Several lifestyle practices can harm and reduce collagen and elastin in the skin, which provide support and structure, preventing it from wrinkling and sagging.
Cut back or avoid smoking, excess sun exposure, alcohol and caffeine, constant mental stress and intense physical exertion. These can all “stress” the body’s efficiency and will affect the health of your skin. Infections, pollution, medications and drugs also deplete collagen.
Exercise
High intensity exercise isn’t a good idea when you’re over the age of 40. It’s important to continue exercising, but now is the time to retire from “physical abuse” and start enjoying more moderate activities. Aging bodies are less able to recuperate and rebuild exercise-damaged tissue. Damaged skin tissue appears wrinkled and loose-looking, due mostly to the loss of collagen and elastin.
Nutrition
Cut back on sugar. Research show it is responsible for almost half of skin aging. Sugars are extracted from whole foods, making sugar a processed, refined food (i.e. table sugar is made from beets, corn or sugar cane; all whole foods). Sugar inhibits the formation and performance of collagen, resulting in sagging, wrinkled skin and age spots.
Eating lots of refined and processed carbohydrates (carbs) can also harm skin health, for the same reasons as sugar. Highly processed, refined carbs are basically “sugar” – so omit the processed, refined carbs and stick to the highly nutritious carbs in their natural form as Mother Nature created them (have an apple instead of a snack bar, for example).
Skin health relies on omega-3 fatty acids (fish are a rich source) and antioxidants (especially vitamin C), as well as fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K. Severely restricting calories won’t guarantee you’re getting these nutrients. When dieting, simply cut back on refined carbs, and deep-fried foods and foods rich in trans-fats. Be aware of the type of fat you’re eating. Nuts, seeds, fish, avocadoes and olives provide excellent sources of fat and other nutrients for your skin.
Hydration
Caffeine and alcohol dehydrate skin. Cut back. And avoid high-protein diets – they also dehydrate. Maintain a healthy balance of protein to carbs in your diet. Carbs help lock water in your muscles, so you need just the right amount of carbs to maintain adequate hydration. The drawback of popular low-carb diets is that the body becomes dehydrated, contributing to wrinkled, loose skin.
Drink water to remain adequately hydrated, which reflects in a more toned, firmer appearance of skin. Eight cups daily has recently been challenged, but this was never a gold standard. It was merely a guide. We all differ in our hydration needs. Start with eight cups and tailor it to your own requirements. Under normal conditions, we are sufficiently hydrated when our urine colour is pale yellow (however some foods, vitamins and medications may naturally darken it).
Sleep
Adequate sleep is also necessary for skin health. Human growth hormone (HGH) is released by the pituitary gland. This hormone has several functions to keep us looking and feeling young; our skin too. After about age 20, HGH production begins to decrease. However, at any age, HGH production is highest during sleep and exercise.
Eve Lees is a health writer and speaker. She was a Personal Trainer and Nutrition Counsellor for 30 years. www.artnews-healthnews.com
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Eve Lees has been active in the health & fitness industry since 1979. Currently, she is a Freelance Health Writer for several publication and speaks to business and private groups on various health topics.