Ten Things That Age You
We all want to age gracefully and look our best for as long as possible, but we all do things to our bodies and skin that age us prematurely. Here are ten habits that cause you to age unhealthily and prematurely. Awareness of these habits is the first step toward making changes.
Sedentary Lifestyle
If you spend most of your day sitting, you are increasing your risk of premature aging. In fact, sitting too much can age you by 8 years according to an article in Time Magazine. A sedentary lifestyle can lead to various health problems, including obesity, type II diabetes, and heart disease. It can also cause premature wrinkling, sagging skin, and varicose veins.
Poor Diet
Eating processed foods, sugary snacks, fried foods, and consuming excessive amounts of alcohol can all affect your skin and overall health. These unhealthy habits can cause inflammation, which leads to the formation of wrinkles and fine lines. A poor diet also leads to obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes. Eating a healthy diet with plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains is essential to beautiful skin and a healthy body.
Excessive Sun Exposure
Too much sun can damage your skin and lead to premature aging. UV rays can cause wrinkles, age spots, and other signs of aging. It’s essential to use a mineral sunscreen with titanium dioxide or zinc oxide daily and avoid spending too much time in the sun.
Smoking and Vaping
Smoking is one of the worst things you can do for your skin, not to mention your lungs. It causes wrinkles, lines, and potentially more serious problems. It also decreases the skin’s elasticity and causes premature sagging. If you want to keep your skin looking young and healthy, it’s essential to quit smoking and/or vaping. Both smoking and vaping cause lung disease and cancers of the mouth, esophagus, lungs, and colon.
Chronic Stress
Stress can cause several problems for your skin, including wrinkles, breakouts, and dryness. It can also lead to premature aging. If you want to look and feel your best, it’s crucial to find ways to reduce stress in your life. Excess stress has also been linked to ulcers, migraines, and even some forms of cancer. Take long walks, exercise, and practice yoga, and/ or meditation to destress.
Lack of Sleep
Sleep deprivation can take a toll on your skin, not to mention your body and mind. Lack of sleep causes dark circles, wrinkles, and a dull complexion. It’s important to get 7-8 hours of sleep each night. If you struggle with sleep, try supplements such as magnesium and melatonin.
Excessive Alcohol Consumption
Drinking too much alcohol can cause many problems for your skin, including redness, puffiness, and fine lines as well as damage to your internal organs. Alcohol consumption leads to dehydration, making your skin look dull and lifeless. If you want to keep your skin looking its best, it’s essential to limit alcohol. Alcohol can cause esophagus, stomach, or liver damage including cirrhosis.
Environmental Pollution
Pollution can damage your skin and lead to premature aging. It can cause inflammation, which leads to the formation of wrinkles and fine lines. It’s crucial to avoid environmental pollution as much as possible.
Not Using Sunscreen
If you don’t use sunscreen, you are putting your skin at risk for damage from the sun’s UV rays. Prolonged or over-exposure can cause wrinkles, age spots, and other signs of aging. If you want to protect your skin, it’s essential to use a mineral sunscreen, (containing Titanium dioxide or Zinc Oxide), with an SPF of 30 or higher every day.
How to Reverse the Clock
If you want to keep your skin looking its best, finding an anti-aging treatment that works for you is essential. Over-the-counter facial products usually contain large amounts of alcohols and preservatives, it is better to use a medical-grade cosmeceutical product line on your skin. At home, you can use anti-wrinkle creams, serums, and gels. If you are looking for anti-aging treatments, consider a nonsurgical facelift like Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP), a BBL/IPL photo facial (light laser), and other affordable treatments.
Healthy aging is something we should all strive to attain. These bad habits to avoid and anti-aging tips to employ will help you keep your skin looking its best so that you can Age Gracefully!