A long life is one of man’s greatest dreams. But this dream can never be pulled off by chance. A long and healthy one starts with having good genes, but definitely, it is not your genes alone that can determine if you’ll live past the 100 mark. What you take and what you do is a huge factor. But many age-conscious people in the world find very notable places where many inhabitants live long and healthy lives. What then can we learn from these distinct communities?

Okinawa, Japan

With over a million inhabitants in this southern Japanese island, more than 900 of them have already lived more than a century. There are five more Okinawans who live to be 100 years old or so compared to other places in Japan. And the number of their centenarians is four times as many in America and in Britain. (more…)

With the ubiquitous cosmetics designed for women, who says men don’t need stuff like such? Covertly or not, men put some effort to make them look good. And staying young, too! As the common notion says, men become vainer as they get old. But a lot are hiding this need as this is not too manly for a man. However, the developments of this generation have helped lessen that masculinity notion.

In 2005, more than a million American men underwent skin treatments, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Adding to that is the 44% upsurge in the slightly invasive procedures in which men underwent from 2000 to 2005. Vanity has indeed taken its strike to more men.

But what are the exact things men should do and improve for the vanity of looking young to take effect? (more…)

Whether we idolize them or criticize their behavior, there’s no denying that celebrities now are the epitome of beauty. But how come they are often mistaken for their age- at their flattery at that. Well, let’s find out some secrets why celebrities look younger than they are.

Eating lots of citrus and vegetables

Greens and citrus like lemons, grapefruit, and oranges are high in Vitamin C, a natural antioxidant. This wonder worker serves as a primary ingredient of collagen, a glue-like protein that binds cells together to form tissues, and makes up about 25% of the whole-body protein content. Collagen production is vital to skin suppleness, firmness and averts the onset of premature wrinkling. Collagen is, in fact, a much-endorsed ingredient in facial moisturizers and hand lotions Therefore, the more citrus and veggies celebs eat, the softer their skin becomes. (more…)

The first thing you should do to look younger is to acknowledge that there are good things in store for you, and you deserve to have those. So it’s all about setting your mind to get to your end. You must value the thought that almost all good things in life are brought into fruition with the right attitude and positive thinking.

So now, are you set to defy aging and look young? If you are, then these age-defying tips will surely help you look youthful easily.

Tip 1

No matter what you do, whether you have a demanding schedule or just being lazy in your cozy home, make sure you are getting enough sleep- and a good one at that. Your eyes will first tell if you have had enough sleep. A pair of eye-bug-free and sparkling eyes definitely makes you look younger. But how many is the suggested sleeping duration?

(more…)

The young rushing to grow old and the old doing all that it takes to stay young is one of the most observable ironies in life. Well, blame the latter to vanity, or, perhaps, let’s be thankful for it. So that this time, it would be vanity’s chance to strike ‘coz staying young is just a simple routine that would spell a huge difference. And to boost this regimen, some experts share relevant tips for a younger-looking skin.

Clean face properly

Remove all traces of cosmetics on your face by using cotton balls and moisturizing cream. Using lukewarm water (that also opens pores for deeper cleansing) and a soap-free, non-comedogenic, and mild cleanser, gently rotate your middle and pinky fingers upwards avoiding hard rubbing that could damage your skin. Make sure hands are clean to prevent spreading bacteria and dirt which can worsen acne and other skin problems.

Massage face wash on skin for about 60 seconds to wipe away dirt, bacteria, pollutants, and product residue. Rinse at least three times to remove residues that will clog our pores. After patting skin dry, use an alcohol-free toner that preferably contains glycolic acid or alpha hydroxy acid. These acids can educe the size of you pores and can give you instant results.

(more…)

One good telltale of our real age is our mental capacity. We expect that as we become grandmas and grandpas, our intellectual performance can never be the same with its prime years. But why does this happen? And what can we do to avoid thinking like we are old-aged already?

THE PROCESS OF AGING

Our neurons are non-regenerative. That means they do not divide to reproduce more of its kind. Once they die, they can’t be replaced with another one. As we age, these brain cells of ours start to reduce in size and in number. This reduces our ability to call to mind some things that we have learned, including those in school, and even those details when we were younger.

A neurotransmitter called acetylcholine also declines as we age. This neurotransmitter is directly involved in memory and conveying of messages from a cell to another one. Moreover, because of the stresses that we have, the hippocampus, our memory bank, diminish in function.

(more…)

Stop waking up in the morning and dreading having to look in the mirror because you look “old”. Instead, wake up to a relaxing full-body stretch and yawn unapologetically. Smile afterwards. If maintaining a youthful state-of-mind was as easy as that, everybody could just wake up to a good mood. Well, that can be a start. However, staying youthful means more than just those fancy chemicals advertised on TV promising you a “youthful glow” after seven days or so.

If you really want to take it seriously, first, you examine the things and the values which are attributed to being “old”. Examples of such are being “no fun”, “unfashionable”, “irritable” and “weak”. Let’s dissect these attributes and turn them 180 degrees around.

SAY YES TO FUN!

Remember when you were a teenager? When the world seemed to lack boundaries and when rules are made to be broken? Feel that rush. I am not suggesting you become a criminal. It’s just that when we get older, our priorities become tweaked. Readjust them again and insert some fun into it. Eat street ice cream once again! Have a Big Mac once in a while!

(more…)

One can never stop the passing of time. Hence, aging is inevitable. But being and looking old now seems to be just an option. One can still have the better option, and that is to feel and look young. But what does this ideal really mean? Is it limited to a radiant skin and wrinkle-free skin? Is it just the absence of the torment of arthritis?

Definitely not. Staying young encompasses a wide range of ideas and includes more good conditions than the aforementioned. Being young comes from the mind, body, and the heart.

Being sharp

As people age, they tend to be less smart, alert, and intelligent. Compared to a young grade-schooler, an old person can hardly recite the multiplication table with ease, speed, and accuracy. This is because as they age, neurons weaken and lessens its ability to recall facts and details. To avoid this and be young in the mental capacity, people should do few good things.

(more…)

The Land of the Rising Sun outweighs all other countries with regards to the proportion of the elderly. About 22% of the population in Japan is 65 or older. It has been estimated that by 2020, the ratio of the elderly to the children will be approximately 3 to 1. The Japanese are, in fact, the most long-lived people on this planet. With that said, Nihon jins must have placed a fountain of youth in their backyard. Well, at the dining table perhaps.

Healthy food

Despite the competitive lifestyle that they have, they still are among the healthiest people in the world- ‘coz after a hard work is a healthy meal. It is well-known that a Japanese meal is one of the healthiest among regional diets. Meals include the kind of foods that Japanese eat everyday to stay slim, healthy, and youthful while epitomizing a successful, on-the-go lifestyle.

The Japanese have the pleasure of eating nutritious and satisfying foods without guilt, getting, fat, and looking old. Every day they eat at least seven servings of vegetables, including sweet potatoes, dark leafy greens, seaweed, onions, and bean sprouts; at least two servings of anti-oxidant rich fruits; and two or more servings of soy foods. The Japanese also sip several cups of tea every day. They eat a serving of fish, consumed at more than 150 pounds in a year. Who would look old with that kind of meal?

(more…)

Believe it or not, the first created human beings who inhabited this planet, Adam and Eve, already had nuts in their diet. In the Genesis, God provided them fruits that bear seeds that we now know as nuts. After thousands of years, we now understand why God never failed to create this fruit and seed in one. And a handful of it a day would never let you go wrong.

A HEARTy Snack

Almonds, macadamia, pistachio nuts, walnuts, and hazelnuts are not just for the appetite, they also are great sources of a number of health benefits. The studies of the Seventh Day Adventists during the 1990s first elevated the status of nuts to its consumers. The study of this religious group in Loma Linda, California indicated that those who eat nuts live two and a half years more than those who do not.

(The Seventh Day Adventist is a religious group that advocates healthy living by not smoking and dinking, and having a vegetarian diet. Members of this religious domination who live in Loma Linda live 5-10 years longer)

(more…)