7 Beauty Tips for Looking Younger

Ever since Eva took that first bite of the apple, the human race has been obsessed with beauty.

The truth is, we begin the aging process as soon as we come out of the womb. Every day of our lives our bodies detach and regenerate new cells. The speed at which that process takes place as children is very different as we age.

Every day you are bombarded daily with commercial messages and beauty tips that try to make you believe that the latest miracle drug is just what you need to combat the ravages of Mother Nature.

We are living longer as a whole. Uniquely, that can be a curse or a blessing, depending on your perspective.

The best route to natural beauty and healthy skin is to take care of what you have. Sounds simple doesn't it? The truth is, your skin takes a beating from the environment every day. These are some of our favorite beauty tips to keep your skin fresh and healthy:

1: Stay hydrated and do it with plenty of water!

That doesn't mean soda, caffeine, or any other type of liquid, even if it's low in calories. Sodas (including diet sodas) are high in sodium. Sodium retains fluids. You need fluid that hydrates and flushes toxins out of your body. Be sure to drink at least 8 glasses a day!

2: Protect your skin from harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays.

We all love the sun. We love being in it and we love having a beautiful tan. The truth is, you can poison yourself with too much sun. UV rays cause skin cancer and if that's not bad enough it makes your skin age faster than it should, contributing to unsightly wrinkles. If you must play in the sun, make sure you are using a suitable sunscreen. Don't leave home without it!

3: Keep your skin clean.

Use a soft, warm cloth. The skin does not require scrubbing. You will do more harm than good if you do.

4: The best cure for wrinkles is to never have them in the first place!

If you're like most of us, you didn't listen to your mom when she tried to tell you to stay in the shade, to stand up straight and stop squinting!

5: Eat healthy.

Knowing how and what to eat can make a big difference in how you feel. Improper eating habits can cause depression, weight gain, illness, and general lethargy.

Weight gain makes your skin tighten. As it ages, it loses its elasticity and saggy skin remains.

The best solution for this is to maintain a proper weight.

A general rule of thumb for eating habits is ... don't eat more calories than you consume. Don't go a single day without doing something extra and physical for at least 30 minutes a day. This can be three ten minute walks. Or 30 minutes of vigorous aerobic exercise, or 12 minutes of weight lifting and 18 minutes of walking.

6: Don't worry, be happy.

A happy prospect seems to trigger the release of endorphins. Endorphins relax the cardiovascular system and cytokines that alert the immune system to pay attention to detecting abnormalities such as cancer cells. Listen carefully to yourself. If he has humiliated himself since childhood, throughout his life, negative subliminal messages can take their toll, making him pessimistic. Spend a week writing the phrases you use in your "inner dialogue." You will likely find that he repeats a dozen phrases over and over that reinforce that negative image. If you know them, you can change them. Outer beauty and inner joy go hand in hand.

Here are some quick tips to increase joy, hope, and optimism that will work regardless of your age:

Make a list of at least 50 great things that happen to you every day.

Laugh a lot. You will heal your body and your mind.

Discover a new challenge every month.

Try to meditate for just five minutes each day.

7: Sex after 50 - Ha! How many of you jumped into this section?

The importance of physical intimacy actually depends on the partner. An alarming number of men used to give up sex after 60 and many women used to feel that their sex life ended with menopause. Fortunately, that is no longer the case.

Sex in middle age can actually be better and more satisfying than ever. Maturity gives a couple more experience in making love. Children generally grow up and leave home. The pressures of building a career and everyday life are often less stressful than in younger years.

Is beauty really superficial?

The answer is yes and no. It's a paradox, isn't it? True beauty begins from the inside out. Wouldn't you like there to be a way to "wiggle your nose" and regain that smooth skin you had as a child?