Protecting skin from environmentally induced aging is one way to preserve its youthful looks. But skin reflects what is going on inside too.
It is becoming clear that there are two sorts of aging. Chronological or time-linked aging relates to changes that occur with time. It has always been the yardstick by which we measure youth and its gradual demise. However, there is another kind of aging which also influences just how young or old we feel and look.
Biological aging is not bound to time. It is more to do with how well cells are renewing themselves and how efficiently they are using oxygen. Unlike chronological age, your biological age can be changed – for better or worse. You can be young and have a high biological age, or in your middle years and have a biological age of someone in their twenties.
Biological age is essentially a measure of inner vitality and energy. The higher your vitality levels, the lower your biological age.
By the age of 35 we are beginning to lose cells in our brain and other vital organs including the heart and skin, so those left behind have to work harder and use ever greater amounts of energy.
Some people seem blessed with more vitality than others. But there are ways to enhance your vitality and so reduce your biological age. When you feel younger, you also look younger and skin is no exception.
Turn Back Time
Be active – Activity works wonders for knocking years off your biological age because it helps the body to use oxygen more efficiently. All the things that get worse as you get older (lung capacity, circulation, cardiovascular fitness) improve when you exercise. The more active you are, the greater your energy and vitality levels. Research shows that 40 minutes of daily exercise adds 11 years to your life. If you want to look five to eight years younger than you really are in middle life take three brisk one-mile (16 km) walks a week.
Chill out – Stress accelerates the aging process. Deep wrinkles or worry lines are just that – they reflect our inner stress. In youth, emotions flit momentarily across our faces, but over the years deep muscle tension and loss of elasticity mean our emotions become indelibly etched in our skin. At this stage it may take more than daily relaxation or a refreshing holiday to shift some of those lines. What you need is a complete emotional detox. It is time to re-evaluate your life. This may involve ditching relationships which make you feel angry and frustrated, and seeing things in a different perspective. Discovering inner happiness and a sense of fulfillment will knock years off your life and your skin.
Make a face – Exercising the muscles of the face, as well as the body, is a good way to prevent skin from sagging, especially around the jawline. Specific face work-outs can give the face a natural lift and take years off your appearance. Typical exercises include grimacing, opening the mouth wide and closing it again, raising and relaxing the eyebrows.
Eat antioxidant food – A diet rich in antioxidants really can help to slow down the aging process in the body As many fruits and vegetables contain a variety of different antioxidants from vitamins C and E to carotenoids and flavonoids, a team of researchers at the Human Research Center on Aging at Tuft’s University in America set out to test their total ability to soak up oxygen-derived free radicals. They measured their oxygen radical absorbency power and found that prunes came top of the list. A 100g (3’Aoz) serving raised the antioxidant power of blood by 25 per cent.
Spring-clean your body – Detoxing is a great way to boost vitality and rejuvenate your body. If you want to stay young it is a good idea to have a thorough spring-clean whenever you feel tired and your skin looks drab. Try to detox for at least three days and preferably a week. Give up coffee and alcohol, eat nothing but fresh vegetables, fruits, whole grains, live natural yogurt, nuts, seeds and legumes on your detox. Drink masses of pure spring water and herbal infusions. Take hot and cold showers, body brush daily and take plenty of long walks in the fresh air.
Spice up your sex life – Research shows that people who seem much younger than their years have fulfilling relationships and satisfying sex lives. Sexual intercourse triggers the release of various beneficial chemicals, including small amounts of growth hormone, which reduce fatty tissue and increase lean muscle giving skin a sleeker, more youthful appearance. Orgasm increases the blood flow to the skin and the secretion of endorphins, pleasure chemicals which make skin glow.
Stretch yourself – Our bodies become increasingly inflexible with age. As muscle tensions become entrenched and joints lose mobility, the blood flows less freely to the skin and other organs. Regular stretching is one of the best ways to preserve a lithe and supple physique. Try taking up a gentle form of yoga or pilates.
