Skin begins to sag, lines and creases begin to appear around the mouth and eyes, and hair begins to turn gray. It's not something that many look forward to seeing in the mirror every day.
Millions the world over spend a great deal of money to keep youthfulness from slipping away. Money goes for face lifts, tummy tucks, plastic surgery and liposuction, all in the hope of living up to the youthful and energetic models on television and in the movies.
While it's highly unlikely that anyone will ever succeed in turning back the clock, there are methods that can help prolong youthfulness and delay if not prevent the ravages of aging.
The Diet
Staying young and keeping a youthful appearance starts with the right diet. The typical diet of highly processed and refined foods with its loads of fat, sugar and chemical content is one sure way to promote premature aging. Optimal health starts with eating whole foods composed of fiber with a good balance of protein, fat and carbohydrates. The typical American gets no more than 15 grams of fiber every day when they should have between 25 to 35 grams*. Many are severely depleted of essential vitamins and minerals that could help them maintain health and a youthful look.
Fruits and vegetables are not found on many dinner plates but should be as they come with the needed fiber along with essential nutrients. Beans, a good source of fiber and protein, are rarely eaten and almost no one eats nuts and seeds like almonds, walnuts, flax and pumpkin seeds, all of which provide healthy monounsaturated fat and fiber.
Exercise
It's been repeated so often that many have grown tired of hearing it. Many find it difficult to get on an exercise program since their diet doesn't provide the energy and stamina they need to exercise. But any form of activity is good. Exercise doesn't need expensive equipment to be effective. A mere 20 minutes of walking three times a week can lead to better cardiovascular functioning and help the body rid itself of accumulated toxins. Those sags, bags and wrinkles could disappear with the right amount of exercise and sunshine.
Environmental Toxins
The world is filled with toxins. From the pollutants of industry to car exhaust and the chemicals sprayed on commercial farms, the body absorbs a great deal of pollutants it cannot handle nor easily rid itself of. More than 70,000 chemicals have been developed since World War Two*. Research shows that as much as 25% of all cancers could be prevented if everyone reduced their exposure to smog, pesticides, second hand smoke and the highly potent products used to clean the home and beautify the skin.
Lifelong Habits
Throughout life everyone develops habits, some good and many bad. Smoking is a habit that has no usefulness. It adds a toxic stew of some 4,700 chemicals into the body, 40 of which have been shown to be carcinogenic. Just a few of those chemicals include acetone, arsenic, ammonia, cadmium, carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, methanol and nicotine. Wrinkled skin, yellow teeth, bad breath and the slow healing of wounds are just some of the effects smoking creates besides cancer and heart disease.
One habit is lack of sleep, which can lead to weight gain, increased stress and chronic fatigue, which all help to shorten life. Few people know what it means to simply relax.
While everyone is in a hurry, they develop the habit of eating too fast. They don't chew their food thoroughly before swallowing. While the stomach requires some 20 minutes to signal the brain that it is full, most people eat far too much. Aside from the results of indigestion and acid reflux, fast consumption leads to weight gain as well as many intestinal disorders.
The secrets to staying young lie in creating a lifestyle that promotes health. Making the change to a more wholesome diet, getting in needed exercise, reducing environmental toxins and creating good daily habits can insure that youthful strength and energy lasts well into old age.
Sources: * Secrets to Looking Younger; ebook, copyright 2008, Barton Publishing;
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