You may think that genetics determine the rate at which you will show signs of aging, but believe it or not, researchers have found that 80% of visible signs of aging have more to do with our personal skin care habits, rather than our genes. In fact, maintaining collagen, a protein responsible giving skin its elasticity, is crucial to staying younger looking. There are a number of ways to maintain your collagen and even improve your body’s ability to make more. Here are some tips to put time on your side:
Eat a healthy diet. I know I have mentioned this tip before, but it truly helps maintain your collagen. Eating whole foods, lots of fruits and vegetables, and organic/Non-GMO verified foods as much as possible, can improve your overall health as well as your skin. Diets high in processed foods like sweets and other simple carbohydrates cause collagen will break down faster. The result is less elasticity, and even saggy, wrinkled skin.
Moisturize! As we age the body naturally makes less estrogen. Estrogen actually helps trigger your skin to make natural oils and collagen, so without as much in our bloodstream, we begin to see drier and more wrinkled skin. Following your day-to-day skincare routine with a good moisturizer containing peptides (proteins that are moisture-binding) can really offset the effects of aging.
Increase the amount of Vitamin C you take. Your body cannot make collagen without Vitamin C. In fact, according to scientists, Vitamin C is vital in all stages of the synthesis of collagen in our bodies! Talk to your doctor about how much Vitamin C you should consume each day, and apply Vitamin C to your skin as part of your daily skincare routine. Vitamin C, when used with Retinol each day will give you brighter, more even toned skin. There are excellent creams containing Vitamin C on the market.
Retinol is also necessary. Retinol is a Vitamin A derivative, and it has been proven to enhance collagen production in the body. Another great benefit to applying Retinol each day is that it helps speed up the rate at which your body produces new (younger) skin cells, and it works in conjunction with Vitamin C to brighten your skin.
Avoid unprotected overexposure to the sun. Over time, the sun’s UV rays break down the elastin in your skin. In addition, it will cause dark patches and uneven tones on your face. But it’s not only what you can see that causes your skin to look dull and aged – it’s what the unprotected exposure to the sun does to layers of skin cells. You greatly increase your chances of getting skin cancer and you most certainly expose your skin to premature aging. Always be sure to use a broad spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher whenever you’re outside.
If you’d like to know more about the products I’ve personally tested, please email me at shaineandersen@yahoo.com.
Health is True Wealth 