There are all sorts of topical treatments which you can use to keep your skin and nails healthy. However, diet is even more important. When you get healthy nutrition with optimal amounts of vitamins, minerals and other valuable compounds, you will feel and look your best. You just have to ensure that you pick the right foods for top results.
Healthy Diet Benefits
Did you know that the skin is the largest organ of the human body? Everything which you eat had great impact on it. When it is properly nurtured, it will be smooth, even and radiant. The risk of problems such as dark spots, pimples, blemishes and wrinkles will be much lower. In the same way, you will have strong, smooth and fabulously looking nails if you get the nutrients which are needed for their proper growth with the food that you eat.
When your diet is healthy, you will enjoy healthy and beautiful skin and nails at all times. You will feel better too. You will have energy and good mood. These are essential for the overall health and for your looks as well.
Eating the Right Foods
What exactly does healthy nutrition involve? The most important thing is to include the right foods in your diet. Vitamin A, which is essential for the normal functioning of the skin cells, is found in low-fat dairy products and fish. Carotene, which is transformed into vitamin A by the human body, is found in carrots, pumpkins and squash. Vitamin C is essential for the production of collagen which keeps the skin and nails strong and gives them their natural radiance. It is found in kiwis, citrus fruit and peppers. Vitamin E protects the cells from free-radical damage which is responsible for all signs of ageing. It is found in nuts, seeds and avocados.
Zinc is an essential mineral for repairing skin and nail damage. It is found in nuts and seeds, leafy greens and lean beef. Selenium helps to protect the cells from oxidative stress and damage. It is found in whole-grain breads, pasta and cereals, in chicken and in Brazil nuts. Iron prevents nail brittleness and improper growth and shaping. It is found in beans, poultry, egg yolk, spinach and nettle.
While vitamin C and E are essential for preventing free-radical damage and ageing, there are other antioxidants which will contribute to their effect. These are found in berries and green tea. The omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids are necessary for ensuring that the skin and nail cells get properly nurtured. They are found in fatty fish such as salmon and mackerel and in flaxseed oil. The use of healthy natural oils for preparing food such as olive oil will also give you health benefits. They help to keep moisture inside the skin so that it is plump, smooth and radiant.
Finally, healthy nutrition for skin and nail care is about cooking foods in a healthy way. It is best to consume fruit, vegetables and nuts raw. When you cook food, you should use stewing and roasting rather than frying. Add as little fat as possible.
It is easy to be healthy and fit and to look beautiful when you exercise regularly. The workouts are great not only for toning your muscles, but for improving blood circulation and for natural skin purification. Check out the best exercises for achieving your goals.
1. Jogging
This is a simple and highly effective exercise. It improves the circulation in the body and this automatically gives you natural radiance. It is great for toning all muscles and for purifying the skin naturally. At the same time, it is not physically demanding at all.
2. Hula Hoop Twirling
This exercise will give you flatter tummy, sexier butt and toned arms. Hula hoop twirling is easy to learn. You can do it at home without spending a fortune on equipment. The really great thing is that it is lots of fun too.
3. Hip Raise
This exercise involves lying on your floor with bent knees and lifting your hips up while keeping your rear tight. It is great for the butt, the back and the abdomen as well. It will give you the perfect shape without much effort.
4. Boxing Punches
You simply need to stand up straight, relax your upper body and make punches. Keep your elbows straight and you will get perfectly toned arms without any kinds of specific equipment. If you want to try boxing, you can readily do it as it is a great sport for toning your entire body.
5. Bicycle Exercise
You need to lie down, bend your knees so that your calves are parallel to the ground and start moving your legs back and forth as if you are riding a bike. This simple exercise which does not involve any kind of equipment apart from a mat will give you tones abs, legs and butt.
6. Hiking
In addition to giving you a good workout, this activity will enable you to breathe clean air and relax amidst the beautiful nature. When there is more oxygen in your body and no elevated levels of the stress hormones, you will get to feel a lot better and your skin will get natural plumpness and glow.
7. Overhead Squats
This is an effective way for getting toned legs, abs and back. You need to stand up straight and raise your arms. You can hold a towel for balance. Then you need to squat as further down as you can while ensuring that your knees do not go beyond the toes.
8. Yoga
You will get to stretch every muscle in your body and to improve your strength and flexibility. Yoga is amazing for fighting back problems and stress, anxiety and depression as well. Besides, there are special exercises for beautiful face.
9. Mountain Climber
You need to get into the position for doing planks and move one of your leg towards the chest and get it back into the starting position slowly. Then you need to do this with your other leg and so on. This exercise is great for toning all muscles of the upper body.
10. Dancing
This is a great way to get moving and to exercise not only your muscles, but your coordination as well. The music makes the workout a lot more pleasant. In general, dancing is great for both the body and mind.
Start exercising today!
Every person is worried about wrinkles because they are the most visible signs of aging. The good news is that they can be effectively prevented with the right measures. There is no need to invest a small fortune in magical cosmetic treatments. There are holistic techniques for wrinkle prevention which work exceptionally well. Check out the best ones.
1. Sun Protection
The UV rays of the sun are the main cause of damage to the skin cells. This damage naturally leads to the speeding up of the wrinkle formation process. Wrinkles not only appear earlier. They are loner and deeper as well. At the same time, sun protection is easier than most people think.
You should always apply moisturizing sunscreen with SPF of at least 30 on your face before you go out during the day. It is best to use a natural product based on zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. You should also seek the shade between ten in the morning and five in the afternoon. If you are exposed to the sun during this time, need to wear protective clothing, sunglasses and wide-brim hat. It is equally important to reapply sunscreen every hour.
2. Effective Hydration
It is true that water is a source of life. When the body is properly hydrated, waste is released effectively and the skin remains clear and pimple-free. Furthermore, when the skin is properly hydrated, the production of collagen and elastin is optimal. The result is firmness, plumpness and radiance. In order to keep your skin hydrated, you should drink eight glasses of water every day. You should also apply moisturizer on your face in the morning and possibly in the evening unless you use another type of anti-wrinkle treatment.
3. Proper Nutrition
You have to include foods which are rich in antioxidants, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins and minerals in your diet to fight all signs of aging and not only wrinkles. The most potent antioxidants which you need from food include vitamin C, vitamin E, selenium, carotenoids and flavanoids. In general, if you eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains and fatty fish, you can expect to nurture your body and your skin properly.
4. Rest and Relaxation
When you are tired and stressed out, your body produces hormones which cause inflammation and speed up the aging process. That is why in order to prevent wrinkles, you should get enough rest. You should try to get eight hours of sleep every night. You should also devote enough time to exercise and other fun and relaxing activities from massage and spa treatments to meetings with friends and your favorite hobby.
5. Emotional Health Maintenance
The way in which you feel inside is reflected on the outside. It has been clinically proven that people who suffer from anxiety and depression have more quickly aging skin. That is why it makes sense to use various effective techniques for keeping calm and staying in good mood. These range from meditation to playing games.
Use all of these holistic techniques to prevent wrinkles and slow down aging in general. They work effectively and safely.
If you want to slow down the natural process of aging, you need to adopt a lifestyle which will help you with this. The more methods you use the better. Check out the best anti-aging strategies which you can start using right away.
1. Healthy Diet
If you eat foods which are rich in healthy nutrients, minerals, vitamins and antioxidants, you will have all organs in your body working optimally for longer. The same applies to the skin as well. Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fatty fish, and small amounts of low-fat dairy products will help you achieve your goal. At the same time, you should avoid foods which are processed or friend and which contain additives, preservatives and high amounts of salt, sugar or fat. It is as simple as this.
2. Good Hydration
Around two thirds of the body are made up of water. With proper hydration, you will be healthy, look younger and have more energy. In order to achieve this, you should drink at least eight glasses of water every day.
3. Sufficient Sleep
The lack of sleep causes the body to work in stress mode and while this may work for a short period of time, in the long run it is devastating. If you sleep eight hours every night, you will always wake up fresh in the morning and look and feel great. Sleep is undoubtedly one of the top anti-aging therapies.
4. Cardio Exercises
When you walk, run, swim or cycle, the blood circulation is improved. This is good not only for the heart, but for all other organs of the body including the skin. All impurities are effectively removed and the muscles are perfectly toned.
5. Stress Reduction
Stress is one of the major factors behind the growing incidence of heart disease and cancer. It can be avoided with the use of various techniques from time management to meditation and gardening. You need to figure out what works best for you and use it.
6. Sun Avoidance
UV damage to the skin cells is among the major reasons for premature aging and for skin cancer as well. You can enjoy adequate protection by avoiding the sun between ten in the morning and five in the afternoon and by staying away from tanning beds.
7. Brain Workouts
Simple and fun games such as crosswords, puzzles, Sudoku and Scrabble can help you to exercise your brain in a relaxed and effective way. This can help to reduce the risk of various conditions of the nervous system associated with older age including Alzheimer’s disease.
8. Skin Care
When you take good care of your skin, it will be healthy and look young and beautiful. You should focus on daily cleaning, proper hydration and nourishment and protection from UV damage and environmental damage, in particular.
9. Having Fun
You simply need to devote time to the things which you love doing no matter what they are. This will help to keep you happy and relaxed. Stress will be reduced and so will be the risk of anxiety and depression.
10. Love and Care
When you are surrounded by people who love you and care for you, life will be a lot happier and less stressful. This will naturally help to slow down aging.
Use all of these anti-aging strategies effectively.
Any person alive wants to stay young and live eternally. This is not possible for the time being, but there is massive research done on the causes of aging in hopes that this process can be reversed or at least slowed down. The reality is that no one still knows why we age. Let’s take a closer look at the two main theories intended to explain this natural process and at factors which are considered to speed it up.
The Major Theories
The damage concept is the first one of the two most widely supported aging theories. It states that external factors cause damage to our genes (DNA). Various small changes in our DNA occur over time and build up. This causes cells, tissues, organs and systems to change adversely as well. At one point, the DNA change becomes so big that the body fails completely.
The second concept is programmed aging. It states that each person has a gene or a combination of genes that will determine how long he or she will live. If this gene or gene combination is discovered, it may be possible for it to be modified in the future.
Even though neither one of the concepts has been fully backed by research evidence, it is known that some things in life cause people to age more quickly. These have to do with the risk of increasing cellular damage. It is worth checking out the main ones.
Factors Speeding Up the Aging Process
Substance abuse is one of the main factors speeding up aging and increasing mortality risk. People who smoke a lot, drink too much alcohol and/or take drugs are more likely to get affected by serious illnesses such as cancer and organ damage and failure. If you have any of these problems, you should consult a specialist who will help you deal with it timely.
Stress is among the most prominent factors which make you age more quickly. When you stress out, specific hormones are released into the body. They help you to stay alert forcing all organs and systems to work more intensively. This is a good thing. It is part of the instinct for self-preservation. However, if you are under stress very often, it becomes harder for the body to keep all organs and systems work optimally. This can result in adverse effects such as high blood pressure and weakening of the immune system. Daily stress is one of the major risk factors for heart disease. The best thing which you can do is to find a way to keep anxiety and emotions under control and get sufficient rest.
Long sun exposure without proper protection between ten in the morning and five in the afternoon is another risk factor which is often neglected. Both the UVA and the UVB rays of the sun cause damage to the skin cells. This damage results in quicker aging of the skin. The skin loses its softness and elasticity. Dark spots and wrinkles appear. The damage to the cells can lead to changes in the DNA which cause the formation of tumors. Skin cancer is one of the most widespread types of cancer and it affects a growing number of young people every year. Given all this, it makes sense to wear sunscreen, wide-brim hat, sunglasses and breathable clothes which cover as much of your body as possible when you go out during the day.
High calorie diet is also a major factor which makes the body age faster. One of the most significant discoveries made by pioneering researchers in the field of aging was that the lifespan of lab rats was increased twofold after their calorie intake had been reduced. This does not mean that you should stay on a low-calorie diet to live longer, of course, but you should try to take the optimal amount for your age and gender. One of the easiest ways to reduce your calorie intake is to reduce the consumption of foods which contain the highest amounts of sugar and fat to the possible minimum. The list includes all sweets, junk food, canned foods, fatty foods like red meat, salami and yellow cheese and fried foods.
Low consumption of important nutrients is also something which affects how fast you age. If you do not get enough nutrients, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants from food, you will be at higher risk of various health problems. The way in which you look will be adversely affected too. The best sources of healthy chemical compounds which are essential for the body include fruit, vegetables, legumes, whole grains and fatty fish. Make sure that these are present in your diet.
Sedentary lifestyle has been linked to various medical conditions. It has adverse effects on the cardiovascular system and on the musculoskeletal system. When you work out and do cardio exercises, in particular, the blood flow in the body improves and all organs and systems work more effectively. Just half-hour walk every day can help to reduce the risk of heart disease.
Insufficient sleep also causes the body to age more quickly. You do not have to be a scientist to notice how bad you look after a week with three hours of sleep every night. When you are tired, you cannot do anything as well and as quickly as usual and this causes greater stress. Adults should try to sleep for at least seven hours each night. If you have sleep problems, you should take the necessary measures to deal with them right away.
Poor care for your body can also lead to faster aging. Frequent exfoliation of the skin helps to remove the topmost layer of dead cells and to stimulate the production of collagen and elastin. Teeth flossing and washing are essential routines. Regular medical checkups are mandatory regardless of a person’s age. They can help to detect and treat potentially serious problems early on. Similarly, if you notice any bothering symptoms, you should report them to your doctor without delay. It is best to consult your physician when you plan to use any home treatments such as the intake of supplements.
With a healthy lifestyle, you may be able to slow down aging.