Growing older gracefully indeed: anti-aging secrets for men and women
Growing older gracefully indeed: anti-aging secrets for men and women and even teens!Italian actress Sophia Loren is perhaps the icon of ageless beauty. Surely she's well into her 70s now, yet remains so beautiful, apparently without the aid of plastic surgery. How does she do it? Just lucky? Perhaps her genes are exceptionally favorable to her continued good looks. However, in a magazine interview some years back, she sat down with the reporter to let the rest of us in on some of her anti-aging secrets. You might have thought that she spends a ton of money on beauty products, facials and the like. According to Ms. Loren, her anti-aging secrets are inexpensive and simple.
For one thing, she said she's always taken care of herself, even when still in her teens. So, a word of advice to you teens - don't wait until you're 40 to start taking care of yourself. When you start seeing wrinkles on your face and flabby skin in unattractive places, you're facing an uphill battle. This anti-aging secret may hold the key to hanging on to that fresh, vibrant and firm skin you now take for granted!
As we age men and women alike our skin starts to lose its natural oil and elasticity, resulting in dryness, wrinkles and sags. The longer you postpone replenishing the natural moisture in your skin, the more difficult it will be to correct later on. Teens often have an over-abundance of natural oils and feel that a moisturizer will only make things worse. Not true. Wash with warm water, rinse thoroughly, apply an astringent and finish off with a light moisturizer. This will help keep your skin clear and smooth, paying real dividends by the time you're thirty and your friends, not privy to this simple anti-aging secret, are sporting little wrinkles.
If you're already in your 20s, 30s or hitting 40, it's never too late to start. Clean your skin twice a day, as described above, use an exfoliant once a week and get a moisturizer suited to your skin condition.
Here's one of Ms. Loren's anti-aging secrets upon which she placed particular emphasis: Diet! Italians include vegetables and fruits with every meal and in profusion. The Italian cook goes to the home garden or the local marketplace daily, to select the very freshest produce available. Perhaps this is one reason most Italians seem to look younger than their years. The nutrients and antioxidants contained in produce are an absolute blessing to your skin, no matter your age.
Another important anti-aging secret oh, you've heard this one is drinking water and lots of it! Water flushes toxins out of your body, which is definitely a good thing. In addition to whatever other beverage you might have with your meal, have a glass of water at the side. One cup is sufficient, but you've got to drink it!
Moderation in the amounts of food you eat is another of Ms. Loren's anti-aging secrets. Eat slowly. Enjoy the table conversation and relax. You'll find that eating in this way gives your stomach a heads-up when you're full. If you wolf down your food, you're going to be reaching to loosen a button or belt notch at the end of the meal. Minimize the fatty and fried foods. Opt for lean meats. Do your heart good using olive oil instead of saturated fats for cooking.
Minimize stress. One way to do this is through regular exercise. If you need convincing, think of it this way: have you known people who, under tremendous stress or a traumatic experience, have gained a shock of gray hair overnight? (I have.) It does happen, so think how years of chronic stress and neglect to your diet might eventually have you looking old and haggard before your time.
The last of Ms. Loren's anti-aging secrets is simple indeed. Cultivate a positive outlook and a sunny spirit! Look what it did for her!
