The Science of Anti-aging - Article 4

Table of Contents

THE SCIENCE OF ANTI – AGING

There are four principle areas that affect Aging: 

-Inflammation
-Lifestyle
-Oxidants
-Toxification


Inflammation :

Activation of the immune system – due to an infection, allergen or toxin – leads to internal inflammation at the cellular level. Poor nutrition, too little sleep and excessive exposure to radiation (sun) are common culprits of inflammation.

Lifestyle:

What we eat (too much sugar, fat and sodium), drink (too many sodas, alcohol, caffeinated beverages), do (get overstressed, work too much), don’t do (exercise or sleep enough) and what we expose ourselves to can either speed up or slow down the aging process.

Oxidants:

The “rusting” effect. As we get older, we are more subject to oxidative stress caused by free-radical damage, a natural process in which unstable molecules disrupt cell and tissue functioning.

Toxification:

Toxins get ingested into the body through what we eat (sugar, salt , trans- fats, mercury and other chemicals are examples). When the body can’t rid itself of excessive toxins its equilibrium is impaired leading to fatigue, poor skin , heart disease and even cancer.

Beating the “Big Four” - Minimizing the Effects of Aging on our Skin

Reduce exposure to the harmful radiation of the sun’s rays through the use of broad spectrum sunscreens

Eat a balanced, nutritionally based diet. Minimize trans- fat, sugar and sodium intake. Re-hydrate by drinking lots of water and avoiding sugar or caffeine based drinks.

Minimize the effects of stress*. Take practical steps to plan time for reflection, getting appropriate sleep and rest and living a balanced lifestyle.

Make skincare a part of your daily regimen – cleanse, exfoliate, moisturize- encourage a healthy turnover of skin cells and replenish the skin with important anti-oxidants and toxin-fighting vitamins such as A, E & C.

Stress and the Skin

We all know how stress makes us feel, but it can also have a negative effect on how we look. Our bodies react to stress by releasing adrenaline, which redirects blood (and the oxygen and nutrients it contains) away from the skin and sending it to the muscles. The effect of this is that the skin’s rate of cell turnover is slowed down and it takes longer for fresh cells to reach the surface. Stress can also cause the skin’s oil producing glands to go into overdrive which can potentially lead to clogged pores and breakouts. Controlling stress is an important step in the Anti-Aging process.