Aging is a persistence of damage to the body which does not get repaired. On the surface of the skin, there may be un-repaired sun damage. Inside the body, the cells lining the GI tract or the respiratory tract get damaged from exposure to chemicals, bacteria and toxins.
Aging is prompted by a refusal of uptake of protein nutrition.
This is a two-faced problem which we call aging. It influences our appearance first. Wrinkles on the face are more often than not the first indication of aging. Wrinkles in the skin are the first sign of aging to be observed.
What Causes Premature Aging Of The Skin?
- Exposure to the sun is a chief factor responsible for premature aging. Sun’s radiation damages the collagen in our skin via oxidation. Once the collagen fibers become hard and brittle, their structure gets destroyed and your skin looks old and dried out.
- Consuming too much of refined sugar is another significant cause for looking older than you actually are. When blood sugar levels spike, a process called glycation commences. This causes lasting damage to the collagen of the skin. Once collagen gets damaged due to glycation, wrinkles start setting in. Your skin loses its elasticity and begins to sag.
- Smoking makes you look older than you actually are. The first things to show up are the wrinkles where the skin’s very delicate and thin – around the mouth and the corners of the eyes. The second explanation is reduced vitamin C in a smokers’ blood. Vitamin C is crucial for the synthesis of collagen, in its absence the skin begins to sag.
- Low protein intake is another important factor. Your body needs protein to build tissues which keep the skin soft and younger looking. Without the necessary protein, your body cannot produce collagen, elastin and hyaluronic acid – all of which are vital for a youthful skin.
- Not eating correctly expedites aging tremendously. You need to eat well so that you get sufficient amounts of proteins, fats and calories, and most important anti-oxidants which battle the ravages of aging. Vitamins A, E, C, lycopene and beta-carotens are powerful anti-oxidants. They are found in abundance in fresh fruits and vegetables.
- Inadequate sleep makes you look way older than you actually are. Whilst you sleep, your body repairs the damaged and worn out tissues. During the deepest stages of sleep the pituitary gland synthesizes growth hormones which are vital for the renewal of skin cells and connective tissues. A prolonged lack of sleep accelerates aging.
- The way you sleep also affects how you look. Sleeping with your head pressed against the pillow sets off the formation of fine lines and wrinkles. Also, the material of your pillow case can produce fine lines and wrinkles which tend to become permanent.
- Large amounts of alcohol cause grave damage to the skin and tissues. The face looks bloated, blotchy, tired and you will develop dark circles as well.
- The state of your mind has a lot to do with aging. Anxiety and depression, especially if it is long drawn out accelerate aging. Studies show that depression causes a shortening of the telomeres preset at the ends of the DNA strands. When the telomeres become short, the DNA in your body gets affected and this results in premature cell death. Depression also has a bearing on the synthesis and manufacture of hormones.
- Chronic stress for a protracted period of time increases the production of the stress hormones – cortisol and adrenaline; these advance aging. Stress hormones hamper the manufacture of connective tissue, damage bone density and make you look very old and haggard. Coping better with your stress is the only way to deal with the problem.
- Making exaggerated facial movements and expressions can make one look old. When you make intense and repetitive expressions, laugh a lot or frown too much, the creases remain on the face and eventually get permanent.