Just like death, age is also an inevitable and unavoidable part of life. However, there are some who age faster than others; researches have shown that there really is a thing called “faster aging” and many individuals experience it. This concept of ‘faster aging’ essentially means that a person’s biological age will be more than his chronological age
Factors linked to aging are blood pressure, cholesterol, lung problems and body mass index. But often, the reason why most of us look older than our age is not health-related, but environment-based. Many of us are engaged in situations that constantly force us to act more matured than our age and take on more responsibilities and stress than we should. This in turn results in a wrinkled face, a heavier demeanor and an overall aged body.
However, age is also malleable. While some grow old faster, others are able to fight the age demon and keep their bodies ravishing and youthful.
People who are happier usually look younger, because one’s mind plays a vital role in aging faster or slower; this means that with the help of our mind, we can accelerate and decelerate the process of aging. Your face will look younger as you hold on to optimism, hope and joy. Also, happy people live a long life and they deal with less health problems. But if you hold onto anger and distress, your face will form wrinkles and lines.
Another reason why one might look older than one’s age is because of excessive smoking and drinking. When a person smokes or drinks, necessary nutrients are depleted out of their bodies. This, in turn, makes our skin dehydrated which often leads to discoloration all over our face. Smokers develop forehead wrinkles, fine lines around their mouth and their teeth go yellow. Furthermore, their facial skin is deprived of oxygen, which makes them look older.
The aging factor is also affected by the things you eat.
While nutrients help in retaining a young body, there are some foods that end up making your body weaker. In order to avoid this, you need to make sure that your diet is balanced. Do not choose a diet that is high in sugar or fat as it makes your body bloated and you look older. Also, do not consume processed foods as they do no good to your skin; in fact, they end up compromising the freshness of your face and you look less radiant. Foods such as white flour, refined sugar and even dairy products can lead to inflammation in the body, which contributes much to our aging process.
Aging and weight has a deep connection as well; being too heavy or too thin can affect the aging process. Being underweight reduces the natural fats in your facial structure and allows your skin to sag – this is when wrinkles appear. This problem can be combated through the intake of a diet that is rich in antioxidants and natural foods, with ample exercise.
Lastly, life is too short to hold onto grudges; forgive people and learn how to let go of negative thoughts as it makes the rest of your life more productive. Studies show that when you are stress-free, you are less likely to be the target of health issues and you look younger and vibrant.