Easy Anti-Ageing Tips

I don't know about you, but I have never heard anyone say "I cannot wait to get old and wrinkly and have no energy!"

After all the anti-ageing industry is a huge multi billion Dollar industry built on the fact that no ones wants to age!

I love the surprised look when anyone finds out my real age! I believe we can all age gracefully and still have the energy needed to do what we want to do! But it does take some conscious effort.

The most fundamental in life is having FUN, good quality sleep, meditation / quiet time, proper nutrition, regular exercise (walking, dancing & swimming also qualify) and a life purpose / passions to create a more happy, healthy and meaningful life. Obviously great lotions and potions make a huge difference too but one must be very careful with the ingredients in these.

Here are My Top Tips for a younger, healthier and more vibrant life that will help you.

1 - Play Games That Exercise Your Brain

A study involving more than 2,800 over 65 year olds showed that playing games which keep your brain active and challenged helps to keep the brain healthy and less likely to develop brain degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's.

A personal example is my husband's granny who lived to 99 years old. She would do every puzzle in her newspaper every single day! Her brain was sharp and even at 99 she was a pleasure to have a conversation with. In the end her body couldn't keep up, but her mind was perfect!

2 - Drink Enough Water Everyday

Drinking water helps to keep your whole body hydrated, including your skin!

As a general rule of thumb:

(body weight in kilos / 30 = number of litres daily)

When exercising add up to 20% to this depending on exertion and sweat levels.

For every caffeinated drink consumed or cigarette smoked add ha quarter glass extra.

Not everyone knows that once you are feeling thirsty you are already dehydrated, so try to keep drinking small sips regularly throughout the day. If you're feeling like you are just not hydrating enough, add a little pink Himalayan salt or drink unsweetened coconut water, your electrolytes may be depleted.

The water must be clean and pure. If you live in an area that repurposes water please invest in a filter / distiller to make sure that your water is clean.

I am fortunate to have a borehole, so we drink pure water straight from mother earth! I also pass ozone through the water so that it contains extra oxygen molecules!

Any unsweetened, no-milk-added, non-caffeinated herbal tea also qualifies as water intake. I too struggle during the colder months and find that herbal tea is a great substitute and in summer a lovely unsweetened herbal iced tea is so refreshing.

Some great ideas to add to water if you don't like the taste:

• sliced cucumber
• halved strawberries
• mint
• lavender
• crushed fresh berries

Be careful not to drink too much water as this can dilute electrolytes and deplete essential nutrients.

At the end of every day, drink a glass of water with the juice from one small lemon to help alkalinise your body.

3 - Learn how to breathe properly.

Inhale slowly through your nose all the way into your tummy while counting slowly 1,2,3,4…exhale everything slowly through your mouth while counting slowly 1,2,3,4 (repeat).

It may take time and practice before it becomes a habit.

With increased stress levels comes more rapid breathing and with rapid breathing less oxygen is taken in thereby depriving your body, organs and mind of this essential life force.

Keep practicing consciously until it become subconscious.

Inhale slowly through your nose all the way into your tummy while counting slowly 1,2,3,4…exhale everything slowly through your mouth while counting slowly 1,2,3,4 (repeat).

4 - Take the best supplements that you can afford.

If you are not taking any nutritional vitamin, mineral and omega supplements then you are doing your body, organs and mind a huge disservice.

According to several scientific studies the nutritional content of food has diminished significantly over the past 50 years and in order for your body to get everything that it needs you need 2 full trolley loads of fresh fruit vegetables and fish every single day!

I don't know about you but not even my children can eat that much and they eat a lot!!

Added to this the fact that nutritional supplementation is part of another multi billion dollar, largely unregulated industry, bringing about a plethora of products that in fact have very little nutritional benefit with at most 15% being actually utilised by your body. This means that you need to be very selective about what you take, read the scientific evidence behind the product and enquire as to it's measurability.

Your omega's are another concern whereby the seas are overloaded with heavy metals which are stored in fat cells. Yes, the same fat cells that your fish oils come from! Be mindful of the source of your Omegas, that the manufacturer in fact removes the toxins and heavy metals as well as whether there is sufficient quantity of EPA and DHA.

If you are constantly feeling lethargic, you're not sleeping well, often get cramps or mouth sores, your body is trying to tell you that you are very likely deficient in vitamins and minerals.

If you want recommendations on scientifically sound products that give your body what it needs, and carry measurable results, message me and I will show you what I use for my family and myself and explain why this source is so effective.

I have a great free Health Assessment that I can send to you, Comment FREE Health Assessment and I will send it to you!

5 - Eat salad before every meal.

It is a very old tradition in the Mediterranean countries that is believed to stimulate your digestive enzymes to prepare your stomach for the heavier food to follow.

A simple salad of all raw is best the majority being leaf based.

6 - Turmeric

Adding non-irradiated Turmeric to your diet has so many benefits and this can be easily done by incorporating it into your dishes, or making a delicious Turmeric milk - warm a cup of milk with Turmeric & add raw honey to taste. Alternatively you can take a turmeric or curcuma supplement in a pill form.

Turmeric has been shown by several independent studies to have tremendous benefits for your organs, brain and body in general.

Please note that this is not a medical report and as such no conclusive medical claims are made. I encourage you to research the following benefits that I have found in independent medical research findings published in different medical Journals.

• Contains high levels of powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties which help fight free-radicals and slow ageing.
• Helps to boost levels of the brain hormone, Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF), which increases the growth of new neurons and fights various degenerative processes in your brain.
• Lowered risk of heart disease.
• Success in preventing and treating certain cancers as well as Alzheimer's.
• Reducing symptoms for arthritis.
• Depression.

7 - Reduce Sugar intake…

Sugar has a really bad rap sheet and I do believe that the research is conclusive on this. I encourage you to research it for yourself.

There are great alternatives that you can use, such as stevia, raw honey & xylitol (the latter only in small daily quantities). Heating honey converts it into a sugar so just keep it raw!

There are other alternatives to sugar on the market which you can look into but I strongly advise you to stay away from anything artificial as the alleged side effects of artificial sweeteners has been highlighted in several independent studies led by leading medical universities and published in well respected medical journals.

I personally prefer to do without the sweetness entirely and taste the food as it is. I do occasionally eat chocolate, more often raw, high cacao content, I will eat the birthday cake and on occasion have some dessert, so like anything, moderation is key. I am not a fan of sweets and jellies though, I prefer fresh fruit.

Some of the scientifically proven side-effects of sugar from a premature aging perspective are:

• Lines and wrinkles on the upper forehead
• Sagging under the eyes
• Gaunt cheeks
• Acne like symptoms
• Thinning of the skin
• Greying / pasty hue complexion

From a health perspective, several scientific studies have shown that when you consume 100 grams of sugar, which is about as much sugar as you find in a 1 litre bottle of soda, your white blood cells are 40 percent less effective at killing germs. This means that your immune system is at a disadvantage for up to 5 hours after eating sugar so just imagine the health impact of that?

8 - Move your body.

Do some sort of exercise! Move it anyway that you can or enjoy. Walk, dance, swim, it doesn't have to be crazy (unless that's your thing), just MOVE! This helps for oxygenation of your blood, and of course then the rest of your body.

Don't sit for too long, move every 45 minutes for at least 5 minutes, even if it's just a little stretch.

Back to my husband's granny that lived 99 years... She took a walk outside in the gardens and parks every single day until she was 95!

9 - Spend Some Time Outdoors Often

Let the sun touch your skin through leafy shade, breathe in fresh air, listen to the birds - enjoy the moments around you.

Take the 10 minute walk or do your exercises outside, but if you can't, now a days it is easy to work remotely so find a nice spot and take the work with you!

Remember to use a sunblock that is NaPCA based and that doesn't block your pores. Enzyme based is best.

10 - Incorporate some sort of quiet / reflection / meditation time

We all know that stress ages us but we can't run away from it. We can however learn to cope better. That's where the quiet time comes in.

Make it a part of your daily life, even if it is just sitting quietly for 20 minutes, quietening down your mind or listening to some peaceful music.

There is a great free app that I use called "Insight Timer". It is non-denominational and literally has something to suit everyone's taste, even just music if that is all you want.

I find that this helps to set the tone for my day, making me more focused, more able to calmly deal with any situation that may arise, be less stressed and more productive.

11 - Use the best skin care that you can afford

Be discerning with the ingredients and do not compromise on quality.

Generally cheap tends not to work, the main reason for this is the quality of the ingredients that are in the products. However good skin care does not have to be excessively expensive.

There are certain ingredients that your skin produces naturally in order to hydrate itself and these ingredients need to be the base of any of your skin care whether it be for your body or your face. Most of the common ingredients in skin care sit on the surface of your skin but do not penetrate. This means that your pores are being clogged and essentially you are aging faster...

NaPCA - good, hyaluronic acid - good... If you are unsure of the ingredients message me and we can chat. But seriously, spend a little more & get decent skin care...

A basic regimen must include the following:

• Cleanser - soap-free (soap is a surfactant that dehydrates the skin)
• Toner - to restore the PH balance of your skin - alcohol free (alcohol dehydrates your skin)
• Day moisturiser - NaPCA based, oil free with a minimum SPF15 (enzyme based), specific to your current skin condition (your skin condition can change for various reason at any time of the year)
• Night moisturiser - NaPCA based, oil free, should be more hydrating for night time repair.

Anti-ageing skin care can have many facets to it from collagen production and elasticity repair to fine lines and wrinkles and even internal energy requirements. However, after the age of 30 you need a good serum as part of your regimen. A good serum incorporates all the ingredients that your skin needs in a micro size and very concentrated format, in an NaPCA base.

Again the ingredients as well as the concentration are of utmost importance for efficacy. Learn to study the labels.

At least once a week an exfoliation and mask suitable to your skin condition is advised.

Don't forget about the sin on the rest of your body... Soap-free cleansing, exfoliating and NaPCA based hydration too (Shea butter in the dry months).

If you are concerned with what you are currently using please message me and we can chat. I have a fabulous free Skin Assessment that you can complete and submit to me and I can then get back to you with some recommendations. Comment FREE Skin Assessment.

12 - Incorporate some non-animal sources of protein into your diet

eThere is no need for you to become Vegan, and if beans are not your thing, broccoli and spinach have more protein per gram than meat anyway.

From an anti-ageing perspective, the health of your digestive system directly reflects externally on to your skin as well as your energy levels. Plant based foods take a few hours to digest while meat products take over 3 days... Every time you add meat, your digestive system labours harder.

If you are not ready to cut out meat completely, that is fine, please just reduce the frequency and replace some of it with plant based proteins (remember the spinach and broccoli).

Let me know if you need some delicious suggestions. Comment FREE Recipe Suggestions

13 - Detox your body at least once a year

Whether it is a dry fast, a water fast, a raw fast, a fruit fast, a fresh juice fast (no bottled stuff please), a smoothie fast, whatever you find works for you, find a fast that you are able to cope with and give your tummy a new lease on life.

If you're feeling lethargic, constipated, constantly bloated, it's probably time to detox...

I try to detox using just fresh pressed juices every 3 months for 24 hours.

14 - Try alternative sources of carbohydrates

More whole grains, less processed. There is no scientific evidence that you need carbohydrates in every meal and a tremendous amount of scientific evidence demonstrating the detrimental health impact of processed grains.

Please go look into it, give your body a fighting chance and your skin the opportunity to look beautiful again!

If you love your carbs do some research to find the best alternatives for you. I still have some carbs in my diet, but I am very fussy about what I put into my body. I slowly eliminated things until I felt like what I was eating was "feeding" me. Take your time and do the same. Listen to your body.

15 - Eat garlic regularly

"Let food be thy medicine, and medicine be thy food." Hippocrates

Hippocrates in fact successfully treated many ailments with garlic and recently various scientific studies have confirmed the several beneficial health effects of garlic that he knew about back then.

From an anti-ageing perspective, garlic has shown great success in slowing down the hardening of the arteries so it prevents strokes and heart attacks. It is also very high in Vitamin C which aids your body to produce healthy collagen.

A side note if you get ill often: A recent study published in the Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy showed that garlic was 100 times more potent than 2 commonly used antibiotics.

16 - Exfoliation!

The skin all over your body and face regenerates every 25 - 30 days and as new skin cells grow, old skin cells die and cover the surface of the skin.

Dead skin cells deter the absorption of your skin care products, and regular exfoliation removes this "covering" to allow better penetration of skin care.

However, please be careful with very abrasive / intrusive treatments. They are not necessary and do damage your skin making it harder for the products to penetrate.

It is a well known fact in the dermatology / somatology that scar tissue is difficult to penetrate from a skin care perspective.

Anything that damages your skin creates scar tissue. Scar tissue is your body's way of protecting itself by making the skin thicker and stronger thereby making the absorption of anything, including your skin care, more difficult.

There are several treatments that do NOT damage your skin or create scar tissue yet give all the benefits of the best exfoliation including better skin tone, better absorption, smoother skin, radiant skin, firmer skin. You do NOT need to damage the skin, in fact, you shouldn't!!

Remember the skin on the rest of your body needs regular exfoliating too!

Message me if you would like to know what I use that gives amazing anti-ageing benefits with no damage!

17 - Create strong relationships

Family, friends, coworkers and pets.

Several studies have shown that having honest, strong friendships and relationships increase longevity due to the increased production of the happy hormones, Dopamine, Serotonin, Oxytocin, Oestrogen and Progesterone.

We are social creatures by nature yet so many have put up boundaries from past hurts which are in fact detrimental. Find good, honest people and pets who care about you and that you can love back.

18 - Wear sunscreen

I cannot stress enough how important sunscreen is for your skin!

A good sunscreen will screen the UV rays but still allow colouring to your skin without burning.

Minimum of 35 SPF in Summer & 15 SPF during cooler seasons.

Be careful with the ingredients in your sunscreen as many block the pores (to block the rays) however this has a detrimental effect on your skin. Look for enzyme based (protects your skin from rays without blocking the pores), water / NaPCA (skin uses it effectively) based, no oil (sits on the surface and blocks the pores).

With an enzyme based sun screen the protection lasts according to your propensity to burn, the more resistant your skin, the longer it lasts between applications. Message me if you would like to know the specifics or what I use for my family.

19 - Beauty Sleep

We've all heard about the benefits of sleep and how everyone needs 8 hours a night... right?

Well the science: sleep is the time when your body repairs itself. Not only your brain, organs, and muscles but your skin too! During sleep, your your entire body's blood flow increases, repairing and rebuilding wherever it can, including your collagen, elasticity, wrinkles, etc.

A study performed in Sweden in 2013 shows that a single night of poor sleep can cause a number of side effects that will make you look older.

• ashen / pale skin
• hanging eyelids and swollen eyes
• darker circles under the eyes
• more wrinkles and fine lines
• more droopy corners on the mouth

Just stop to think about what the cumulative effect of sleep deprivation can do?

If like me, you're not a good sleeper, remember that the best skin care can fix this too but good sleep is cheaper!

The reason that I have left this one to the near end is because this is not my forte. Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't mind sleeping 8 hours every night, but I don't, I don't feel tired and luckily my skin care is the best in the world so I look 20 years younger than I am irrespective of how much sleep I get...

Here are some research based tips to improve your sleep:

• Increased natural sunlight exposure (not suntanning just being outside)
• Exercise regularly but not within 4 hours of bedtime
• Reduce blue light exposure during the evening (most phones have an evening switch)
• Take a good multi vitamin, mineral and omega supplement in the mornings
• Limit caffeine late afternoon to evening
• Try to be consistent with bed and waking times
• Take a natural Melatonin supplement before bed
• Ditch the synthetic bedding for all natural fibres (your body needs to breathe and synthetic fibres don't allow this)
• Get a comfortable mattress and pillow
• Try not to eat too late
• Write out your "To Do List" for the next day
• Take a relaxing bath or shower
• Listen to relaxing / meditative music / affirmations before bed

20 - Most importantly remember to smile often

It helps to keep the corners of your mouth up...

Have fun every single day!

Find the joy. If you are unhappy with something, change it. Whether it is the way you think about the situation or changing it for something that makes you happy, do it!

Life is to be enjoyed!

Is there something that you think I have missed? Please let me know.

I hope these tips have helped you in some way to have a healthier, happier, more youthful Life!! Even if you take one tip and implement it, then come back when you are ready to start working on the next one, PLEASE give yourself a new lease on Life!

Tons of blessings

Ivette

Please note that this is not a medical report and as such no conclusive medical claims are made. If you are uncertain about any of the information, I encourage you to research the above benefits outlined that I have found in independent medical research findings published in different medical Journals.