Aging is the impact of time on our bodies that leads to cell, tissue and organ damage. Toxins, UV radiation from sunlight, harmful foods, pollution and other toxins all take their toll on our bodies. We all want to look and feel younger, fresh and healthy, and although we cannot turn the clock back, we can try and slow the aging process by following few simple anti aging treatments.
Below are 6 good anti aging treatments that are natural and don’t involve going under the knife or other invasive medical procedures:
1. Sesame Oil
Beyond its culinary applications, sesame oil is also used in anti aging treatments to deliver health benefits to the skin. According to many studies, sesame oil is a powerful antioxidant due to a naturally occurring compound called sesamol. Antioxidants are important to skin health because they reduce free radicals, which are unstable molecules that can prematurely age the body and contribute to diseases. When our skin ages prematurely, it loses collagen and elastin, the substances that make skin strong, soft, firm and elastic. Other studies suggest that sesame oil may be effective in protecting against the sun’s harmful UV rays and skin cancer. It is therefore a good advise to message sesame oil all over your body first thing every morning. Sesame oil is gentle, affordable and pleasant-smelling, and as such it is a popular base for massage oils. The oil protects and moisturizes the skin due to its high absorption rate and high content of vitamin E, a vitamin commonly recommended for the treatment of a wide range of skin conditions. You can read more why it’s good for you to apply oil on your skin in my article how to rejuvenate your skin using oil cleansing.
2. Fish Oil
According to studies, taking enough of fish oil supplements appears to have enormous health benefits including dramatic anti aging effects. Fish oil has anti inflammatory benefits, improves heart and immune functions and helps hair grow and skin look healthy. Specifically, taking these supplements regularly may lower the risk for a host of diseases associated with aging, including coronary heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, arthritis and even Alzheimer’s disease. Read here more about the amazing health benefits of omega 3 fish oil.
3. Limit white sugar consumption
Limiting consumption of processed sugar as well as other low-quality carb foods such as white bread, sugar, pastries, cookies and candy, which also break down to sugar in your body, will help you to slow aging process (and you can read my previous article 6 things that happen to your body when you quit sugar).
The reason is that when sugar breaks in the body it involves major molecular mechanisms that damage your body, and that leads to disease and aging. Limiting sugar in your diet is a well-known key to longevity. Fructose in particular is an extremely pro-inflammatory agent that speeds up the aging process. It also promotes the dangerous growth of fat cells around your vital organs and can cause to diabetes and heart disease. Sugar/fructose also increases your insulin and leptin levels and this is another major factor of premature aging and age-related chronic degenerative diseases such as heart disease. Limiting sugar consumption in your diet is therefore a good anti aging strategy. If you have sugar cravings, you may be interested to read my article about 13 effective ways to eliminate sugar cravings. You can read more about the harmful effects of sugar in my articles: Research Reveals How Sugar Causes Cancer and Find Out Why Sugar Is Poison According to a Physician Author.
4. Antioxidants
Antioxidants, such as vitamins C and E, help fight free radicals that break down collagen and thus slowing aging process. A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in October 2007 found that people who ate foods rich in vitamin C had fewer wrinkles and less age-related dry skin than those whose diets contained only small amounts of the vitamin. Vitamin C also helps form collagen, which smooths fine lines and wrinkles. Vitamin C also seems to protect against UV sun rays, which can lead to freckles and a mottled complexion and does some repair and firming of the skin. Berries are packed with vitamin C as well as other nutrients, and are known to delay the aging process and to fight free radicals that damage our body. To learn more about the amazing healing properties of berries, have a look at my e-book The Healing Berry Guide. This e-book will teach you how to transform your health with berries.
Experts continue to argue whether antioxidants can prevent heart disease, but some of the evidence is highly persuasive. It is therefore a good idea to eat a lot of fruits and vegetables, which are full of vitamin C as well as other healthy nutrients. You can also read my article about the best ways to combine antioxidants in your daily diet. You can also find more information about healthy eating and nutrition in my e-book Effortless Healthy Eating which is part of the Natural Health Revolution Program. This program will help you to achieve your health, nutrition and weight loss goals.
5. Treat your eye area and your hands
Many people begin noticing signs of aging on their hands and around their eyes. It is advisable to treat the skin around the eyes separately as face creams can be too irritating and heavy, but products made for this delicate area work wonders for smoothing fine lines. You can also try this great homemade recipe for soothing tired eyes or these home remedies for puffy eyes.
It’s also a good idea to start taking care of your hands with the same routine that you use to take care of your face. Every time you exfoliate or use a mask on your face, try to exfoliate or apply that same mask to your hands too. You can find here fantastic scrubs that you can easily make at home. They are suitable for the face and body as well.
6. Water
The effect of water on the skin is controversial. Some sources claim that one of the benefits of drinking water is softer, moister skin. I’ve also seen several references that claim that water will not prevent wrinkles as wrinkles and aging are mainly caused by sun, age and genetics. Other sources claim that it is true that the outermost layer of your skin may feel rough if it doesn’t contain enough water, however there’s no scientific proof that drinking extra water can make dry skin supple. But there is no denial that the aging process doesn’t only reflect in our skin. It also reflects in our body and the way it is functioning. Every organ and system in your body needs water to regulate body temperature, flush out toxins, aid in digestion and carry nutrients to our cells. The cells of our skin also depend on water to better function and repair damage.
