How to Look Young and Healthy at Any Age

Many of us fear growing older because we don't want to look unappealing or undesirable. Growing older doesn't have to mean a loss of attractiveness. If you take proper care of yourself and allow wisdom, joy and love to shine through, you will take on an ageless beauty and grace, which people will interpret as looking younger than your years.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

1. Take good care of your skin. As we get older, our skin becomes drier, making lines and other imperfections more noticeable. The effects of the sun only make things worse. It is important to use a moisturizer with sunscreen every day. As soon as you apply the moisturizer, it will smooth out imperfections, making the skin look dewier and more even. The sunscreen will prevent future damage. If you start protecting your skin from the sun when you are young, in 10 to 20 years you will be amazed at how much better your skin looks than most people in your age group.
2. Be sure to eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables every day, in addition to whole grains and nuts. Try not to go too heavy on animal proteins and avoid sugar, caffeine, processed white flour, trans-fats and chemical additives. The less processed foods you eat, the better you will look and feel.
3. Drink plenty of water and get enough sleep. Drinking 6 to 8 glasses of water per day will keep you healthy as well as improve the appearance of your skin. Getting 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night will help you look and feel fresh and energetic.
4. Exercise has a magical effect on appearance. Besides helping with weight management, cardiovascular health, and toning the muscles in an attractive way, exercise improves mood and helps keep hormones at youthful levels. If you are looking for a fountain of youth, exercise is probably one of the closest things.
   
   There are so many ways to exercise that it is easy to find one you are happy with. Perhaps you would enjoy dancing, aerobics, yoga, martial arts, swimming or a team sport. Exercise doesn't need to be strenuous to be effective. Walking is a gentle and safe way to get in shape.
5. Keeping current in fashion helps create a youthful look. This doesn't mean having to run out and buy trendy or flashy clothes that aren't flattering for your body type or age. What it means is keeping an eye on the cut, colors, necklines and hemlines of clothing, which change in style every few years. You can then add appropriate, flattering items to your wardrobe that are current. Don't forget fashion from the neck up. A modern hairstyle and eyeglass frames will take years off your appearance. If you color your hair or wear make-up, warm colors will make you look younger than cool colors. A more natural look is always more youthful than anything too intense.
6. Keep learning and stay interested in life. When you have a passionate interest in things, it makes you more interesting to others, and that will actually make you appear more attractive and youthful. Enthusiasm is a very charismatic trait!
7. Nurture relationships with those you care about. When you make a loving connection with family members, friends and your community, the joy you experience will enhance your immune system and help make you glowingly healthy and attractive in every way. Try to find opportunities for surprise acts of kindness. You'll find yourself smiling a lot more. And a smile is definitely more youthful and attractive than a scowl!

Tips & Warnings

• Whenever you are making changes to your diet or beginning an exercise program, it is a good idea to consult your doctor.