Aging is a very normal thing. It’s biology. As you grow older, your cells deteriorate over time, leading to a gradual reduction of physical and mental capacities of an individual.

Anti-aging is a buzzword that gets thrown around a lot in relation to aging, but quite often it is mostly as a marketing ploy to sell more drugs and cosmetics. And even though we don’t have the means to literally turn back the clock on the human body (yet!), the desire to appear and feel young is not an idea that you could just shun away.

As you grow older, the visible effects of aging become clearer, and the dread of losing your youth might drive you towards looking for means to prevent it from happening. It’s not a new concept either. Kings and adventurers have sacrificed unnatural amounts of resources, whether wealth or people, to find the hypothetical fountain of youth that is mentioned in many mythologies all over the world.

The anti-aging movement still rages on in the current day and age. The downside of such a movement is people caring too much about their outward appearances, to the point where they damage their bodies further with the use of harsh drugs and cosmetics, some going as far as to undertake cosmetic surgeries to appear young which often times cause extreme body and mental harm.

That said, the world is also evolving and moving past appearances towards healthier lifestyles, with people wanting to not only look young, but feel young as well and slow down the deterioration process. In the long run, aging is something that is impossible to avoid. But, as we start understanding the processes better, with good enough care, it can certainly be slowed down. With all kinds of pharmaceutical and cosmetic products gaining attention, we though it would be a great idea to share some effective home remedies and tips for anti-aging.

Ø  Get Sufficient Sleep

Sleep is by far one of the most important physiological processes. It is the natural process that the body needs to repair damaged cells, rejuvenate the organs, and keep all your bodily systems in check. As people continue to push for hectic life schedules, sleep often times becomes an afterthought and more and more sleep time is sacrificed in favour of other activities. This is often detrimental to your body because it doesn’t get the required sleep it needs to recover, leading to, not only poor mental health, but also shows itself physically in the form of lethargy, body pain, and more visibly in the form of skin defects, including early wrinkles and dry skin.

Medically, it is advised than an average adult should sleep for at least 7-8 hours a day to feel fully replenished. While we’re talking about sleep, it is also good practise to avoid using electronics right before you go to bed and also use the night-light filter on your phones and computers, which reduces blue-light stimulation, thus allowing for less sleeplessness.

Ø  Stay Hydrated

Just as sleep is crucial for the body, so is water. Water is literally what keeps us alive and is necessary in almost every physiological process in the body. Dehydration or even the lack of sufficient hydration can lead to irritation, unhealthy organ development, including skin, and a lot of health issues that can easily be avoided. Drinking adequate amount of water ensures that the body’s metabolism is unhindered, preventing faster degradation of the cells. Not drinking enough water can lead to dry skin, wrinkles, dry hair, and even hair loss.

Ø  Healthy Diet And Lifestyle

Going on with the theme of things that are absolutely essential for the body, maintaining a proper diet is something that can help you in the long run. It’s not something we pay a lot of attention in our day-to-day lives, but it is one of the perfect solutions to a healthy, long life, and a rich and glowing skin.

A good balance or micro and macro nutrients also doesn’t mean that you sacrifice on taste. With people moving towards a more health-conscious lifestyle, there’s plenty of sources available that can guide you towards food choices and recipes that are both easy to make and extremely healthy. Even if you don’t want to go down the route of revamping your entire diet, simple steps like cutting down on sugar and deep-fried foods, which often results in skin problems like acne and blemishes, is a good start. Adding more fruits and nuts to your diet helps give your body the necessary dietary fibre and nutrients that you might miss from a starchy meal.

Getting in a weekly dose of workout also helps develop a healthy body and mind, and reduces the overall wear and tear of your cells. It is also important to make sure that you wash up well after a workout. Regular washing can help maintain pore health, which in turn keeps the skin and body healthy by flushing out toxins.

Ø  Protect Yourself From The Sun

Sunlight is a great source of vitamin D for your body. But excessive sunlight also damages skin cells, leading to sunburn and a dried out, leathery skin, and in the worst cases, skin cancer. Now, you can’t just decide to never go out in the sun. It is important to protect yourself from direct sunlight as much as possible. The regular use of sunscreen and protective clothing can help with that.

Ø  Maintain A Proper Skin-Care Routine

Often times, we neglect to take good care of our skin directly. It is quite often exposed to the elements and pollutants, which wears and tears it down over the years, and without care, will just deteriorate faster. Just remembering to wash your face every now and then, using lotion, using facemask, and proper removal of makeup will make your skin feel younger and fresher.

Ø  Don’t Let The Advertisements Fool You

We mentioned how anti-aging is often used as a marketing buzzword to sell products. Finding the right product that works for you will require more than a mere advertisement for a brand-new cream that offers miracle anti-aging properties. Many of these products also often don’t have the necessary active ingredients that can effectively help you. Proper research and medical advice could help you find exactly what you might need for a good and healthy skin.

Ø  De-Stress

Chronic stress is known to accelerate the aging process. It is important to de-stress sometimes to prevent it from happening. Look for ways to balance work and life so as to reduce this stress and anxiety. Natural remedies like aromatherapy and essential oils can help with de-stressing without a huge up-front investment.