Effective Ways to Fight Aging

As women get older, they look for products, which will help them, feel younger but look younger as well. As our skin ages and matures the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles become noticeable. Well, what about over the counter products? Are they really effective? Before you make an appointment with your nearest plastic surgeon, why not try some tips and strategies that won't cost you a dime, but will improve your appearance.

Yes, it's true that good health, daily exercise, and genetics play a role in your skin's elasticity, but you can prevent damage to your skin and nourish the skin you have with some simple common sense rules and good habits.

Let's begin by taking a look at sleep. First make sure that you are sleeping enough. The amount of required sleep varies by individual, for some 5-6 hours a night is all that is needed; and for others, 10-11 hours is required. The average amount of sleep required by individuals is 7-8 hours. Know which amount of sleep makes you feel and function at your best; then make sure that you get that much sleep every night.

You must watch your diet. A lousy diet will show through on your skin. Make sure that you are feeding your skin from the inside out, and that includes drinking enough water. To find out how much water you should drink, take your body weight and divide the number of pounds in half. The answer is the equivalent to how many ounces of water you should drink daily. Along with water, you need to maintain your skin with vitamins and minerals. Vitamins and minerals aren't stored in the body as fat, so you need to consume them daily. If you aren't eating enough fruits and vegetables to meet your daily vitamin requirements, take a good multi-vitamin and mineral supplement. Don't take them on an empty stomach, they can cause nausea, read the directions and take them as directed.

Ask yourself, "Am I getting enough exercise?" Thirty minutes, three times a week is all it takes to meet the exercise limit required for optimal health. Find ways to work those routines into your busy schedule. Your body, skin, and health will greatly appreciate it. Add some facial exercises to your routine as well. These exercises are a great way to relieve stress and tension during the day, and add firmness to aging skin.

Pick up a yoga book if you need some inspiration on facial exercises. You can begin with full open mouth yawns, (when yawning lower your bottom jaw and fully extend your tongue) slowly redraw your tongue and close your mouth then repeat. Practice this yoga exercise called," The Lion" ten times.

Finally, beware of the sun. Skin cancer is on the rise and there is no better way to ruin the tone, firmness, and elasticity of your skin then excessive tanning. This also applies to tanning beds. Always wear a hat and/or sun block when outside.

These simple strategies will help keep your skin firm and supple. Remember the most important place to start is on the inside feed and nourish your skin from the inside out-with proper nutrition, sleep, exercise, and plenty of water.