How to look and feel young at any age?

Gloria Ogunbadejo

“To keep the heart unwrinkled, to be hopeful, kindly, cheerful, reverent-that is the triumph over old age” — Thomas Bailey Aldrich

We are in a time when everyone is conscious about their physical looks and want to hold on to their youth as long as possible. While there is nothing wrong in trying to look the best you can, we sometimes overlook the need to nourish what goes on in our minds, hearts and in our heads which can actually prolong our youth much longer. With this in mind let’s explore some of the ways to hold on to a youthful look at any age.

Age: There is a difference between biological and chronological age. Sadly we live in a society that is obsessed with the chronological. If you line up people who were born in the same year, you will see those who have aged gracefully and those who have not. This can usually be attributed to a variety of reasons such as genes, lifestyle attitudes etc

It’s in your mind… The mind contributes incredibly to an energetic, healthy and youthful life. Your mind is the first thing to take care of first. Ever heard of the saying, ‘A sound body and mind go hand in hand for life’

Sleep: Get sufficient sleep. Those late nights can cost you in the beauty department. It’s not called’ beauty sleep’ for nothing. Frequent sleep deprivation can dull the mind, age the body and ravage the face in the form of wrinkles, blood shot eyes and a less than vibrant look. Seven to eight hours is recommended for adults. To aid in quality sleep go to bed and get around the same time everyday if at all possible

Avoid caffeine within four hours before bed

Avoid eating heavy meals three hours before bed or after 7pm

Try to create a calm and relaxing atmosphere in your bedroom at bedtime

Avoid at all cost excessive use of alcohol, food tea/coffee and the worst culprit being NICOTINE. Besides the obvious health risks associated with cigarette smoking, the lingering smell, the constant fire hazard, smoking shrinks the capillaries of the skin, creating a ‘smokers face’, which is dull, puffy and makes the skin look generally unhealthy adding unwanted years to your look.

Life: Enjoy life to the full. Eat what you want in moderation. Dance and be merry and be joyful. Learn to really enjoy your family. Try something new. Take a few healthy and considered chances. Think out of the box.

‘An optimist’s point of view will always look much better on you!’ -Susan Lieber

‘Live as if you were to die tomorrow…Learn as you were to live forever’ -Mahatma Ghandi

Take stock: Of your youthful assets. Monitor and manage how you are changing. Identify and sharpen important youthful attributes such as mental and physical strength and flexibility. Keep in mind that it is much easier to keep what you have than it is to regain what you have lost. Be proud of what you can do

Positive thinking:Indulge as often as possible in positive thinking. Remember you are what you say you are. So don’t tell yourself you are getting old. Replace negativity with positive affirmations of your plans for improvement in all areas in your life.

Associate with young people: Sometimes people age themselves because they chose to spend all their time solely with people of only one age bracket. This behaviour can be very limiting. The wider the range of people with whom you spend time, the more receptive you will be to new ideas and maintain a youthful outlook

Your Body: If you take the time and effort to care for your body like the temple it is you will not only retain a youthful face and figure longer, you will save time money and effort later trying to reverse the years of neglect.

Exercise: May sound boring (and it can be) but not exercising causes the body to lose mass and muscle tone which leads to among other ills, sagging, unattractive jiggling and is certainly not conducive to looking youthful. It is important to build some form of exercise into your lifestyle. Drink plenty of water.

Smile often: Laugh as frequently as you can. These two things clearly speak for themselves.

‘Laughter is the fulfilment of happiness- Sarah Marie

‘If you see someone without a smile, give them yours’ -Anon

‘Laughter helps people learn better, become more creative and resolve conflicts -Dr David Niven

Get rid of people around you who bring you down or at best avoid having much contact with them. This might mean some family members. As a community we are prone to making our lives unduly stressful unnecessarily due to misguided loyalties or expectations.