Maintain Good Posture
Good posture makes you look taller, thinner, and younger"Unless a conscious effort is made to maintain good posture, we spend so much time hunched in front of our phones and desks, and thus we are training our bodies to slouch," he tells Eat This, Not That! "Improving your posture as you age not only makes you look younger, but has multiple health benefits." Good posture is also linked to increased self-confidence, and confidence projects a positive, youthful appearance.
Don't Forget to Wear Sunscreen on Your Hands
Unprotected UV exposure accelerates age related changes such as wrinkles, skin coarseness, and age spots, reveals Annie Gonzalez, MD, Miami Board Certified Dermatologist of River chase Dermatology. "Wearing sunscreen protects against skin aging, and decreases age spots, wrinkles, and other premature skin aging," she explains. While most of us don't forget to wear it on our face, we often neglect our hands. "Even if our face looks young, aged hands will reveal our chronological age," she points out.
Eat Anti-Aging Foods
Professor of Dermatology Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and author of the book, "Skin Rules: Trade Secrets from a Top New York Dermatologist," (St. Martin's Press), explains that eating specific types of food can have anti-aging powers. "Eating foods with antioxidants will make your skin glow," she says, suggesting pomegranates, blueberries, goji berries, black berries, and cranberries. Also, avoid packaged foods also known as processed foods and sugar. "It is important to have a healthy diet and to limit the amount of sugar that you eat. Processed sugar glycates the collagen, which stiffens and ages it, she says.
Smile More
According to Sanam Hafeez, MD, NYC Neuropsychologist and Faculty Member, Columbia University, smiling can instantly make you appear a decade younger. "People who smile more are often perceived as younger than their actual age, and a genuine smile gives you a youthful appearance," she says. "When you are happy, your face glows, as opposed to an angry face, which can make you look grumpy and older. Smiling also boosts overall health and makes you feel happier."
Get A Good Night's Sleep
Sleep is one of the best anti-aging treatments, explains Niket Sonpal, MD, NYC Internist and Gastroenterologist. "Skin ages faster and doesn't recover as well from environmental stressors like sun exposure when you have poor sleep. Poor sleep also can cause wrinkles and fine lines, swollen eyes, and paler skin, all characteristics that make you look older," he notes. "Beauty sleep is not a myth, your body repairs itself while you sleep, and good sleep leads to a long list of benefits that will make you look younger."
Eat Lots of Veggies
Dr. Chimento also suggests improving skin health via diet. "Increasing one's consumption of healthy fruits and vegetables along with a balanced diet will provide nutrition for skin health," she says. "Having a diet rich in antioxidants helps to promote healthy collagen, fight free radicals, sun damage and improves inflammatory conditions such as psoriasis, acne, and rosacea."
Keep Yourself—and Your Skin—Hydrated
One way to immediately freshen up your face is to hydrate, according to Dr. Chimento. "The skin should always be in a good PH balance. Dehydrated skin is more prone to inflammatory conditions such as acne, rosacea, rashes, etc.," she explains. In addition to drinking enough water, seek out hydrating skincare. "Many of my acne patients are scared to use moisturizers as they are afraid they will 'break out' or make them oilier. If the skin is too dry, then it will make more oil as a response," she says. "I love products that contain hyaluronic acid and ceramides as they improve texture and restore the lipid barrier of the skin. One great way to hydrate your skin is by getting a Hydra Facial treatment. Although the face is the most common area for a Hydra Facial, this can also be used on the neck and décolletage areas."
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