Guidelines to Help Slow the Aging Process

While aging cannot be avoided, there are some things you can do to minimize the effects of environmental damage on your body.

1. Use Sun Protection 90% of damage to our skin is the result of exposure to the sun. Use sunblock with a SPF of at least 30 that protects against UVA and UVB.

2. Avoid Smoke Smoking increases facial aging and changes skin texture by acting as a severe oxidative stress.

3. Drink Water Water is necessary to remove the body’s waste products. A good goal is to drink is 32 ounces of water daily.

4. Follow Proper Nutrition Consume at least five to seven varied servings of fruits and vegetables daily. Avoid saturated fats and preserved foods as much as possible.

5. Utilize Supplements Since 90% of the food we eat is preserved, vitamins are more important than ever. Antioxidants such as selenium, coenzyme Q-10, and lipoic acid are critical to cell health as well. And don’t forget omega-3 fatty acids. These essential fatty acids minimize inflammation and maintain the integrity of cellular membranes.

6. Monitor Your Weight Try to maintain your weight so that your body mass index is between 24 and 27. Frequent weight loss and weight gain acts as a stress and affects the elasticity of the skin.

7. Exercise Almost nothing boosts you mood and improves your overall sense of wellbeing as much as a program of regular exercise.

8. Get Adequate Sleep Shoot for seven to eight hours of sleep per night. Try to sleep on your back to minimize facial wrinkles.

9. Manage Stress We can’t avoid stress entirely, but we can manage it by meditative and breathing techniques.

10. Take Advantage of the Advances in Cosmetic Medicine Botox, dermal fillers, laser light therapy, retinoic acid, topical anti-oxidants, etc. all help to minimize the changes brought on by the passing of time.

11. Consider Hormones Levels of testosterone, estrogen and progesterone fall between one and two percent annually after age 35. Methods of supplementation that utilize bio-identical hormones applied transdermally are, for the most part, safe and will dramatically enhance your overall appearance and state of wellbeing. It is important, however, to document the existing levels of hormones by reliable blood tests before taking any supplements.