This is going to sound kind of silly, because I know that I’m still (relatively!) young, but: I’m really worried about aging. I mean, I’m not super depressed about it or anything like that, but I really want to do everything that I can to keep looking and, more importantly, feeling young. And as graduation gets closer, I find myself thinking more and more about how I’m going to manage to stay youthful when I’m busy working a job and dealing with stress. So, experts, I’m asking you: What are your best tips for slowing down the aging process? How can I keep looking and feeling my best now, next year, and decades from now?
Aging is a natural thing, but most of us view it with some apprehension. You’re not alone in wanting to slow down the aging process — there’s a whole industry dedicated to that quest, and it’s growing fast.
Of course, this has healthy and unhealthy aspects. You say that you’re not “depressed” about aging, and that’s good. If you think you’re developing body image issues or an unhealthy fear of aging, we strongly suggest that you seek mental health treatment from a professional. You may find that making peace with aging will bring you more joy than all of the anti-aging secrets in the world.
With that said, let’s talk about staying healthy and beautiful your whole life long.
We grow old over time, but aging isn’t just about the passing of days, months, and years. It’s also about the stress and strain that we put on our bodies. In plain terms, we can say that unhealthy living “ages us.”
So what does this mean for your lifestyle? It means that you should eat healthy: whole foods instead of processed ones, and with an emphasis on vegetables. You should exercise regularly to stay fit and strong. And it means that you should keep your intake of alcohol and other drugs to a minimum, or even cut those things out entirely. Alcohol accelerates the aging process in numerous ways, and other drugs can be even worse. Smoking tobacco is a terrible idea, too: Smoking will accelerate the aging of your skin, breaking down collagen and elastin, which means you could get premature wrinkles.
Speaking of your skin, caring for it should be a key part of your beauty regimen. Wash your face twice a day, moisturize every single day. Your skin’s looks will also be affected by your lifestyle, so remember to keep eating healthy and exercising as we just talked about.
Some amount of aging is unavoidable, of course, but try not to worry about it. As you grow older, you’ll have lots of chances to consider cosmetic and health procedures to give yourself a more youthful look. Whether you choose to take advantage of them is completely up to you, of course!
One great example of a modern anti-aging technique is hormone therapy. In hormone therapy, patients get more of the hormones that were plentiful in their youth — for instance, men can get injections of testosterone. Hormone therapy has been shown to restore youthful vigor and increase a patient’s sex drive, among other things.
The single most important thing that you can do for your health and beauty is to commit to smart daily choices. We’ve laid out some key ways to stay healthy, fit, and beautiful, but only your willpower and good habits can keep you feeling as young as possible for as long as you live. Good luck!
