10 Lifestyle Changes That Help You Look Younger

You certainly cannot stop the time, so how can you stop yourself from aging. But it does not mean that you cannot slow down the aging process and try ways to keep on looking younger for a longer time.

Taking good care of hands, hair and skin right from the young age helps in making you look younger and saves you from submitting yourself to plastic surgery or investing in expensive salon treatments.

To keep yourself away from harmful lotions and potions, just examine your daily habits and make simple anti-aging changes to your routine.

1. Stop using heater to blow dry your hair

Naturally, youthful hair bounces with shine and health. But when you use curling iron, flat iron or iron dryer it makes the hair dull and the hair strands flat adding years to your appearance. According to an assistant clinical professor of dermatology at the Mount Sinai’s Icahn School of Medicine, Francesca J. Fusco, MD, use of multiple heat styling tools cause lots of breakage and damage to hair. How do avoid this?

Take a weekly break of two days or more from the heat dryer so that your hair can get some rest from such tools. Instead, let your hair dry naturally, master the wet bun or if you are in a hurry, just skip the hair wash and use a dry shampoo for a change.

2. Protect Skin Using SPF

Never give a break to your SPF sunscreen even on a cloudy day. The UV rays of low intensity are equally damaging. That is why, the dermatologists preach about wearing the sunscreen of high SPF without fail to protect the skin against cancer and other skin damaging effects. SPF is the most effective way to delay the signs of aging on the skin. According to a study published in the 2013 edition of Annals of Internal Medicine, people who applied SPF regularly, at least 3 to 4 times a day have lesser chances of getting a sagging and aging skin.

SPF-30 is the best and the most recommended sunscreen. Applying it every day, even on a rainy day helps to keep aging signs at bay.

3. Keep your Hands Moisturized

Few areas of your body show immediate signs of aging such as your face, neck and your hands, which makes hand care equally important.  Moreover, the back of the hand has a thin layer of skin due to which the aging signs are more visible on hands as compared to the other parts of the body. When your skin is exposed to air, it loses moisture and becomes dry, making your hands look older than your age. Moisturizing your hands with a vitamin rich lotion regularly replenishes the lost moisture, hydrates the skin and keeps it looking younger.  Dermatologists recommend using SPF 30 lotion on the hands.

4. Avoid Foods That Stain Teeth

White and sparkling teeth add more beauty and charm to your smile. According to a dentist at the New York Center for Cosmetic Dentistry, Emanuel Layliev, white teeth symbolize youthfulness and good health. He says sticky, hot and dark foods such as the soy sauce or the barbecue sauce have a tendency to leave worst kind of stains on the teeth. Coffee, red wine and cola too are known tooth-stainers.  If you already have, stained teeth, try getting rid of them in consultation with your dentist. You can use teeth-saving swaps that are delicious and easy.

You can avoid the barbecue sauce and use fresh herbs or fruity mango salsa on your chicken breast. Stop drinking the dark soda altogether to keep your teeth stain-free.

5. Regular Cleansing Routine

A regular cleansing routine goes a long way in ensuring young and healthy skin. Instead of investing a huge amount in the salon if you follow even the simple regime of cleansing, toning and moisturizing, your skin will remain beautiful and young for long. Try using kitchen ingredients such as milk or curd for cleansing, cucumber juice for toning and honey and almond pack for moisturizing.

6. Drink Plenty of Water

Water plays a key role in keeping your skin looking fresh and young. A well-hydrated skin looks supple and soft and remains wrinkle-free for a long time. Whereas, the skin can become dry and wrinkled even in younger age due to dehydration.  Instead of drinking the normally advised 8 to 10 glasses of water, you can decide your intake of water depending upon the climatic conditions in your region and the requirement of your body.

Drinking plenty of water aids weight loss, digestion and helps in expelling toxins from the body, thereby keeping your skin looking clean and sparklingly beautiful.

7. Do not Miss on Beauty Sleep

People who suffer from sleeplessness or cannot catch the required amount of sleep due to work, suffer from under eye bags and dark circles. It causes your skin to look tired, dull and old. Hence, if you want to retain the youthful glow on your face, always try to get at least seven to eight hours of sleep so that you look young and rejuvenated in the morning.  

8. Bad Habits Affect Badly

Bad habits such as smoking, alcohol or drug abuse directly affect the way you look. Excessive smoking or drinking dehydrates your skin, making it dry and wrinkled. Thus, you need to give a break to such bad habits if you want to keep on looking young.

9. Exercising is Must

Exercising regularly improves blood circulation and brings a bright glow to the skin. It also reduces the under eye dark circles. A new study conducted by the McMaster University in Canada has revealed that exercise reverse skin aging, keeping the youthful glow maintained for long years. Moreover, when you are in shape, you tend to look younger than your age. Any form of exercise from power yoga, jogging, walking, biking or aerobics for 30 minutes is enough to maintain your health and glow on your skin.

ALSO READ: Beauty Tenets To Look 10 Years Younger

10. Reduce Sodium Intake

Sodium works like a slow poisoning when used in excess. Hence, you must avoid eating salty foods such as pickles, sauces, dressings and toppings. Salty foods cause your body to retain water, resulting in a swollen or puffy look, especially under the eyes.

Try searching the hidden sodium sources in your diet, such as cereal, breads, deli meats, condiments, and even baked sweets.  Banish such foods from your daily meal.

Making these lifestyle changes will surely help you to retain not only a youthful look, but remain fit and healthy too.