Many changes happen with age, but some are more visible than others. Our skin tones change, and our faces lose the elasticity of youth. We begin to develop wrinkles and fine lines around our eyes and mouth. The skin on our bodies sags, making us look older than we are. Is there anything we can do about this? Yes. There are many ways to prevent and reduce the signs of aging. Below are what ages us so much and what we can prevent.
What Ages Us So Much
1. Stress
Stress has been proven to inhibit collagen production in the skin. This keeps the skin from being as elastic as it used to be. Our bodies produce collagen to keep our muscles, skin, and bones strong. The body produces less collagen when we are stressed out. As we age, our bodies become even more stressed out than they did before, so we are producing even less collagen. Cortisol is the hormone that is released when a person is stressed out. It tells our body to store fat in certain areas to have energy for a stressful time. When this happens, we develop jowls, creases, and wrinkles on our face and lose the elasticity of our skin.
2. Smoking
Smoking causes wrinkles because it leaves a film of nicotine on your skin which interferes with the renewal of skin cells. It also damages collagen, leaving your skin less elastic. If you smoke and then quit, your skin will return to normal. If you keep smoking, your skin will become wrinkled. The good news is that the damage caused by smoking can be reversed.
3. Lack of Exercise
Exercise keeps our bodies healthy and fit. It releases endorphins that make us feel good and strengthen our muscles and bones, giving us a more youthful appearance. It also builds collagen in our bodies which reduces wrinkles on our faces. A lack of exercise makes us look older than we are.
4. Unhealthy Diet
Eating foods rich in fats and starches cause our skin to become oilier. This causes breakouts and blemishes on our skin. Also, the more fat we absorb from the food that we eat, the higher our cholesterol levels will be, which will cause wrinkles on our face and more lines around our eyes.
5. Too Much Sun
Too much sun exposure causes our skin to age faster. It can cause wrinkles, age spots, and skin cancer. A lot of exposure to the sun degrades the collagen in our skin. It affects our skin so much that it changes it in such a way that it breaks down faster than before. This makes us look older than we are.
6. Too Much Alcohol
It has been proven that drinking too much alcohol causes premature aging on the face. Drinking too much alcohol can cause wrinkles, deep lines on the face, and age spots. This occurs because drinking too much alcohol causes our cells to break down faster, which then causes signs of aging such as wrinkles, deep lines on the face, and age spots.
7. Not Enough Sleep
A lack of sleep can cause us to look older than we are. Not getting enough sleep makes us look tired and sleepy all the time. Lack of sleep also weakens our immune system and makes us feel ill all the time. The lack of sleep also weakens muscles, making us feel older and more tired than we are.
In addition to the list above, according to Dentist Charmaine Johnson DDS, having missing teeth can also contribute to making you look older. This is because, without a complete set of teeth, your jaw won’t be able to support your facial structure as effectively as when you have all your teeth. This in turn causes your face to sag and develop wrinkles.
What We Can Do
There are many ways to prevent and reduce the signs of aging.
1. Diet
Eat a diet rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. This includes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein. These foods improve the health of your skin and make it look healthier. It also reduces wrinkles on your face and has been proven to smooth out fine lines. There are so many anti-aging foods out there that you won’t need to drink expensive beverages or use expensive creams to make your skin look good. A healthy diet is the best way to look younger than you are.
2. Exercising
Exercise keeps our bodies fit. It keeps us strong and healthy. It also builds collagen, which reduces wrinkles on our face. Exercise is proven to slow down the aging process, so you don’t have to be afraid of looking older than you are. It also gets rid of toxins in the body, which gives your skin a more youthful glow.
3. Hydration
Hydration improves skin tone and appearance. The more hydrated our skin becomes, the younger we look. Keep yourself well hydrated with water rather than soda pop or alcohol. A facelift surgery can also. It is important to keep yourself well hydrated because dehydration makes us look old.
4. Sun Protection
Many people think you should use sunscreen on your skin to prevent aging. They are wrong. Sunscreen blocks a lot of the skin’s ability to produce vitamin D and nourish the body. The best way to protect against sun damage is to get enough exposure to the sun without taking too much damage. It also helps to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
5. Avoid Stress
Stress weakens muscles and drains our bodies of nutrients, vitamins and minerals. It impairs our bodies’ collagen production, making us look older than we are. Go for a walk when you feel stressed out or listen to music. This will reduce stress and give you more energy throughout the day. Exercise also helps to relieve stress and makes you feel good.
6. Quit Smoking
Smoking is the number one reason people look older than they are. When you smoke, nicotine creates a film on your skin that clogs pores and makes your makeup uneven and blotchy. It also causes wrinkles, so people will think of you as an older person, even if you’re not old.
Conclusion
many things can make you look older than you are. The most important thing you can do to avoid looking older is to be less stressed out. Having an active, healthy lifestyle that involves exercising regularly and eating a diet rich in vitamins, antioxidants and minerals is the best way to reduce wrinkles and prevent losing the health of your skin. After all, our bodies are more important than our looks.
