Nobody has a magic wand in his hands to look younger, but everyone craves for it! Almost every one of us consciously or unconsciously avoids giving a direct answer when asked about ones age and many of you might have had gone to the ‘fountain of youth’ silently in your imaginative adventures and drank the water there, so as to fulfill the wish of looking younger for eternity!
But merely wishful thinking doesn’t create wonders. All of us seem to be involved in a mad race where one needs to look more elegant and young than the other. Most people forget that looking young doesn’t only mean having a beautiful external appearance, it means much more. It means that if you want to stay looking young for long you have to ensure that it is your body that remains fit and healthy because in the long run it is the overall health of your body that determines how much younger you look.
Ten Secrets of Youthful Looks
Take a look at these ten secrets for maintaining youthful looks so that with each passing year, it becomes more difficult for people to guess your age!
Secret 1) Stop Smoking:
If you do smoke, you might already be aware of the health hazards associated with it but here’s another reason to make you give a second thought to quit smoking a cigarette. Smoking not only makes our immune system susceptible to diseases but it also leads to the development of festoons of loose skin under your eyes making you look older than your age. Moreover, smokers have low levels of antioxidants in their blood in comparison to those who don’t smoke. It should be noted that antioxidants help repair damaged cells which makes our skin look younger. A latest research by Italian scientists would inspire a lot of women to stop smoking, as the research concluded that if women who smoke stop this habit, then in nine months they would look 13 years younger!
Secret 2) Stay Hydrated:
Once of the most wonderful gifts of nature, water can help you in many ways than what you could possibly think of. Water keeps your skin hydrated that keeps it looking flabby, fresher and firmer for a longer time. Water also fishes out harmful toxins from the body which otherwise if left unattended can lead to untimely ageing of your skin. It is recommended that you drink at least two to three liters of water a day with especially one glass of it in the morning on an empty stomach. Get used to drinking lots of water and observe the changes to see for yourself.
Secret 3) Yoga, the Laughter Way:
Does this tip seem to be too simplistic, but never underestimate it! What is required is that you have half an hour of laughter yoga session in the morning. Laughter can be categorized as an aerobic exercise for your muscles as it increases the movement of your diaphragm, respiratory, facial and abdominal muscles. Laughing also increases the blood supply to the face thereby nourishing the face and toning facial muscles, making it an anti-ageing activity. Even hanging around with kids as they laugh with out a reason can be your daily dose of laughter yoga.
Secret 4) Say no to Alcohol:
Alcohol dehydrates the body and actually does the opposite by making you age quicker. Excess alcohol intake damages blood vessels, ruptures the blood capillaries under the skin causing them to dilate and blocks blood supply causing your skin to sag quickly, look dull and make you look older than your age.
Secret 5) Know Your Skin:
Make it a habit of keeping your skin clean and moisturized because the skin makes up almost 15-20 % of your body weight. Understanding your skin structure, why it looks saggy and ways to prevent it can be the first steps toward knowing the secrets to younger looks. This will ensure that you have those healthy looks for a long time, so better get geared up for a good skincare program where the key lies in taking care of the condition of your skin surface and its ability to absorb and retain moisture. You can start by applying a gentle cleanser, followed by a moisturizer. Products containing alpha-hydroxyl helps quagmire the dead skin cells off the outside layer of the skin, making the way for healthy and fresh skin underneath. Skin that has the ability to retain water gives you a youthful appearance.
Secret 6) Proper Diet:
By a proper diet is meant that you eat a diet containing lots of fibers and avoid excess intake of sweets, fats and salt in your food. A good amount of fiber in diet makes sure that your immune system is strengthened and eliminates the harmful enzymes form the body. It is also recommended that you eat a lot of green leafy vegetables and consume fruits especially pomegranate, guava, apple and grapes everyday to help you stay youthful as well as healthy for a much longer time.
Secret 7) Regular Exercise:
Try to adopt such an exercise regime that improves your blood circulation, hardens your muscles and helps your burn those extra ponds of fat easily form your body. Skipping, dancing, power walks and the like can be included in the list.
Step 8) Youth Promoting Vitamins:
If your diet doesn’t provide with enough of Vitamin A, C and E; make sure that you make up for their deficiency through the intake of supplements as they act as a catalyst in giving you a younger looking skin. Vitamin C produces collagen which helps reduce lines and wrinkles. Vitamin E protects the skin from harmful UV Rays and eliminates harmful free radicals from your body making the skin look young. However it is advisable that you don’t over-consume vitamin A for fear of causing certain health problems.
Step 9) Sufficient Sleep:
Not having a sufficient sleep, on the first place, develops bags and dark circles around your eyes. Lack of sleep can also be a major reason for memory loss and developing a negative thinking and a pessimistic approach towards life. Your body needs at least seven to eight hours of a proper sleep to help it regain its youthful looks for a long time. It is also advised that you eat almost two hours before bedtime and restrict tea or coffee intake to daytime.
Step 10) Be Positive:
There is no doubt that our life styles have become too fast and competitive day by day, with the result that we end up falling in the vicious circle of stress and anxiety. Avoid stress to keep on looking youthful, whereas the more positivity you generate around and inside you, the younger you’ll feel. Looking towards the brighter side of life not only helps you steer your way through those difficult times of your life but also helps you to remain youthful for long.
Ageing is a natural process and no body has the power to reverse it, but there are certain habits that lead to premature ageing and still others that can delay the symptoms of ageing and infact make you confident of your looks. There is not a particular time or age to look young; you look young when you feel young. Try to include the above ten secrets in your daily regime and see how your life changes for the better, so that the next time you are asked about your age, you don’t need to shy away.
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