Skin! 10 Ways To Start The Anti-Aging Process at Any Age

A post by freelance writer Elizabeth Rago:

It’s never too late to start the anti-aging process. From encouraging cell renewal to seeking out professionals to recommend skin care products, here are 10 tips to reviving the vibrant and youthful skin you were born with…

1. Exercise–Dinana Rodriguez of everydayhealth.com lists 5 ways working out can benefit your skin and besides boosting oxygen and unclogging the toxins in your pores, exercise eases stress making that natural happy glow shine.

2. Wear (SPF) protection–Exposure to the sun can happen any time you step outside, so choosing a sunscreen with a high sun protection factor (SPF) and applying properly is key.

3. Be patient–If you are starting a new regimen, whether it isa change in diet or testing out new skin care, give your body some time to respond to the switch in routine. You are planting a seed of healthy goodness inside your body and while you can’t see the results yet, the benefits will bloom in time.

4. Lather Up–Keeping your skin hydrated is a key element to the anti-aging process. Supple skin reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

5. Control Yourself and Don’t Over-exfoliate–“It’s no coincidence that women often start to overdo it in terms of exfoliation at midlife,” said The International Dermal Institute’s Director of Global Education Annet King.“This is when the cell-turnover begins to slow, and the skin’s overall metabolism subtly declines. In response, many women may get a bit reckless, wanting to “amp up” the exfoliation.”

6. Protect Yourself From the Sun Even In Cold Temperatures– Use a tinted moisturizer with an SPF, even during cold months when it might appear that the sun is not strong enough to cause damage.

7. Encourage Cell Renewal– In your 20’s, your skin cells were full of cell turnover energy, busting out fresh new cells every 14 -25 days. But as we age, too many poor choices like all-nighters or the overuse of alcohol starts to catch up with us, not to mention what our skin is exposed to environmentally. New Beauty Editors suggest you stay away from sweets, “Sugar will boost inflammation’s damaging effects, but eating good fats and oils, like tuna, salmon, soybeans, tofu, olive oil and avocado, help regulate cell metabolism, boost cellular repair and suppress inflammation.”

8. Get Educated – “It’s so important to interview, consult and map out the facial conditions of your client, as a free service before any product purchase and certainly before any professional service,” Annet King impresses to students who are preparing to become licensed estheticians and professional skin therapists.

9. Eat healthy – We are bombarded with the message “eat healthy”, but it’s important to take into account your personal lifestyle. The Mayo Clinic’s approach to diet “aims to teach you how to choose healthy foods and portions and to develop healthy lifestyle habits so that you can maintain a healthy weight for life.”

10. Invest In Quality Skin Care, But Don’t Break The Bank– It is important to find out from a professional what kind of skin care products you should use, but natural health and wellness practitioner, Dr. Andrew Weil, disagrees that buying expensive products ensures healthy skin. In fact, he says, “The best ways to maintain skin health aren’t very glamorous and certainly aren’t overly costly: good nutrition, adequate intake of both water and essential fatty acids, and daily use of a good antioxidant multi-vitamin and mineral supplement.”

Elizabeth Rago is a freelance writer specializing in health, wellness, and women’s lifestyle content, working with yoga studios, chiropractors, mental health, and wellness practitioners. Elizabeth writes the weekly column, The Circular Home for Chicago Shopping (an editorial partner of the Chicago Tribune) and is Senior Editor of All Things Girl, highlighting topics related to the modern domestic woman. She has been published in Mamalode Magazine, MOMentumNation.com, and thesavvyfreelancer.com.  Connect with Elizabeth on Twitter, LinkedIn, Houzz, and Google+.