Stay active & try new things
Okay, the first thing on my list is to stay active and try new things. I talk about trying new things all the time, and a great example is in the video that I made recently about how to be more spontaneous. There’s some solid info in that video, so I encourage you to go watch that one.
It’s incredibly critical, in my opinion, to try new things and stay active because let’s face it…. It’s easier to rot in a chair and watch TV all day. Getting out there and trying new things takes a little more effort than that, but the payoff is worth it. Here’s an idea… be a tourist in your own town. Google “Things to do in your city” or a city close by. Find 5 or 6 things and put a number on ‘em, then roll a dice and go do it. The point is to see things and do things that you haven’t done before. This keeps you fresh and motivated to do more.
Take care of your skin – get a facial
Next is to take care of your skin because it’s an important part of ageing gracefully and it’s never too late to start. Go to a spa and get a facial. If you’ve never done it before, you’ll love it I promise. Go by yourself or go with your partner and consider making it a monthly routine. It’s super relaxing and the work they do helps remove dead skin cells which improves circulation and collagen production.
Besides firming and plumping your skin, collagen production also helps to strengthen your skin and reduce complexion imperfections like sunspots and fine lines. For extra protection, use a moisturizer with sunscreen that contains antioxidants. There’s a ton of research on Vitamin C proving that it helps shield skin from sun damage. But green tea, vitamin E, and ferulic acid are also good antioxidants. Also, a good under-eye cream counteracts crows-feet, and improves skin elasticity.
Tiege Hanley skin care
And since we’re on the topic of skin care, if you want the same products that I’ve been using for about 4 years, hit the link down in the description to today’s video sponsor, Tiege Hanley. Listen, if you want to age gracefully and look your best for as long as possible, you already know that taking care of your skin is important. Even if Tiege Hanley wasn’t sponsoring this video, I would still make a category about taking care of your skin because you’re smart enough to know it’s a big deal.
Men’s skin has more oil naturally, which helps counteract dryness and wrinkles, to a small degree, thanks to testosterone. However, it’s still important to avoid hot showers and harsh, nasty face wash that destroys the humectant layer of skin which is there to protect you. You can also “moisturize from the inside out” with omega-3’s (found in fish and nuts) and antioxidants which you can find in drinks like green tea or red wine.
Tiege Hanley has everything you need to take care of your skin. Their daily face moisturizer has SPF 20. So if you’re currently not using any sun protection on your face, this is a great way to start. With all their products, you’re getting high quality, natural ingredients with antioxidants to counter act wrinkles and also enhance collagen replacement to help firm up your skin. They have a few different levels you can choose from. I use the level three. But if you start with level 1, it gives you all the basics, a face wash, an exfoliating scrub, and also morning and nighttime moisturizers. All of this for only $25.
If you’re currently not doing anything right now to help protect the skin on your face… do something about it. Tiege Hanley is giving this audience a great offer. You just gotta click the special link down below in the description and go take a look. You’ve gotta give it a try.
Take your vitamins
Since I mentioned vitamins, that’s another way to help yourself age with grace. It’s nearly impossible to get all the nutrition your body needs with diet alone. So taking a good, whole-food vitamin supplement every day is a great way to do something good for your body. I’ve talked about vitamins before and vitamin C, D, E, B12 and Magnesium are some of the most important vitamins your body needs as it gets older. There’s a few others like Saw Palmetto and Omega 3’s, but finding a good whole-food multi-vitamin supplement is not only important, but it can make you look and feel a lot better.
Manage your diet – Sugar & Protein
Now, I’m not a nutritionist, but because we’re on the nutrition train for a second, I have to mention your diet. Instead of me just saying not to eat pizza every day, I wanna talk about two things specifically… sugar and protein………. Sugar ages you on a cellular level because it triggers free radicals, which accelerates aging by increasing inflammation and damaging your cells. One of the leading causes of inflammation is sugar and foods that our body quickly converts to sugar, like high glycemic carbohydrates like potatoes and white bread.
Next is Protein. Men tend to eat a lot more protein than women, and some studies show this as one reason why men often look younger than women at the same age. Since protein cannot be stored in the body, and because it is essential for cellular repair, I read something recently that said, the days that we don’t eat enough protein are the days that we’re accelerating our aging. Now yes, it does a lot of good things for our bodies, but you don’t want to over-do it. Because studies show that more than about 30 percent in your diet is too much of a good thing.
Reduce stress
Next is to reduce stress….. Chill out……Slow down….. and relax. Go get a massage and take some time for yourself. This doesn’t mean sitting in a chair in front of the TV all day, but when it comes to aging gracefully, simplicity is key. When your home is full of clutter and your life is full of stress, it weighs you down. Simplifying and discovering what really makes you happiest is important.
Because, as we get older, we find that a lot of obligations we’re stressing out about aren’t really making us happy. Your calendar might be full, but is it full of the activities that truly bring you joy? Organize your home, simplify and cut back on obligations that don’t leave you fulfilled. Life is too short to fill it with stress and clutter.
Quit smoking & reduce alcohol consumption
Next, if you’re still smoking or drinking excessively, you gotta stop smoking right now and chill out on the alcohol. I quit smoking in my 20’s and I’m glad I did. There’s zero gain with smoking and you’re smart enough to know you’re just harming yourself by continuing to smoke. Now, I enjoy a few drinks on occasion, but because men are more likely than women to gain belly fat as they age, aside from the aesthetic reasons, the extra weight around your middle increases your risk factor for disease and illness. And drinking beer all the time only increases you “beer belly”. So, start limiting your alcohol intake to cut calories, and to help your overall health and well-being, so that you’re around long enough to age gracefully.
Get plenty of sleep
Are you getting enough sleep? Because next on my list is to get plenty of sleep. I’ve said it before, but if you wake up to neck and back pain that you didn’t have when you went to bed, it might be time to invest in a new mattress. When you sleep, your body is working to heal and repair your heart and blood vessels. Sleep deficiency is linked to an increased risk of heart disease, kidney disease, high blood pressure and stroke.
When you get enough sleep, you feel better and you have more energy to go out and try new things like we talked about earlier. A lack of sleep has been linked to depression because 90% of people with depression complain about the quality of their sleep. Sleep also improves your immune function. I read about a large study that found the people who slept less than 7 hours were 3-times more likely to develop a cold that the people who slept 8 hours or more.
