Tips for Looking and Feeling Younger!

First, let me start with I’m no spring chicken! 😅

I honestly feel younger and happier than I have in many years and this hasn’t been an easy road to get to… but one thing I had to do was to make my happiness a PRIORITY!

Actually, I do “adulting” well and over the last few years which have been some of the hardest years of my life, I had to get back to making myself happy one way or another, so I got back to what makes Ali happy!

Being happy is learning how to SELF-LOVE!

SELF-LOVE is super important and absolutely necessary if you’re interested looking younger because with self-love you will make your well being a priority. And trust, I’m always working on how to improve myself heart, body and soul.

Here are some important beauty tips steps to looking younger:

1: Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of fresh, pure water! That does not mean soda, caffeine or any other type of liquid, even if it is low cal. Soda (even diet soda) has a high concentration of sodium. Sodium retains fluids. You need the fluid that will hydrate and flush your body free of toxins and drink plenty of pure water will do that.  Make sure you are drinking at least 8 glasses a day!

Note to self: eliminate my one cup of morning coffee. 😓

2: Protect your skin from the harmful effects of ultraviolet (UV) rays. We enjoy the sun, getting a tan, and spending time outdoors on sunny days. But, over exposure is like poison to your skin! Too much sun has been linked to skin cancer. In addition, too much of the sunny good stuff can cause the skin to age faster contributing to unsightly lines and wrinkles. Getting plenty of sun is good for us! We need the vitamin D. How can we enjoy the best of both worlds? Make sure you use adequate sunscreen. Make it a point never to leave home without it!

Note to self: I need to be more diligent with sunscreen because I hike almost daily and I have darker skin so sometimes I go without it lathered on but I never hike without a hat!

3: Keep your skin super clean. Cleanse your skin with a warm soft cloth and gently rub the skin clean. The skin is delicate so, there is no need to scrub your skin harshly. You will do more harm and can damage the skin.

Note to self: Never skip washing at night no matter what.

4: Sometimes, the best cure for wrinkles is to never get them in the first place! If you are like most of us, you didn’t listen to your Mom when she tried to tell you to stay in the shade, stand up straight and stop squinting! Go back to following those simple rules.

5: Eat healthy. Knowing how and what to eat, can make a huge difference in how your skin looks and how you feel. Not only will you improve the health of your skin, but your overall health will improve as well. Eating plenty of green vegetables and fruits that have antioxidants will help your skin reverse aging.  Improper eating habits can cause depression, weight gain, illness and an overall lethargy and add to increased stress.

Note to self: My fresh juicing needs to increase!

Another reason why eating healthy is important to your skin is because weight gain causes your skin to stretch. When getting older, it loses its elasticity and you’re left with drooping, sagging skin. The best solution is to maintain a healthy weight.

A rule of thumb for staying at a healthy weight is to eat within your calorie range and make sure you exercise daily. Doing something physical for at least 30 minutes a day, 3-4 times per week will help you stay within your healthy weight. Examples of physical activity can be doing 30 minutes of aerobic movement, or weight lifting or simply walking. The most important thing is to do what you love!

6: Don’t be a worry wort! Be happy!  A happy outlook triggers the release of age-fighting endorphins that keep the cardiovascular system less stressed and relaxed. It also helps to create cytokines help the immune system to detect abnormalities like cancer cells. Be careful not to listen to negative thoughts about yourself. We all have them from time to time but do not make it a habit of putting yourself down. This causes a negative self-image and will show on your face! It will help increase the feelings of worry and stress which weaken the immune system also. It’s hard work being a pessimist. Chances are you may have formed that habit in childhood. Instead, focus on your inner and outer beauty. Change what you can and appreciate yourself. The more you appreciate yourself, the more joy you will experience in your life and this will show on your face as a healthy glow.

Here are a few quick tips for increasing joy, hope, and optimism that will work no matter what your age:

Create a gratitude list at least 10 things that happen to you each and every day. I also write in my “Be Happy” journal everyday to thank the universe for all my blessings.

Laugh a lot. Find something funny to smile about. It is true that laughter is the best medicine. You’ll heal your body and your mind.

Each month discover a new challenge.

Note to self: make a new challenge list!

Studies have shown that meditation helps greatly. Try it for just five minutes each day.

7: Have Sex! Ha! How many of you jumped ahead to this section? Are you over 50? Do not let age prevent you from enjoying intimacy. When it comes to lovemaking, age is just a number. If you haven’t done it in a while, try it and make it a habit. You will notice not only your energy levels increase, but your joyfulness will help reduce lines and wrinkles.

Each couple is different and the importance of physical intimacy is very individual. Some men give up on sex as they age. This is true also for women who feel that after menopause, sex is not needed for perhaps they lose interest.

Studies have shown that sex at middle age can actually become better and more satisfying than ever before. Love making improves with maturity and experience since the stress of having children in the home is non-existent and the pressure of career building is over.

Those are just a few of our favorite beauty insider secrets to healthy, lovely skin. But, Is beauty really skin deep?

The answer is yes and no! It seems it’s a paradox, isn’t it? Simply remember that beauty, true beauty, begins on the inside. Now that we have the solutions for beautiful skin, you don’t have to rely on wishful thinking. There really is a “Fountain of Youth” if you look beyond. We think we have the answers and when you move and groove with confidence, you are beautiful at every age and stage of life.

Let’s go…we ain’t getting any younger! Let’s start enjoying our LIFE!