Ten Anti-Aging Secrets
Let’s face it, as we begin to see those tell-tale signs of aging in the mirror, we often start to wonder if looking old is just something we must endure. You might be surprised that the answer is No. In helping people with heath and wellness solutions, I often find that a wonderful benefit of working on total body health and wellness is that very often a younger looking and younger feeling person emerges. To this day, every time this happens I am amazed at the anti-aging benefits that appear in most people. They look more youthful, feel more youthful and as a result their emotional health soars. Of course there is no one magic bullet, no one supplement, no secret cream that will keep us young other than what we do on a day-to-day basis to care for and support our mind, body and soul. It is my experience that lasting beauty must begin with lifestyle — healthy diet, exercise, sleep, sunshine, water consumption, emotional health and stress relief will show on the inside as well as the outside. I have found that I can usually tell how healthy a person is, both physically and emotionally, by the appearance of their skin, the clearness of their eyes and the demeanor on their face. I’m often asked if I have any anti-aging secrets that work…the short answer is a resounding yes. However, more than anything else, it always involves more of what is happening on the inside of the body. Below are my suggested Ten Anti-Aging Secrets to help you age gracefully, beautifully and naturally. Implement these suggestions and you might be pleasantly surprised at what you begin to see in your mirror every morning.
Let’s face it, as we begin to see those tell-tale signs of aging in the mirror, we often start to wonder if looking old is just something we must endure. You might be surprised that the answer is No. In helping people with heath and wellness solutions, I often find that a wonderful benefit of working on total body health and wellness is that very often a younger looking and younger feeling person emerges. To this day, every time this happens I am amazed at the anti-aging benefits that appear in most people. They look more youthful, feel more youthful and as a result their emotional health soars. Of course there is no one magic bullet, no one supplement, no secret cream that will keep us young other than what we do on a day-to-day basis to care for and support our mind, body and soul. It is my experience that lasting beauty must begin with lifestyle — healthy diet, exercise, sleep, sunshine, water consumption, emotional health and stress relief will show on the inside as well as the outside. I have found that I can usually tell how healthy a person is, both physically and emotionally, by the appearance of their skin, the clearness of their eyes and the demeanor on their face. I’m often asked if I have any anti-aging secrets that work…the short answer is a resounding yes. However, more than anything else, it always involves more of what is happening on the inside of the body. Below are my suggested Ten Anti-Aging Secrets to help you age gracefully, beautifully and naturally. Implement these suggestions and you might be pleasantly surprised at what you begin to see in your mirror every morning.
1) Keep your digestive tract and liver clean. Perform a liver-gallbladder-digestive tract cleanse two times a year (Spring & Fall). This will help with digestion and keep everything moving in the digestive tract. It will also make sure that the digestive tract is clean so that nutrients can be absorbed properly. A sluggish liver and bowel (constipation) can have very negative effects on your skin. Your liver is the main filter in your body and must be kept clean in order to continue filtering out toxins. For instance fatty liver disease (as many as one in five Americans have a fatty liver and don’t know it) can cause skin rashes, cellulite, difficulty in losing weight, fluid retention, dark circles under the eyes, acne, brown spots on skin, emotional concerns and a sluggish over-all feeling. One of the first differences that many people notice after performing several liver-gallbladder cleanses is how clear their skin looks.
2) Water. Your body is 75% water and your brain is about 78% water. If you wait until you are thirsty to drink water, you are already dehydrated. Drink half of your body weight in ounces of purified water every day, up to 126 ounces of water. Water hydrates your cells and facilitates the body in efficiently eliminating toxins. Make sure that you are drinking filtered water or distilled water with added minerals. It is also advised to purchase a shower filter. Chlorine is carcinogenic and will age your skin. A 15 minute hot shower is the equivalent of drinking 7 glasses of tap water. Supplementing with MegaHydrate can help with body hydration. MegaHydrate can also provide anti-aging benefits.
3) Diet. Yo yo and fad dieting is one of the worse things you can do to your body. Get on a healthy diet and get your weight at a level that is healthy and one that you can maintain. Organic, raw fresh fruits and vegetables should make up the biggest part of your eating plan. Add organic raw nuts and seeds, organic and free-range eggs, organic oils (coconut, flax seed, hemp, olive) and free-range, grass-fed organic meats. Try not to eat after 7:30 PM. Supplementation: Include an organic multi-vitamin mineral complex such as intraMAX, emulsified Vitamin D (In a study of more than 2,000 women, those with higher vitamin D levels were found to have fewer aging-related changes in their DNA, as well as lowered inflammatory responses.), transdermal magnesium and extra natural-sourced B vitamins for supplementation. Another important anti-aging supplement are enzymes. There is evidence that systemic enzymes help the body fight inflammation, break down certain proteins and fats that make up arterial plaque and more. Because of the anti-inflammatory properties of systemic pancreatic and vegetable sourced enzymes, there is evidence that they can aid the body in dealing with virtually all inflammatory situations or symptoms.
4) Exercise. Try to perform 30 minutes of some type of exercise daily. Walking is the cheapest, most convenient and easiest way to exercise. You may also want to incorporate Pilate’s, Yoga, strength training and/or aerobics. The main thing is to get moving and do it every single day. Like other organs of the body, the skin gets its nourishment from the bloodstream. Exercise increases the circulation of blood to the skin as well as to your organs. Lymphatic drainage techniques will keep your lymph system moving which will aid in toxin removal. Sweating is good for you and a way for the skin to release toxins. For those who sit at a computer most of the day, I recommend getting up and walking around every hour. This will give you a boost of energy, destress your mind, relax your eyes and help with circulation.
5) Essential Fatty Acids. Good fats are very important and very necessary for a younger looking you. They are needed to make cell membranes, hormones, and other body chemicals. Essential fatty acids help you live longer, keep your heart healthy, fight inflammation, and may even prevent some cancers. Did you know that most cancer patients are deficient in EFA’s? Good fats are also particularly important to people with inflammatory skin conditions such as eczema and acne, and also for people with dry skin. Include in your diet freshly ground flaxseed or flaxseed oil, unrefined coconut oil, hemp seed oil, avocado oil and some cold-water fish. Avoid saturated and animal fats. Not only will your skin look better, but you will most likely notice those pesky little aches and pains that make you feel old begin to be less noticeable.
6) Eliminate sugar and pre-packaged foods. I call white refined sugar the “legal” drug of America. It is a main culprit of disease, depression and mood swings. It is implicated in most degenerative disease and we see clinical evidence that when it is removed from the diet, over-all health including emotional health improves considerably. It has no nutritional benefit and contributes to premature aging and disease. For those times when you need a sweetener consider using stevia, xylitol or raw honey.
7) Natural skin care products. Use non-toxic skin care products on your face and skin. Be aware that some “natural” products contain parabens (may have estrogenic effects) and many contain titanium dioxide of which we are not completely sure of its safety. We should not have to be concerned with harmful chemicals in skin care products but unfortunately we must do our own research since manufacturers are not always truthful. Read labels and let companies know of your satisfaction or dissatisfaction concerning their product ingredients. Avoid using harsh soaps or solid cleansing creams such as cold cream on your face. Instead, use natural oils such as organic argan oil to remove dirt and old makeup. Try to wash your face with distilled water – fill up a jug to keep in your bathroom. Tap water contains chlorine and fluoride, which kills skin cells. I recommend the Oasis Serene Botanicals skin care line consisting of Oxy-Balm (oxygen facial balm), Purely Ageless Anti-Aging Cream and Hydra-Tone Refining Toner as some of the finest all-natural skincare products available. For a great oxygenated facial apply Oxy-Balm on your face at bedtime, two times weekly. Your skin will be soft and smooth in the morning plus will get the healing benefit of the added oxygen. Don’t avoid the sun but do respect it and when spending long periods of time in the sun use an organic sunscreen on all exposed skin.
8) Stress. Stress is a silent killer and can wreck havoc on the entire body, both inside and outside. High stress levels show on the skin, in the eyes and with the emotions. Eliminate stress by implementing the following: meditation, listening to good music, taking up a hobby, yoga, Pilate’s, walking in nature, activities with friends and volunteering your time for worthy causes. Sometimes the source of stress must be dealt with such as a stressful job, boss, spouse, etc. Enjoy life and make time for fun and relaxation.
9) Sleep. The importance of restful sleep cannot be overstated. It is definitely one of the most important cornerstones of good health. Your body does a tremendous amount of repair work and healing during sleep. Restful sleep helps with longevity, regulations of hormones, inflammation, stress and is anti-aging. I suggest being in bed every night by 10:00-10:30 PM. While this may be difficult at first, before long your body’s Circadian Rhythm will adjust and your body will show signs that it is ready for sleep. Be sure to turn off your computer, WI-FI devices, TV, cell phone in the area where you sleep. The electromagnetic radiation from these devices can deplete your body of melatonin (hormone) making it difficult for your body to experience restful sleep.
10) Hormone Imbalance (men and women). Because of our toxic environment, hormone-laden foods, estrogen-mimicking chemicals in personal care products, over consumption of soy and thousands of prescription medications getting into the water table, hormone imbalance is rampant and even showing up in children as young as 8 years old. Hormone imbalance causes insomnia, dry skin, lack of energy, emotional concerns, mood swings, heart disease and many other health concerns. While there are some herbs that may help to relieve hormonal symptoms or support already balanced hormones, they will not clinically balance hormones. Bioidentical Progesterone USP cream such as Oasis Serene Rejuvenating Creme is the preferred method of rejuvenating hormones for both pre and post menopausal women. For more ideas about hormone balance, see my e-book Proven Secrets to Whole Body Hormone Balance…You Can Feel Good.
BONUS SUGGESTION 11) Eliminate smoking. Not only does smoking put you in a very real danger of lung cancer an do other disease, it also causes premature wrinkling of the skin around the mouth area. Most people who smoke often have dull skin, brittle hair and yellow teeth. You inhale hundreds of toxins into the body every time you light up. So lay those cigarettes down – you will look better and feel better. Aging gracefully, beautifully, and naturally is not difficult. If you keep the inside of your body in good health, it will reward you through your outward appearance. Remember that the help you may get from an expensive, chemical-laden jar of cream is only temporary. Employ the suggestions above and in three months, you may very well find people commenting not only on your healthy skin, but on your youthful and glowing appearance.