Prevent Aging By Stopping to do these things
Aging gracefully comes easily to some, and
less easily to others. Sometimes it's just to do with having good genes,
but often it is the decisions we make during our lifetime that
determine how fast we'll age. You may not realize it, but most people
make mistakes every single day that make them age faster than they
should, harming their skin and quickening the appearance of old age.
Here are 11 mistakes we all make that age us:
1. You try to do too many things at once
(Multitasking).
If your to-do list is longer than your arm and you are dealing with the
stress of juggling many projects or tasks at once, you're doing yourself
a disservice, says Raymond Casciari, Chief Medical Officer at St.
Joseph Hospital. Several studies have shown that day-to-day stress
triggers the release of free radicals in the body, which damage cells
and quicken the aging process. The doctor suggests focusing on one task
at a time.
2. You rarely pass on dessert.
Other than being an obviously unhealthy
habit, having a sweet tooth may be adding years to your face, as sugar
molecules attach themselves to protein fibers in our cells, a process
known as glycation. This can lead to an ashen look, dark circles around
the eyes, a loss of facial contours, wrinkles, puffiness and bigger
pores. So if you want to hold on to that youthful glow, don't overdo the
sugar.
3. You get less than 5-6 hours of sleep a night.
Not getting enough sleep doesn't only give you black bags under your
eyes, but has been linked, through several studies, to a shorter life
span. According to Dr. Casciari, the founder of a sleep lab at St.
Joseph Hospital, getting about seven hours of sleep is optimal. So if
you're nodding off, low on energy or finding it hard to focus, you're
probably not sleeping enough, and it may age you faster than you'd like.
4. You spend most of your day sitting.
Sitting and leading a sedentary lifestyle
are some of the worst contributors to aging people in the modern world.
Most people do very little physical activity, and the result is an
increased risk of kidney disease, cardiovascular disease, cancer and of
course obesity.
Studies show that people who exercised 150 minutes a week or more lived
10-13 years longer on average.
5. You don't use any eye creams.
The skin around your eyes is thinner than the rest of your face, and
that is why it usually starts showing signs of aging sooner. Keeping the
eye area moisturized can take years off your face. The best creams
contain Retin-A, which is a form of vitamin A. But you can also add
antioxidants, hyaluronic acid and vitamin C.
6. You only use sunscreen when on vacation.
If you only use sunscreen at the beach,
note that you may actually be doing more harm to your skin while running
errands and driving. Skin damage accumulates, and the sun's rays are
the primary reason for aging skin. Dr Taylor, associate professor of
dermatology, recommends that you use an SPF between 30-50 for daily
protection.
7. You wear too much makeup.
This is not a judgment, just a fact. Many make-up products are
oil-based, and can clog your pores and cause outbreaks. Overusing skin
products with fragrances, alcohol agents and chemicals that irritate may
cause premature lines and wrinkles.
8. You sleep with your face against the pillow.
Sleeping on your stomach or side with your
face mashed into the pillow may create wrinkles and make you age faster.
Our facial skin gets less flexible with time, and so as we lie on the
pillow night after night, our skin may not spring back and smooth the
lines you had, and so the pillow can leave permanent marks on our face.
So sleep on your back or invest in a satin pillowcase that'll keep your
skin smooth.
9. You keep your house very warm.
When you turn up the thermostat or light a fireplace because it's cold,
it's tempting to make it hot and toasty inside. But the problem is that
the thermostat, and also the fireplace, suck moisture out of the air in
the house, which leads to dry skin. If this goes on, as indeed in cold
climates it may, it will lead to damaged skin with aging effects.
Invest in a humidifier, and set it to
40-60% humidity. This will free your skin from the itching, scratching
and even flaking that comes with dry air. Another way to go is placing a
wet towel over a radiator or a bowl of cold water in the room.
10. You purse your lips
Drinking your beverages through a straw can
help you avoid staining your teeth, but just like squinting can give
you wrinkles around the eyes, so can pursing your lips give you wrinkles
around the mouth.
By the way, this also often happens when you smoke a cigarette.
11. You've stopped eating fat altogether.
Some amounts of fat are required to maintain a youthful appearance and
feeling, according to Franci Cohen, nutritionist and exercise
physiologist from Brooklyn, NY. Heart healthy Omega 3 fatty acids, which
you can find in oily fish such as mackerel and salmon, as well as nuts
like walnuts and flax seeds, will keep your skin plump and supple. This
will prevent wrinkles while also boosting the health of both your brain
and heart.