It has been proven that people who take care of themselves are healthier, stronger and happier, and also live longer. Just a few simple changes in lifestyle, the adoption of the right diet and some careful nurturing are enough to age healthily, says Suman Agarwal of Selfcare, The Natural Way
A geing is a part of life. Each and every human being grows old. We have to accept the changes our skin, body and health go through. But, don’t worry. There is always a backup. We, at Selfcare, believe in ‘healthy ageing’.
You can delay your ageing process by taking care of yourself. You can do this by eating the correct kind of food, keeping up with your exercise and by taking your supplements regularly. The basic essential nutrients for our body that need to be taken in a balanced manner include protein, carbohydrates and fats. Proteins and fats are most important for weight management, anti-ageing and immunity. Let us look at the foremost anti-ageing ingredients.
Popular proteins: Proteins are known as the building blocks of our body. They give tone to your body and your skin. The hair, skin and nails are made up of proteins; hence proteins play a major role in maintaining the glow on the skin, and prevent the chipping of nails and hair fall. Vegetarian sources of proteins are pulses, milk, tofu, curd and non-vegetarian sources are eggs, chicken and fish. Red meat is avoidable.
Warm/cold water: Water is our lifeline. Consuming the right balance of food without enough water may not show the magic of anti-ageing foods. Water channelises the nutrients throughout your body and helps in absorption. Drink minimum 8-10 glasses of water per day. Drinking about two cups of green tea or herbal tea a day also helps to hydrate your skin and provide essential antioxidants to fight back the ill-effects of pollution.
Friendly fats: Fats like omega-3, which are present in nuts (walnuts), flaxseed oil and fish (salmon), are essential for skin radiance. Omega-3 fatty acids are known for their anti-ageing and antioxidant property. But one may not absorb enough omega-3 from the daily consumption of walnut or flaxseed oil. Hence, vegetarians can choose to take an omega-3 supplement, which is available in the market, after referring to their nutritionist and physician.
High-fibre foods: American stand-up comedian and actress Phyllis Diller said that “Maybe it’s true that life begins at 50. But everything else starts to wear out, fall out, or spread out.” Ageing does not target only skin or hair, but also the organ system. Our organs need to be fit and functional. Hence, inclusion of high-fibre foods (like oats, fenugreek seeds, green leafy vegetables and wheat bran) is very important to reduce bad cholesterol and protect your heart. Include 8-10 servings of vegetable and 2-3 servings of fruit to your daily diet. Keep your heart healthy and it will show on your face.
Special Sleep: Sleep is another important factor. You will notice dark circles and wrinkles at a very early age if you are not a heavy sleeper. If you don’t get enough sleep, never try to exhaust yourself by exercising the next day. Nowadays, smartphones need software updates to function well; our body downloads its new software while it is asleep. Hence one must sleep for 6-7 hours to function well the next day and also the days ahead. If you are unable to sleep in the night due to your work pattern or stress, try to take a power nap during afternoon time to get the benefits of sleep.
Easy Exercise: Basic, low impact cardio exercise is extremely important to look and feel young. Cardio workouts like walking/swimming coupled with yoga would give best results. Cardio exercise improves the blood circulation in the body and also provides maximum oxygen supply to the brain. Oxygen is another important factor for healthy skin and energy.
Vital Vitamins: Your precious store of vitamins may get depleted with age. It’s very important to add vitamins to your diet from sources other than food. CoQ10 is especially for anti-ageing, which fights free radicals and toxins. Vitamin C is excellent for your skin and to build immunity. Calcium is required for bone health and muscle building. D3 supplements are required for bone health and to help fight cancer. B12 prevents your brain from ageing. Omega-3, in the form of fish oil tablets, is where you get your healthy fats from, for a healthy heart. Omega-3 also builds immunity and makes your skin glow. Collagen depletion starts with ageing. To prevent that, add a teaspoon of amino collagen to your diet, for replenishment, adding fullness to your face. Apart from diet and exercise, it is also important to handle stress. While it is difficult to be completely stress-free, one must learn to control stress by doing some breathing practice and also meditation. If you follow these tips correctly, just a few simple changes can make you look younger and feel healthier. You will never get your youth back, once the boundary has been crossed. Therefore, you need to take care of yourself and lead a healthy simple life to feel younger… longer.
