How to Look Better with Age

Ageing is a fact of life, but how you choose to do it makes a world of difference to your mind, body and soul.

While some people furiously try to turn back the hands of time to get rid of their wrinkles, hide their grey hair and regain the figure they had in their 20s, others waste what could be their happiest years bemoaning the ageing process and what it’s doing to their bodies.

But what about meeting somewhere in the middle? Figuring how you can age gracefully, how you can be your best for your age and how you can look and feel amazing as you enter your 50s, 60s, 70s and beyond.

With these tips to ageing better, you’ll not only improve your body from the inside, you’ll look more youthful too.

Exercise

Exercise isn’t just good for your physical appearance it’s got an array of other health benefits too. From reducing stress, upping your energy levels, improving sleep and boosting your mood too. So, it makes sense to add it to your daily routine.

Even if you’ve never exercised before, it’s not too late to start now, and it’s actually important you do.

With age comes muscle loss and so you have to work to maintain it. This is why strength training is so beneficial as we get older. Toned skin also looks more youthful as does good posture. 

Exercise is great for your complexion as well because it increases blood flow and more nutrients and oxygen can be delivered to your skin cells.

On top of that, it helps you lose weight and keep your waistline under control. 

A consistent exercise regime will fight visceral fat too. This is the layer of fat stored underneath your skin and builds up around your organs in your abdomen. Excessive visceral fat has been linked with insulin resistance and inflammation which are also bad for your skin. 

So how much exercise do you need? The UK government guidelines recommend healthy adults get 150 minutes of exercise per week.

But this doesn’t mean you have to hit the gym and pound the treadmill for an hour at a time. Walking is a fantastic form of fitness and if you pick up the pace, you’ll really reap the rewards. 

Gardening burns some serious calories and you’ll benefit from the fresh air too.

In fact, any activity which gets you moving is worth it. Find a sport or activity you enjoy, and it makes it much easier to stick to it. Remember that consistency is key.

Improve your diet

Look after your appearance from the inside out by watching what you put into your body. 

You can actually reverse the signs of ageing with the right diet. If you regularly eat processed foods, sugars and lots of fat you’ll feel sluggish and you’ll look older than your years. 

A balanced diet full of fruits, vegetables and whole grains is key to overall good health with some foods even helping to make you look younger.

Good fats, such as omega-3 fatty acids in foods like salmon, tuna, seeds and walnuts are fantastic for keeping skin moisturised and your complexion healthy. 

Tomatoes work wonders for your skin too since they’re loaded with the antioxidant lycopene, which is a natural sunscreen - not a reason to skip the SPF though. 

Tomatoes also boost the skin’s collagen levels to keep your skin elastic and stop wrinkles forming. 

Fruits and vegetables which contain antioxidants assist in reversing the signs of ageing. 

So, stock up on watermelon, berries, kale and even a little dark chocolate to stave off premature ageing. 

Quit smoking

We know quitting smoking is easier said than done but puffing on cigarettes is detrimental to your health and your good looks. 

Nicotine causes blood vessels in the skin to narrow, so the nutrients and oxygen your skin needs to stay healthy can’t flow freely. 

The chemicals in the cigarettes have also been shown to damage collagen and reduce its elasticity, resulting in sallow, drawn and ultimately wrinkled skin.

Use sunscreen

Rain or shine, you should be putting on sunscreen. If anything causes wrinkles, fine lines and age spots - not to mention skin cancer - it’s the sun’s harmful UV rays.  

Sun exposure speeds up the skin’s ageing process so if you want to age well and lessen the chance of sagging skin you are best lathering on the SPF and covering up too.

Wear sunglasses to reduce wrinkles around your eyes and a wide-brimmed hat for added protection as well. 

Make an appointment with your dentist

A bright smile makes you look younger while stained or missing teeth instantly age you. By visiting your dentist twice a year you can ensure your teeth and gums are as healthy as they can be. 

Not only that, but you can help protect your pearly whites by brushing and flossing daily.

Ensure you are getting enough calcium in your diet by consuming calcium-rich foods like milk, cheese and yoghurt but also almonds, kale, beans and lentils too.

Get enough sleep

The fact of the matter is, you need your beauty sleep, and yes, that is a thing. 

Your entire body pays the price when you regularly get less than the recommended 7-9 hours of sleep a night. 

But how does lack of sleep age you?

A lot of rejuvenation happens when you sleep, especially when it comes to your skin. 

When you don’t get enough sleep, your skin doesn’t have the time to recover from the day’s environmental damage and so its ages.

The skin produces more collagen and elastin - the building blocks of youthful, plumped up skin - as you sleep. 

So, it makes sense that lack of sleep means the elasticity of your skin is impacted. 

When your tired dark circles appear under your eyes and you look older.

If you’re struggling to get to sleep, whether it’s because you are stressed, worried or simply a bad sleeper, you should consider some natural sleep supplements whilst working on resetting your circadian rhythm - also known as your body clock - for all-round better health.

You can start by switching off screens emitting blue light at least an hour or two before bedtime, establishing a regular bedtime routine and getting plenty of natural daylight in the day. 

Hydrate

Skin becomes dry, flaky and can prematurely age when its cells are thirsty. Not only can you hydrate your skin from the outside with Lumity’s Skin Nutrients Facial Oil but you can nourish your body by drinking plenty of water too. 

Water is imperative to keep you energised, moisturised and bright-eyed too. 

How much water should you drink in a day? It’s recommended that you consume at least eight 8oz glasses of water per day. 

If you exercise and sweat, you may need more. 

You don’t have to just drink plain H20. Herbal teas, and infused waters are a great way to drink water and remember there are plenty of fruits and vegetables - such as watermelon and cucumbers - which help hydrate you too. 

Find your fashion

The way you dress says a lot about you and just because you’re getting older doesn’t mean you have to give up on having a sense of style. 

Clothes can be a lot of fun and since what you wear can either add years on or knock them off, it’s worth rethinking your wardrobe choices. 

Stepping out in an outfit which makes you feel great about yourself can nourish you physically and mentally. You’ll stand taller, look happier and instantly appear more youthful.

Book in for a personal stylist - many work purely on commission - and find out what clothes and colours work for you, your age and your lifestyle.

Be positive

Positive people have been shown to live longer than negative thinkers but seeing the glass half full can also go a long way to keeping you looking younger too.

A positive attitude can boost your glow, reduce your stress levels and slow down ageing.

While it’s difficult to become an optimist overnight there are several ways you can start paving the path towards it.

Surround yourself with positive people, find me-time, keep a gratitude diary and you’ll slowly start seeing the good things more than the bad. 

Invest in Lumity

The Lumity brand believes your best age can be right NOW.

It supports your best health, strongest vitality, most radiant looks and a renewed lust for life, so that every age can be your best age ever.

So, by adding Lumity’s products, including Lumity Day and Night Supplements, Lumity’s Skin Nutrients Facial Oil and Lumity’s 4-in-1 cleanser to your beauty regime you’ll be making a valuable investment into your overall wellbeing.