- Small, healthy habits over the long run really do work.
Who doesn’t want to be younger? Or, err, at least look younger? To keep our skin looking good and fresh, be sure not to do these weird ways that are aging us.
Using Bar Soap
What? Soap? It’s true. The thing is that bar soaps can be very drying. So unless you have super oily skin, chances are bar soap is too dry for you. Besides that, using bar soap, especially on your face can speed up the aging process by damaging the outermost layer of skin, making it prone to acne, inflammation and premature wrinkling. Soaps are made with binders that have a higher pH than our skin, which can cause our skin to go into an alkaline state which can cause the dryness. Whew, that was a mouthful.
Coffee
Coffee is a diuretic, and in effect causes you to lose water. While there are benefits to drinking coffee, there are studies that show that caffeine accelerates skin aging and slows down the process of wound healing. It’s also been found that caffeine reduces synthesized collagen in skin cells, this causing dehydration, and tired, dull, and aged-looking skin. Coffee might be good for our insides, but it’s also drying our skin, from the inside out.
Crash Dieting
The thing about being healthy that people don’t really think about is the consistency of it. Not only eating healthy and staying active, but doing these things so that you aren’t stressing out your skin. Especially if you are a yo-yo dieter, in example someone that is dieting and then not and then dieting again and then not, This is going to stretch and restretch your skin. The older we get, the thinner and less resilient our skin is, so the aging process will be even more evident.
Being Too Thin
Along the lines of loose skin and crash dieting, it’s true that he older we get, the more our skin sags, and if you’re super thin, your skin tends to sag more. Thus, you look more wrinkly and this is something that tends to age ourselves. So be sure not to crash diet, and also be sure to eat! Lots of foods naturally help our skin such as salmon and other fish. If you aren’t a fish fan, you can always take fish oil to get the same benefits. (Just make sure you take your fish oil with a big meal because fish burps are yucky.) Collagen is known for its benefits to the skin, as well as regular moisturizing.
Not Drinking Enough Water
Drink your water! We hear it all the time, but it’s so true. The more we hydrate from the inside, the more hydrated we will be on the outside. Experts go round and round on how much each of us need, still saying about eight glasses a day is good. Avid fitness goers drink up to a gallon a day, and most of us are under the impression that if we’re already thirsty, we are dehydrated. Just drink water, consistently, and as your go-to drink, then you’re good to go.
Not Sleeping Enough
Our body restores itself each night as we sleep, so if we don’t sleep enough, it ages us. Not only do our skin cells renew and repair themselves during our slumber, but our brain goes through the same thing. If you’re lucky enough to be able to sleep until your body wakes up, then by all means, do that! If not, rest when you can and get in some extra sleep whenever possible.
Not Eating Enough Fruit
We should be eating about 1 ½-2 cups of fruit per day, traditionally. And for good reason! Fruits are full of vitamins, minerals, and a bunch of antioxidant-filled goodness. These things keep your skin healthy and glowing. Vitamin E helps protect from UV damage and can help even out pigmentation issues and reduce inflammation. Vitamin A, B3, and C are all terrific for your skin, too, as the help to prevent collagen breakdown and produce and maintain elasticity, and reduce hyperpigmentation, as it were. Oranges and strawberries are great to keep your skin looking young and healthy.
How many of these bad habits do you have, or for the good stuff, what are you not doing enough of? Small steps really do work in the long run, so instead of aging ourselves, we will ve aging gracefully.