De-ageing gracefully

Ageing is subjective. For some of us, it's about our physical appearance. For others, it's about how we feel. Either way, we are in constant state of ageing whether we think about it in a positive or negative way. You would have heard the phrase “Fifty is the new forty”. There is an undeniable look we have today, that our parents and grandparents didn’t. When I think about my mum at 58 – my current age – she seemed “older” to me than how I look and feel now. My nan at 58 – when I was a teenager – seemed like a “granny” to me. When someone looks young for their age, it is not always about good genes. My mum, at 82, looks great but has lots of wrinkles. I have none. What is the difference? Granted, I religiously use SPF. I don't drink alcohol (but neither does she). I also drink lots of water and eat hydrating foods like watermelon, , celery, and tomatoes. Lots of tomatoes! I also minimise my stress and stay away from processed sugar where possible. Sadly I don't get my “beauty sleep" due to my insomnia. 𝗔𝗴e𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗮 “𝗦” There is nothing more ageing than the sun, smoking, stress, and sugar. 𝘚𝘶𝘯 𝘋𝘢𝘮𝘢𝘨𝘦 Spending time out in the sun can age the skin on your face and body quickly and lead to skin cancer risks. SPF is a must 365 days a year. 𝘚𝘮𝘰𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘚𝘶𝘤𝘬𝘴 Smoking creates facial wrinkles, especially the ones most of us don’t like around the mouth. The nicotine in cigarettes causes narrowing of the blood vessels in the outermost layers of your skin. This impairs blood flow to your skin. With less blood flow, your skin doesn't get as much oxygen and important nutrients, such as vitamin A. therefore if your clients won't give up smoking, I would be recommending a Vitamin C and/or Vitamin A serum + internal supplementation. 𝘚𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘚𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘧𝘶𝘭 Stress is all around us and is also within us. It's inevitable, in this day and age, but counteracting stress with mindful practices like yoga and meditation can help. Some of us are even stressing about our stress! Have you ever seen someone really stressed and thought how old they look? Have you attended a school reunion or ran into someone a decade later and noticed how much they have aged – or not at all? What is causing such a difference in how we look? 𝘚𝘶𝘨𝘢𝘳 𝘚𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘵𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘴 Sugar is also a culprit to the ageing process. Perricone MD has researched sugar as collagen’s natural enemy. They state, “Wrinkles, deep lines and sagging skin are a partial byproduct of the process known as glycation, in which excess sugar molecules attach themselves to collagen fibres and ultimately cause them to lose their strength and flexibility. The result? Skin becomes less elastic and more vulnerable to sun damage, fine lines and sagging. Sugar and other high- glycaemic carbohydrates such as breads, starches, potatoes, baked goods, pastas, desserts and soda, are rapidly converted to glucose in your bloodstream.” 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝟭𝟬 Everyday practices can easily contribute to us looking and feeling our best. Sleep, hydration, and movement are essential to the de-ageing process. 𝘚𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘚𝘭𝘦𝘦𝘱 As humans, we are perfectly designed for 10 hours of sleep daily. Think about the sunrise and sunset. We are dual-hemispheric sleepers meaning that both sides of our brain sleep at the same time allowing for a full rest. This is unlike dolphins or cats who are unihemispheric sleepers, which allow them to keep swimming while half asleep. Have you ever noticed a cat opening only one of its eyes when you enter a room? It is because only one side of their brain sleeps at a time. Humans do very well when fully rested after a full night’s sleep in a cool, dark room – like a cave. If you can’t get 10 hours at night, take some 10-minute power naps during the day. Place head on your hands on a table, as it will allow your brain to float in your skull, replicating sleep. It is much more effective and efficient than sitting up in your car for a quick snooze. 𝘋𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘜𝘱 Drinking ten glasses of water is a great way to keep your skin plump and your mind focused. It keeps things moving and quenches your organs and bloodstream. Do not worry about how much water is in each glass. Just drink the highest quality of water you can find, ten times daily. Coffee and tea (made with water) do not count since they are dehydrating to the body. The only time to use less water is when you shower. Limit them to 10 minutes and use only warm water since hot water removes natural oils from your skin. 𝘚𝘩𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘠𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘎𝘳𝘰𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 Moving your body for 10 minutes a day is a great way to get your blood flowing and your circulation at its peak. It does not sound like a long time and it isn’t. If you get up from your desk and walk around for 10 minutes, you will feel the simple yet powerful effects of how well the body responds to movement. If you start with 10 minutes, you will likely do more 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗯𝗶𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸 The beauty of the combination of rest, hydration, and movement is that they all work well together and inspire each other. When you get more sleep, you are more apt to exercise. When you exercise, you sleep better. When you drink more water, your workouts are better. Doing one, creates a healthy ripple effect, motivating you to do the other techniques.