As we age, our bodies slowly begin to deteriorate. Our skin wrinkles, our hair turns gray, and body parts start to sag. While some embrace these changes as part of life, most of us aren’t interested in doing so. We want to fight aging with everything we can!

Many people think aging is something that happens naturally, and there is nothing you can do about it. If you’re one of those people – think again! There are plenty of things you can do to delay the effects of aging.

In this article series, you’re going to learn some of the most important ways to protect yourself from the effects of aging. You’ll learn how to take care of your skin, your hair, and the rest of your body in order to keep yourself looking and feeling your best as you age.

Forget “growing old gracefully”!

You should fight aging with everything you’ve got!

So let’s get started.

Skin Care

Changes in the skin are among the most noticeable effects of aging. As we get older, the collagen that keeps the skin stretchy and elastic begins to deteriorate. This causes the skin to lose its elasticity, which leads to wrinkles.

Collagen supplements can be helpful. Most collagen supplements are available in both liquid and pill form, and often it comes packages with other supplements such as glucosamine and chondroitin.

Vitamin C is important, because it is needed for collagen production within the body. If you aren’t consuming enough vitamin C, your body won’t make as much collagen as it could. Add more vitamin C rich foods such as citrus to your diet, and consider taking a supplement.

Proline is an amino acid that is needed to produce collagen. It is found in soy, milk, cheese, beef, cabbage, and other sources. You can add these foods to your diet to boost collagen production.

Avoid products that can dry your skin. Harsh cleansers and medicated pads for acne are two examples of products you should avoid. Dry skin is more prone to wrinkles.

Use a moisturizer every day to keep skin soft and supple.

Apply moisturizer after washing your face, but pat skin dry instead of rubbing it. You want your face to be very slightly damp when you apply moisturizer, because moisturizer locks in existing moisture.

Don’t use very hot water on your face, as this can also dry your skin.

Instead, use water that is approximately blood temperature – around 98.5 degrees F. If you take hot showers, avoid getting the water on your face as much as you can.

Stay out of wind and very cold weather as much as possible.

Wind and cold air are very drying to the skin. Moisturize your skin very well whenever you have to go outdoors in windy or cold weather.

If your home is very cold or the air is very dry, consider using a humidifier to put moisture into the air. This will help prevent your skin from drying excessively.

Consider using a cream that contains antioxidants, retinoids, alpha hydroxy acids, and peptides. These can help your body produce more collagen and reduce damage.