Premature Aging

Have you ever had that experience when someone tells you their age and you are thinking they are old enough to be your mother and then it turns out your birthdays are a week apart?  YIKES!!   A friend of mine once told me that someone thought her coworker was her mother when in fact she was about her same age.  How embarrassing!  I know you have to be thinking what I am thinking.  What happened?  How can they look soooo old when they are so young?  Then you have other women who look so fresh and so young and you can't believe they are so old.

I want to know the secrets to looking youthful!  I definitely want to minimize everything that could possibly make me look old.  Not that there is anything wrong with aging, but I want to look my age and not 20 years plus.  So let's see what are the factors that make someone look so haggard at a young age.

1. Poor Diet

Rachel Zoe is 40 years old but she looks at least 50 or older.  This is a great example of how having a poor diet and being so underweight can really age you.  But being overweight can also age you too.

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2. Substance Abuse

I don't think anyone will argue that drugs age you the fastest of all factors!  Poor Charlie Sheen looks soooo much older than Chris Rock.  They are both 47.  Wow!  You might not abuse drugs but even prescription drugs can still age you.  So, try to discuss with your doctor some natural alternatives for some of your ailments.  Smoking is also an awful habit that is bound to make you look aged.  Excessively drinking is also going to age you.  I don't think that I have ever seen a young looking alcoholic.

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Here's another example of drugs:  Lindsay Lohan & Dianna Argon are both 26.

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3. Lifestyle: Stress and Lack of Sleep

I am not sure what is exactly going on with Britney Spears but she looks so gross these days.  She appears to have that look of stress and no sleep.  Natalie Portman still looks so fresh and young.  They are both 31.

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There are many other factors that can age you including your genes, sun exposure, makeup, skin type, etc...  But these three factors above are the biggest things that can age you so very fast.  I think the first sign of premature aging starts in the eye area.  You can tell how healthy or unhealthy your life is by your eyes.  

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Go look in the mirror!  Do you feel old?  Do you feel healthy?  Are you kind to yourself?  Do you cry a lot?  

Try to do better.  Every day is a new day to start fresh!  Today let's do these things to be healthy and to look healthy.

- Sleep well.  Try alternative methods to sleep rather than sleeping pills.

- Pamper yourself. Take care of yourself.  Be Kind to yourself.

- Eat a balanced diet.

- Stop smoking.  Stop doing drugs.  Stop drinking too much alcohol.

- Visit a doctor if need be.  See a therapist.

- Exercise.

- Use sunblock or wear a hat.

- Drink plenty of water. 

- Love yourself.  

- Stop Stressing.  The Dalai Llama says "If you can do something about it, don't worry.  If you can't do anything about it, don't worry."