→ 10 HABITS THAT AGE YOU IN LIFE.

One of things many of us fear the most is premature ageing. We don’t want to age quickly, and many of us don’t even want to look our real age. Instead, we want to continue looking younger, basking in the fountain of youth for as long as possible.
But if you constantly check yourself in the mirror each morning and worry that you’re ageing really quickly, you might want to take a closer look at your habits. Yup, it’s often these “little things” that cause premature ageing. So let’s take a look at 10 habits that age you.
1. You Lounge Around A Lot
Lots of people enjoy coming home from work and kicking back in front of the television. It helps us to relax and alleviate the stresses of work. But if you don’t get any exercise, you could well be adding a few years to your face.
If you burn less than 500 calories a day, you’re also putting yourself at risk of an early death. Living the life of a couch potato is directly linked to diseases, such as diabetes, cancer and heart disease.
2. Binge Drinking
A few drinks on a Friday night after work is a habit shared by many of us. It’s good to get out with colleagues, and have a laugh over a few drinks. But if you have more than a few, you could be putting yourself at risk of early ageing.
Whilst moderate alcohol consumption is actually recommended, binge drinking most definitely is not. Not only can 5-6 drinks in any one night put pressure on your organs, such as your heart and liver, but it can also cause your skin to wrinkle and sag. Which is not cool.
3. Smoking
Smoking is one of the worst habits you can have if you’re trying to avoid early ageing. Smoking has a negative effect on pretty much every single cell in your body – which is a lot of cells, actually trillions!
Not only this, but smoking also puts you at risk of developing several cancers, including lung, stomach, mouth, throat, kidney, blood and bladder cancer. The good news is that if you kick the habit, you’ll feel and see the rewards almost instantly. Your skin will look fresher and healthier, and you’ll slow down the ageing process. It certainly isn’t yet a lost cause.
4. Drinking With A Straw
You’ve probably seen many ladies sipping their drinks through a straw, and perhaps you do this yourself. Whatever the reason for sipping through a straw, there are actually no health benefits. In fact, sipping through a straw is actually really bad for encouraging signs of ageing.
What happens is that you pucker your lips as you sip, and this helps lines to form around your lips. Over time, your skin is strained until eventually your left with permanent smile lines. These creases are a surefire sign that you look older than you actually are. Oops!
5. Leaving The House Without Sunscreen
Leaving the house without sunscreen despite baking temperatures and a big yellow ball in the sky saying: “I’M GONNA BURN YOU” is still very easy to do, and lots of us do it. We either simply forget to apply sunscreen, or we’re in too much of a rush to do it. Either that, or we assume that going out for a few minutes without sunscreen is “not that bad.”
But it is. Even walking your dog for 15 minutes without sunscreen can cause significant damage from the sun. Over time, these 15 minutes of exposure can cause some serious damage to your skin, causing you to age quicker than you intended.
6. Lack of Sleep
Even when you’re thirty it can be so easy to believe that you can still indulge in the bedtime habits of a teenager. After all, you’re only 30, right? Part- ay!
But, no. Just no. As you get older, you really need to start getting more sleep. Sure, it can be difficult when you’ve got a lot of work to do, and sure it can be even more difficult when you’ve got a box set to catch up on. But a lack of sleep can make you look tired and old . Moreover, it can also increase your risk of diabetes, weight gain and high blood pressure.
7. Candy
Everyone loves a bit of candy now and then, but candy should be seen as a reward at the end of a pressurised week. It should not
be the norm. For example, if you eat candy every time you watch a movie, you’re in trouble.
See, the sugar content in treats is really bad for your skin. What happens is the sugar attaches itself to proteins to create new molecules known as advanced glycation end products. When these start to develop at an increased rate, they basically invade your skin’s protective proteins, such as collage and elastin. And then they attack.
As a consequence, your firm and elastic skin becomes dry and brittle. Hmm.
8. Lack Of Fruit And Vegetables In Your Diet
To healthy, glowing skin, you need fruit and vegetables in your diet. If you subsist on junk food and meat, you might feel more fulfilled in your stomach, but you’ll be showing all the signs of premature ageing.
According to the experts, the best fruit and veggies you can eat for younger skin are the colourful ones: yellow peppers, beetroot, kiwi fruit and so on. You also need to make sure that you’re getting enough omega-3 fatty acids, which you can get from oily fish.
9. Stress
When we’re stressed, we actually feel older. And when we look in the mirror, we sure look older too. Therefore, if you’re stressed, you really need to work on remedying the situation.
Identify your stress triggers and try to work on them. You can’t remove all sources of stress from your life, but you can minimise the triggers and their impact. Moreover, you can do things to reduce stress, such as laugh, take a vacation or go for long walks.
10. Only Eating When You’re Starving
If you only wait until you’re like really hungry before eating, you might presume that you’re doing your body a favour. After all, you’re only eating when you’re hungry and therefore you’re not bingeing on junk.
But waiting until you’re starving can lead to overeating, which in turn can lead to excess weight and premature ageing. We suggest that you do indulge in snacks, but make sure they’re healthy snacks. For example, almonds, blueberries or pumpkin seeds.
Stay happy and healthy!