6 anti-aging strategies to start right now
Tired of seeing wrinkles or dealing with dry skin? Or are your yellowing teeth adding age to your smile? While age creeps up on all of us, we’d also love to retain our teenage looks (minus the acne, of course). The good news is that we now have a lot more research-proven methods to keep our bodies as young and vibrant as ever. From the nutritious foods we eat to the vitamin-rich lotions we apply and the preventative measures we take, there are many known tips and tricks. So if you’re ready to get back your youthful appearance, here are six anti-aging strategies to start right now.
1. Whiten Your Teeth
One telltale sign of age is yellowing teeth. Whether you smoke or drink coffee each and every day, yellow teeth can make you appear much older than you are. While there are many solutions to get around this, such as veneers, it can be costly.
Another affordable option is to use an at-home teeth whitening kit. Unlike a trip to the dentist, teeth whitening kits offer an easy solution and come with everything you need, including whitening gel and even a hands-free silicone tray that allows you to go about other tasks as you whiten. Even if you aren’t invested in a full kit, a bacteria-killing blue light whitening toothbrush offers an excellent alternative. The blue light not only kills germs, leaving you with a cleaner mouth, but it also speeds up the whitening process.
2. Eat Healthy Fats
Not all dietary fats are bad. Healthy fats can improve your cardiovascular health and even boost circulation, which keeps your skin young. Since skin cells renew fast, what you eat almost directly affects your skin. Overall, you’ll see a healthier, more radiant glow.
So where can you find these healthy fats? Avocados, cheese, whole eggs, fatty fish and nuts are great places to start. Cheese contains the same amount of fat you’d find in a glass of milk, while also offering vitamins and proteins. Salmon and trout are also loaded with lots of healthy fat, specifically heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Even if you don’t enjoy the taste of fish, you can take fish oil supplements to get the healthy fats and omega-3s you need.
3. Hydrate Your Skin (With Oils!)
It’s no secret that skin becomes less taut and drier as we grow older. So clearly, a solid skincare routine is one of the best lines of defense against aging. Treat your skin with respect as it ages and it will do so gracefully.
But what you apply to your skin matters! For instance, while many assume pure coconut oil is a safe and highly effective skin moisturizer, this is not so! Instead, coconut oil is considered hydrophilic, which essentially means it draws water away from your skin. If you want to use coconut oil, stick to a blended lotion formula that penetrates the skin without leaving a greasy feeling.
4. Increase Your Vitamin Intake
Oils aren’t the only natural substance that your body needs to fight the aging process. Vitamins play a role, too! Vitamin A, to be specific, is often found in topical retinoids that can be used as part of your skincare routine. One of the best ways to turn back the clock, retinol creams can help smooth out fine lines and wrinkles as well as uneven skin tones and dark spots. It’s genuinely one of the easiest at-home anti-aging remedies you can get your hands on without an invasive nip-tuck.
Also look for oils with vitamin E and pro-vitamin B5, which will hydrate and lock in moisture almost immediately. These vitamins will not dry out your skin or strip it of its natural oils.
5. Boost Your Antioxidants
Basically, antioxidants are naturally-produced compounds that can defend cells from free radical damage. While you can’t entirely avoid free radicals altogether, due to everyday stressors, antioxidants can improve your appearance. Elasticity and hydration provided by antioxidants can significantly reduce the appearance of fine lines while also encouraging the production of collagen and hyaluronic acid.
Where can you find antioxidants? Swap out sugary foods with fresh fruits and leafy greens rich in antioxidants, such as blueberries, strawberries, artichokes, kale and spinach. If it’s a sweet treat you want, dark chocolate is high in antioxidants.
6. Avoid Sun Damage
One of the best anti-aging strategies you can start is to avoid sun damage. Sunburns you had when you were a child can lead to skin damage and even skin cancers. However, as an adult, you need to plan accordingly for a day out in the sun and take necessary precautions and preventions.
Wear proper sunscreen, You should also stay on top of your sunscreen throughout the day and reapply every two hours or sooner, depending on whether you’re swimming or sweating.
Adequate sunscreen is a good start, but it’s much more than that. To truly protect your skin from the sun’s harmful rays, it’s also wise to wear proper clothing. Wear a wide-brimmed hat and long sleeves – anything that protects your skin.
The Best Anti-Aging Advice
With these six anti-aging strategies, you can begin to see changes in your skin, complexion, hair and even teeth. But they start with you creating better habits when it comes to your hygiene and overall health. Teeth whitening will only do so much to combat yellowing teeth if you smoke. And no amount of oil-infused, vitamin-enriched lotion can help your skin if you eat a poor diet. Ultimately, what you put in your body – healthy fats and antioxidants – can do a lot for your overall appearance.