Five Things to look younger
Sunday, February 17th, 2008Try Thermage
If you want cosmetic surgery without the surgery, consider Thermage. In younger women, it can be comparable to a mini-face lift. For older women, it’s an alternative to face-lift, but not quite an equivalent substitution.Thermage is actually a type of radiofrequency treatment that uses heat to tighten the skin and stimulate collagen production. The Food and Drug Administration first approved of the technology in 2001, but only recently and after a series of equipment upgrades has Thermage begun yielding marked skin-tightening results.
The procedure is particularly attractive to people who do not want plastic surgery because it’s noninvasive and requires no recovery time. The drawbacks of Thermage, however, are that it’s still a rather pricey solution (depending on how many treatments you get, the entire process could costs you several thousand dollars), and clients usually have to wait three to six months for the skin’s collagen to grow before seeing results.
Get a Massage
Massage is not just for sore bodies-it’s also an important anti-aging tool.
Massage can help keep your skin nice and firm; it is like a workout for your face muscles. The idea here is that kneading muscle tissue improves blood circulation, which in turn delivers nutrients and oxygen to the treated area.Regular facials, which involve massage, are the ticket to keeping your face looking young. The even better news is that massage works for the body, too. It is simply the best way to prevent and minimize the appearance of cellulite. It makes the entire thigh and butt area look smoother.
Even the conditions of this solution don’t seem so bad. Massage therapist can reshape and improve women’s bodies until about the age of 60, so you can start this at any age. (After 60, collagen fibers have difficulty retaining their full elasticity-at this point, they’re like worn out rubber bands.)
Eat Away the Years
What you eat can affect how old you look.
Foods that increase inflammation and free radical production stimulate the aging process. The good news is that this relationship also works in reverse: Eating foods that reduce inflammation and free radical production actually helps your body combat the march of time.What, then, should an aging omnivore eat?
Dine on low-mercury-”white-colored”-seafood and lots of green and white non-starchy vegetables, Eat these foods and avoid anything high in simple carbohydrates or fat-these are foods that can help accelerate the aging process.
Gobbling down white bread and sugar can also leave you (and your face) looking quite bloated. This is because, for every gram of simple carbohydrate a person consumes, their body retains three grams of water. Eliminate these foods from your diet, however, and in a few weeks, you’ll notice a big difference when you look in the mirror.
Stay Young With Juvenon
Another key to looking young is feeling young.
The pill, called Juvenon, contains a cocktail of natural micronutrients that aid a cellular organelle called the mitochondria. Scientists often describe mitochondria as the “powerhouse” of cells because they are the source of energy for all cellular functions.Research has shown that as we age, our mitochondria’s ability to produce energy diminishes. Consequently, this energy deficit eventually and adversely affects our mood, our central nervous system and every organ in our body-particularly our brains.
Like grease added to a squeaky wheel, Juvenon works by supplying our aged mitochondria with its missing micronutrients. As a result, the mitochondria are able to pump out as much energy as they did during their youth.
So far, in preliminary experiments involving rats, the supplement has excelled. “All that I can say is that, if you are a rat, you have reason to be ecstatic,” says Ames. In these trials, Juvenon-fueled rats had higher IQ tests, less oxidative brain damage and a better immune system relative to the study’s controls. In addition, the rodents’ energy deficit almost entirely disappeared.
But what about humans in need of a pick-me-up pill?
Nearly 100,000 people have already purchased the supplement online, though Ames says that he and his colleagues are still investigating Juvenon’s impact on human aging. The biochemist also warns that the supplement’s purported effect on humans (that it improves cognition, boosts energy and lowers blood pressure, among other things) is still, by and large, rooted in anecdotal evidence. Yet, the scientist concedes: “So far, everything looks pretty good.”
Saving the Simplest Solution for Last
As you age, the color and texture of your hair changes and so does the color and texture of your skin. A lot of times, our old high-school makeup palettes and 20-year-old hairstyles just won’t do.Older women can start to update their look by ditching their powders and foundation (which tend to accentuate facial wrinkles and fine lines) and invest in a light, tinted moisturizer, instead. If you’re in a cosmetics store, it’s important to shop the faces behind the counter, the stylist urges. If you don’t like the way someone looks-if their own makeup seems too wild-keep walking.
This approach also works when selecting a hair stylist. How you style your hair needs to change as you age. Just make sure you’re consulting with the right people, and don’t be afraid to ask for their input.
But what if your body-not just your face and hair-needs “updating”? Try body slimming undergarments. Creating a good foundation under your clothes will thin your silhouette and add polish to any outfit, the stylist says. Plus, these undergarments hide everything-stomach bulges, sagging skin.
The simplest answer to anti-aging is, of course, to learn to accept yourself-lumpy thighs, age spots, wrinkles and all. There is no scarring or anesthesia involved, and you’re guaranteed to love the results