same way that physical exercise helps the brains fitness by improving both long-term and episodic memory as well as concentration, brain exercises may be able to “train” your brain and keep cognitive decline at bay even up to 10 years later. Am not talking about irrelevant thinking and excessive thinking on problems, that's the down dive to looking younger and a very fast drift to looking older than your age.
Keep fit and young with puzzles, Sudoku, learning new languages or skills, or playing an instrument – whatever gets your brain going.
9. Adopt a Good Skin Care Regimen
Yes, we are there, at the point which most of us only know about. We are made to think this is all there is to looking younger this days. well, I won't deny is part of it anyway.
Start your daily skin care routine with a gently exfoliating cleanser. Apply a moisturizer to hydrate the skin, allowing it to stay firm and elastic and reducing the appearance of wrinkles. Ingredients like green-tea extract, vitamins A, C & E, and hyaluronic acid help protect against free-radicals, increase collagen, and retain moisture. If you don't have a skin care routine, it's part of the reasons your skin keeps swearing on you. Your skin needs the love and attention to be healthy and young, and you can give it that by a good skin care routine. Start from the affordable and homeremedies, they go a long way!.
10. You Don't Take It Easy
Staying young means stressing less. Set aside a small chunk of time every day, about 10-20 minutes, to relax, meditate, or just breathe deeply, while letting worries melt away and helping yourself look younger naturally.
A long list of studies have found that stress including conditions such as untreated depression, social isolation, and anxiety can speed up cellular aging; stress shortens essential DNA components called telomeres which are linked to overall health, lifespan, and individual aging rate, and when they become too short, cells can no longer reproduce, causing tissues to degenerate, get old and die.
Conclusively, don't go hyper trying to look young, don't loose YOU trying to look young. Slow, Smart and Steady is all that's required to stop looking older than your age and looking ever, ever, young.