There is no "fountain of youth" in today's earth. So don't be vain on staying forever young, patching all those cosmetics on your face and rubbing all those chemicals on your skin, and seeing the plastic surgeon on a monthly basis. Refusing to face the reality of aging will only make it worse. What you need is to face it squarely. Knowing the normal process that the human body undergoes during aging will help you to be one step ahead of aging. Remember that by staying vital and healthy you also prolong your physical age. Here are some tips:
- Focus more on self-care than self-indulgence. Focus more on health than on looks. The healthier you are, the more vibrant you become, and beauty almost always follows. So, spend your hard-earned money more on natural, healthy food than on artificial cosmetics and drugs.
- Take an active and positive role on life. Participate on endeavors that solve problems not on those which make the problem.
- Be happy.Take it easy; take a break whenever you need it. Don't postpone. Relieve your stress as soon as you start to feel it. Scientifically-speaking, stress releases free radicals that damage delicate cells in the body and trigger premature aging.
- Eat more fresh fruits and vegetables - these are rich in anti-oxidants that fight many aging-related ailments. Avoid packaged, canned and processed food. It's better to home-cook your food than eat out on a fast-food. Eat a balanced diet, and hamburgers and deep-fried chicken won't give that to you.
- If you are not smoking, stay clean and stay away from smokers - second hand smoke exhaled by smokers are more dangerous to your health. If you are a smoker, quit immediately, there's no scientific reason why you can't. End of discussion.
- For those who always travel on busy, pollution-laden streets, eat more betacarotene-rich food like carrots, calcium and potassium-rich food like Chinese parsley and yogurt, and vitamin C-rich fruits and vegetables. Pollution, according to latest scientific studies damages bones and tissues. These foods will help your body compensate.
- Drink water and fruit juices a lot. Doctors say drink at least eight glasses of water if you can, drink more. Natural fruit juices are also good. You don't need to add sugar as it will only diminish the nutrients in the juice and make your stomach acidic. Honey would be better. Wine (not any other liquor) is okay if you "really" drink moderately, like a shot or two after supper.
- Do a kilometer walk every day, even in the comfort of your home. Get up from the couch, don't just slouch, do something active. Just walking to and fro or going up and down the stairs for 15 minutes or so will give you the extra edge in life. If you really have the time try to exercise for 30 minutes or so at least twice a week.
- Daily food supplements can help. But it would be best if you go herbal and go natural. Avoid synthetic food supplements. Take them in conjunction with fresh fuits. The real good food supplements, as the word indicates, supplements the nutrients in the food we eat. So, if it's junk food, then there are no nutrients to supplement.
- Think positive. Keep young by having a youthful vision and be optimistic. Never bring your office problems at home. Remember also that a problem is only a problem if you think you cannot solve it.
- Take a hobby that really gives you energetic interest. Never mind if you get soiled and dirty planting those eggplants, okra and sweet potatoes, as long as you are happy and revitalized. It is really good for your health and well-being, no matter how you look at it.