On one hand, we have cosmetic companies and plastic surgeons telling us that we need to buy creams, have ourselves injected with botox or collagen; get nips, tucks, and lifts; brave the possible dangers of hormone replacement therapy and pray for a miracle.

On the other hand, the natural health approach advocates awareness of diet and exercise, the value of antioxidants, a change in pace, and a healthy-mind-equals-healthy-body attitude.

If we followed every skin, exercise, and diet regime that’s been recommended by countless ‘experts’ we’d never leave the house. That having been said, none of us want to die even a millisecond earlier than absolutely necessary and the benefits of longevity don’t need to be spelled out.

So what do we do?

Anti-Aging — the Scientific Approach

Mankind has made an incredible medical discovery

We can make rats live longer!

Are you stunned? If you’re a pest exterminator, you’re probably overjoyed.

Seriously, though, a study on the longevity of rats — and how to increase it — has yielded interesting results.

Scientists from the University of Florida’s Institute on Aging have discovered that a simple 8% reduction in calories and a moderate amount of exercise can slow down — and even reverse — the effects of aging in rats.

It’s believed (and is well on the way to being proven) that cell death and aging-related damage to organs are caused by certain unstable molecules, cellular oxidation and inflammation.

A calorie controlled diet reduces the inflammation and therefore inhibits the death of cells.

For science, the biggest challenge is finding out why we age in the first place. It’s now thought that aging may to some extent be caused by an aging cell’s inability to replicate, which is a phenomenon known as ‘replicative senescence’. As cells lose their ability to replicate (generally after between 60 and 90 replications), the body’s immune system is weakened, wounds are slower to heal, and wrinkles start to form.

Anti-aging medication — the sort that your doctor will prescribe — is very limited. The most well-known medical anti-aging remedy is hormone replacement therapy (HRT). While there are good arguments for and against HRT, the simple fact is that we don’t really know enough about this treatment to categorically say that’s effective, let alone safe.

Anti-Aging Cosmetics

While scientists are struggling to explain the aging process, cosmetic companies are going to all sorts of lengths to fight it. There are countless creams and serums, beauty regimes and wrinkle remedies on the market today.

Cosmetic remedies such as skin creams should probably not be labelled as anti-aging. While they may slow — and even sometimes reverse — the visible signs of aging, they don’t contribute in any way to a person’s longevity.

You may look better in your coffin, but, under the skin, your body will have deteriorated much the same way as that of someone who has never seen the inside of a beauty salon.

This is not to say that cosmetics have no place in the fight against aging. There’s nothing wrong with having beautiful skin well into your twilight years; it just needs to be recognised that any cosmetic regime must be combined with other anti-aging practices to be truly beneficial.

Living Longer Naturally — the Healthy Lifestyle Approach

You may have heard the expression that ‘age is a state of mind’. In many ways we can see this to be true. We all know people who should be in the peak of life but, due to circumstance or attitude, lead the life of someone much older.

Conversely, we also know ‘elderly’ people that could give the average 40-year-old a run for their money. Why is this?

If you watch people that still seem to have boundless energy as they age, you will probably notice that those people are very active, and approach everything — even simple day to day things — with a positive attitude.

The more that you remind yourself of your age, the older you will feel. If you constantly focus on negatives then your health will be negatively impacted. It’s simple common sense: we all know that laughing makes us feel better. Therefore it’s logical that spending much of our time in a dissatisfied or depressive state would have a negative impact on our health and wellbeing.

Really, it all comes back to healthy mind, healthy body. And it works both ways.

For example, it’s a scientific fact that plenty of daylight and sunshine helps to ward of depression. Exercise releases endorphins that make us feel good. Eating well gives us energy and bolsters our immune system.

One important factor of a healthy lifestyle, especially with regard to anti-aging, is the minimisation of stress. There are countless negative side effects of too much stress in our lives, so anything that you can do to alleviate stress is beneficial. Go for quiet walks, surround yourself with positive people, meditate, and make sure that you have some time to yourself occasionally.

Learn to say ‘no’ - you can’t be all things to all people.

Lastly, a diet consisting of lots of fresh fruits and veggies is invaluable. The body thrives on all things raw and vital. Grains and nuts are also full of necessary protein, and sprouts such as wheatgrass are the ultimate mineral supplement when juiced. Buy yourself a good cold press juicer, such as the Greenpower Kempo, and make your own fresh fruit juices.

Pure water is also important. Our bodies are 70% water so it makes sense to drink the purest water possible. Dehydration also has a negative impact on energy, so if you’re tired you may want to try drinking lots of water.

The fact is that, at this stage, we aren’t really sure why the human body ages. Until we have a better grip on the process of aging we won’t be able to combat it effectively.

Despite this, chances are that, if we lead a healthy lifestyle and occasionally indulge in anti-aging products such as cosmetics, we have a reasonable chance of aging gracefully.

Budda had the right idea when he said: “Your body is precious. It is our vehicle for awakening. Treat it with care.” So far, even science can’t beat that advice.

Resources

Written by Sara Schell.
spellcast_advertising@yahoo.com.au

For more information on natural anti-aging products or to view Vitality4Life’s excellent range of healthy lifestyle accessories visit http://www.vitality4lifeshop.com.au/index.php

Tags: Anti-aging product, healthy lifestyle.

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Why is it that the skin of a newborn baby can conjure up feelings of envy in many of us? Simply because, as we age, our skin loses that satiny-smooth feeling it once had. Our environment, our age, what we eat, and the amount of sleep we get all play a part in the look and feel of our skin.

Because most of us have, at some point in our lives, not followed all the rules when it comes to proper skin care, we may feel that it is too late to do anything about it now. Thankfully, there is hope! Let’s look at a few tools that can help slow the aging process and give our skin a youthful glow:

1. What you are is what you eat
Remember that old saying? It is true that by consuming fruits and vegetables, especially brightly coloured fruit and leafy greens, we are giving our bodies vitamins and antioxidants that combat the breakdown of collagen and elastin in our skin. Also important is to make sure to drink water every day. Studies tell us different amounts to drink, from 2 glasses to 8, but they all agree on one thing: drinking water is good for you!

2. Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize
Think of all the hot showers and baths you have taken; sure, they clean your skin, but they also dry it out. Our skin gets drier as part of the aging process, too. So, the best thing to combat dryness, of course, is to get some moisturizer and apply it! Your local drug store or beauty spa sells a great variety of moisturizers, and one of them will be just the right one for your skin. Ask the beauty advisor or pharmacist for assistance if you’re not sure which one to buy.

3. Sun exposure = sun damage
You can enjoy the warmth of the sun without damaging your skin simply by wearing sunscreen. An SPF rating of 15 or higher is recommended, and it’s important to reapply if you are outside for long periods of time, or have been swimming or exercising. The UVA and UVB rays that come from the sun contribute to wrinkles, dryness, and of course sunburn. There is also the risk of skin cancer. So, take a couple of minutes to slather on some sunscreen, and have fun in the outdoors while taking care of your skin!

4. The AHA Factor
AHA, or Alpha Hydroxy Acid, is a chemical commonly found in moisturizers and other skin care products. If your skin is looking dull, AHA works to get rid of old skin cells and get your skin looking soft and healthy.

5. Get your beauty sleep
Take time to get some sleep - at least 7 to 8 hours per night. While we sleep, our bodies recharge and prepare for a new day. Our skin recharges too. So, no matter how busy your day is, keep an eye on that clock, and before it gets late, take a few moments to relax and unwind. This will help you get the restful sleep you, and your skin, need.

Find skin care anti-aging information at http://antiaging.factsandnews.com/

Tags: skin, care, anti-aging, guide, anti, aging, skin care

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Isaiah 43:18 “Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old”. The most powerful Anti-aging instruction from Isaiah is very plain because of it’s importance. Life changing and therefore face changing experiences can happen over 5 minutes or 5 years.

The ‘former’ or 5 minute one is the easiest to deal with but even this will require basic awareness and a level of discipline. Evidence of its power will be in place the following morning if the mind is filled with regurgitation of the event.

Awareness of the potential manifesting danger must be known. A thought can build in strength and move through your mind numerous times during the course of the day. A simple negative thought must never be allowed to organize a life.

Once this occurs other more important, enjoyable, productive activities receive second place. Over time even this position is eliminated and the intended life style becomes a distant and foggy memory.

The ‘things of old’ or 5 year memory is the result of an issue that began as a small mistake, was never rectified but grew out of all proportions bringing sad and long term major challenges.

This is the hardest to forgive and forget but His strength, love and power will come in a very special way once the decision has been made to do both.

Copyright 2006 Patricia Little

Patricia Little is a writer and the editor of a re-released classic ebook- it will show you how to get the best of health and wealth out of all your future years. For more go to ==> http://www.Young-at-Sixty.com

Remarkable “How I Became Young at Sixty” brings renewed vigor to your body, and hope to your mind. You Can Get your Free ebook “How I Became Young at Sixty” by going to http://www.Young-at-Sixty.com/get-your-f-r-e-e-ebook.htm

Tags: anti-aging

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