There are thousands of products on the market – some of which work and some which don’t – for combating wrinkles, age spots, sagging skin and all the unsightly tell-tale signs of aging. There are innovative procedures such as injections for just about every body part – lips, nasolabial folds, crow’s feet, neck, hands – even feet. There are surgeries to correct just about any flaw you can think up.
I am not against opting for procedures that can safely make me look and feel younger, but I just thought I’d remind you that there are plenty of things you can do to start Aging Backwards that won’t cost an arm and a leg. In fact, they’re free.
Find out what they are after the jump!
Aging Backwards Freebies:
1. Exercise. Exercise is The Fountain of Youth. Here’s a trick I use to motivate myself: I’ll go online and look at beautiful clothes or workout sites where people with beautifully healthy bodies are exercising and that reminds me that in order to keep Aging Backwards, I have to get moving. If they can do it, so can I. Once you start, you won’t want to stop.
2. Sleep. The call it “beauty rest” for a reason. Sleep is free – take advantage of that. When we sleep, our bodies produce hormones that keep us healthy and youthful. Why pay for hormones when you can get them for free?
3. Laughter. Can laughing keep you Aging Backwards and fight heart disease? According to researchers it can. A study done by cardiologists revealed that “people with heart disease responded less humorously to everyday life situations,” according to lead researcher Dr. Michael Miller. He added, “The recommendation for a healthy heart may one day be exercise, eat right and laugh a few times a day.”
4. Meditation. “Mindfulness meditation programs improve mood and health,” said David Creswell, a UCLA psychologist and lead researcher in a study published in Psychosomatic Medicine. When Creswell and his team compared the brains of people who had mindful dispositions with those who were considered less mindful, there were measurable differences in their brain activity. The mindful subjects’ brains showed more activity in the right prefrontal cortex and a calming of the amygdala (the region responsible for emotional processing) when they labeled their emotions.
5. Volunteering. Studies show that those who volunteer on a regular basis are the healthiest and live the longest. If you don’t know where to volunteer in your local area, check out the Web site, VolunteerMatch.org, put in your zip code and go for it. Another great Web site is Voluntourism.org, which allows travelers to combine their vacations with “giving back.”
So, feel “free” to join me in Aging Backwards by trying some of these easy, fast and no-cost ways to experience joy and good health.
– JACKIE SILVER
Jackie Silver is Aging Backwards and she shares her secrets, tips and shortcuts in her book, Aging Backwards: Secrets to Staying Young, on her Web site , on TV, on radio, in print and in person. She is the Aging Backwards expert on the syndicated television show, Daytime, the beauty editor for Clear Channel’s Mix 100.7 FM Nancy & Chris Mornings in Tampa Bay, Florida and a weekly columnist with The Tampa Tribune. In addition, she’s an expert contributor to Total Health Breakthroughs , BestLifeDesign.com, and HealthNewsDigest.com. Silver is a sought-after speaker and coach who combines her natural reporter’s curiosity with her desire to help others look and feel young. Her book is available at: Amazon.com and agingbackwards.com.