When you reach the age where you get the senior-citizen discounts without asking for them, you know that the aging process you have been seeing in the mirror for a long time is now apparent to everyone else. We know we can't do anything about growing older, but we like to think we can take action to avoid having our faces and our skin announce it to the world. The good news is that we’re right about that. We can take steps that will go a long way in staving off the wrinkles and deterioration of the skin. Here are a few ideas to try:
Stay Out of the Sun
When I go to my class reunion, those women who live in sunny, hot, dry climates or those who live near a beach look older than the rest of us! Ultraviolet light is the biggest factor in the aging of the skin. This is an important step in preventing premature aging. What about sun screen? It's not perfect, but it goes a long way in protecting your skin. However, you need to be very careful about the product you use. Chemicals in some of the more popular and better-advertised sun screens are as harmful as the ultraviolet rays, not only to the skin but also to your whole system. When you put it on your skin, you are ingesting it through your pores.
Avoid Cigarette Smoke
If you want to avoid developing more wrinkles than other women your age, don't smoke. Also, just remember that when you breathe someone else's smoke, you get the same adverse effects. Smokers have become more aware of the problems their smoke causes, and many will ask permission before lighting up. However, you need to learn to be assertive about this if you are in a position where you are subject to second-hand smoke. Cigarette smoke (also cigar and pipe smoke) creates free radicals–dangerous for the whole system, but it will show up first in the skin on your face.
Beat Gravity to its Punch
Sleep on your back. All day long, gravity is doing its work, bringing on sags and wrinkles. At least when you sleep, you can take the pressure off. If your face is aimed upward, gravity won't have as much stretching effect. Besides, if your face is pressed into a pillow, there is even more damage.
Alcohol is not a Friend to Skin
Especially in the evening, alcohol causes the small blood vessels to leak, allowing more water to go into the soft tissues. Added to the position of the body when we sleep, the face will become puffy. If you’re going to drink alcohol, first of all, limit how much you drink and do so at least three hours before going to bed. Give some consideration to what you drink also. Some wines have good health effects that offset the negatives of the alcoholic content whereas there's little to redeem the harder stuff as far as nutrition and beneficial effects are concerned.
How Clean is Clean Enough?
Be careful about washing too much and too vigorously. When you strip your skin, you get rid of the naturally useful oils and moisture. Also, tap water usually contains chlorine, which causes oxidation and damage. Washing once a day is enough. Long showers lead to overexposure to chlorine and the hotter the water, the greater the damage.
Makeup is no Friend
We see the beautiful models advertising makeup products on television, and we naturally respond with a “monkey-see, monkey-do” attitude. We go and buy those products because we want that look. Just remember–the manufacturer doesn't care whether your skin is going to benefit from the use of the product just as long as you shell out the money. The cosmetic industry is huge just because their advertising makes us believe that we can achieve a certain look by applying the latest product. Some are harmless although few live up to their promises. We should remember, however, that some are harmful. On the other hand, some that may be harmless if used correctly can harm if they are used incorrectly. By all means, be very selective about what you put on your skin and be sure to follow directions for use. Also, what works for some people may not work for others. For example, some products will irritate the skin of certain people, and some people may have a systemic reaction to certain ingredients. An example: certain ingredients in fingernail polish trigger a systemic reaction for me. I don't notice it the first day; but by the second day, the lymph glands in my jaws are throbbing and sore; by the third or fourth day, I have lesions on my lips. It took awhile for my doctor to determine that the cause was the fingernail polish. I was skeptical, so I tested it. Sure enough! The symptoms go away when I remove the nail polish. What is true for me may be true for many people with regard to other ingredients in cosmetics. Remember, when you apply them to your skin (including your nails), you are ingesting them.
You are What You Eat
The best thing you can do to beat the clock is to make sure your diet has the nutrients that not only give you the glow of health but that help you avoid the devastating effects of aging. For example, a raw foods diet will provide many more of those nutrients than a diet that is made up of processed foods. Heating those raw foods destroys many of the enzymes and vitamins so essential to good health. Try broccoli sprouts. They are truly magic in their power to combat the effects of aging.
Also, for a great homemade raw foods face mask, try the following:
Grind a fresh tomato into a pulp like, paste consistency. Smooth the mixture onto your face and neck. Allow the mixture to dry completely. Splash your face with cold water to remove the mixture and pat dry.
Use Natural, Organic Cosmetics
Many companies are producing cosmetics that do not use chemicals and that contain only natural, organic ingredients.
To your beauty,
Omid
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