What did amaze me back in my younger years was the way older women would discuss their tips on how to not only look younger but feel younger. Just because they had reached middle age did not mean that they were ready to be relegated to the Blue-Rinse Club quite yet.
Now that I find myself reaching the middle years I wish I had this lively group of women around me to keep me young and share in their laughter. I may find myself thankful to be tucked away in my comfy bed at 10.30pm as opposed to 3am after a night out dancing but I am not quite ready to surrender myself to the ageing process completely just yet.
If you are like me and suddenly realized that you are now in your middle years here are 6 top tips to help you look, AND FEEL, younger in your middle years.
1. Take a good look at your diet
For many women in their middle years, this will be coupled with the start of menopause and with menopause comes hot flushes and night sweats which can leave a woman feeling tired and exhausted which is one sure way of speeding up the ageing process.
Also, when you were younger you may have found you were able to eat what you felt like without any weight gain, but now that you are in your middle years, you are gaining more weight than ever before.
Simple foods are usually tolerated better such as salads and fresh fruits as opposed to starchy processed carbohydrates.
2. Maintaining a healthy sex life
Nothing beats looking younger in your middle years than a healthy sex life. Some women find their libido decreasing to the point of being non-existent.
If you are experiencing a diminished sex drive now is the time to slow down, take time out to meditate and rest, get regular exercise, and improve nutrition by eating a diet rich in plant-based whole foods.
3. Stay Hydrated and Drink Cucumber Water
Staying hydrated will help your skin stay supple and smooth. Add another twist by adding in cucumbers to your water intake means you’re getting extra nutrients that helps even more. Cucumbers contain silica, which provides extra benefits to the skin.
4. Apply Sunscreen
Applying sunscreen is very important in protecting against melanomas, but it can also slow down the ageing process. An Australian scientific study has discovered that people who regularly apply sunscreen have 24 per cent less skin ageing than people who only use sunscreen occasionally.
The study, which was published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, looked at 900 people under 55 and discovered those regularly using sunscreens were less likely to have increased skin ageing after 4.5 years, even those in middle age.
5. Start the Day With A Green Smoothie
I love to start my day with a green smoothie.
Looking younger on the outside starts on the inside and with all your hormones burning out of control, having a green smoothie every day is one of the best remedies to decrease the heat and banish the hot flushes.
You will notice a visible difference in your skin and eyes. Here is an article I wrote expanding on the benefits of green smoothies as well as a simple, tasty recipe.
6. Stay Positive and Smile
Do you suffer from what is referred to as Marionette lines? Marionette lines are the pronounced crease that runs from the corners of the mouth to down along the chin.
As collagen in the face decreases with age, skin tends to crease and fold around the mouth. While not everyone experiences marionette lines, they can be quite bothersome for those who do as they can give the face an unhappy expression.
Genetics do play a role in the development of these lines, but there are some factors that can exacerbate the situation such as too much sun exposure, smoking and poor diet.
My top tip is to make sure to exercise your mouth every day and take note of how you may be “over relaxing” with a downward smile. Have a look at your mouth right now as you are reading this article. Turn your smile up and exercise your facial muscles and that way you can limit the downward slippery slope of Marionette lines!