Wednesday, April 16, 2008

Thursday Thirteen #63 -- Create your own Fountain of Youth


THIRTEEN TIPS
FOR LOOKING YOUNGER


I got this idea from Allure (April/Mariah Carey cover), with its headline about 203 ways to help us turn back time. It’s intriguing and it sure drew me in, but really, who has time to learn and implement all 203? Besides, I wanted this TT to be non-gender specific, so here are 13 of the best (or at least the most doable) for all you boys and girls in the blogosphere.

1. Everybody needs a good sunscreen. And to be good, it has to have an SPF higher than 15 to block the evil UVA rays. These rays not only cause melanoma, they also damage the collagen and elastin in your skin and make you look older.

2. Fall in love with salmon. This fatty fish helps keep your arteries clear and keeps that blood pumping everywhere it needs to go, including your skin. Walnuts are good, too.

3. Cut back on alcohol. There’s evidence that liquor may deplete the important fatty acids like those in salmon, and eventually that will have an impact on your complexion and appearance.

4. Exercise. Yeah, yeah. It’s good for your heart, it’s good for your blood pressure, it enhances your muscle tone, whatever. Just as importantly, like salmon, it helps your blood course more efficiently through your veins, which leaves your skin looking better.

5. Floss. It’s not sexy but it’s important. Receding gums can give away your age (hence the phrase, “long in the tooth”). It’s important to your general health because gum disease can lead to more serious problems, since bad gums give bacteria an easy way to enter your blood stream.

6. Stop smoking. There are a million health reasons, but how about this vanity-based one? Smokers squint more than the rest of us (an involuntary reflex when presented with smoke and flame), and that causes crow’s feet. Smokers also have more tell-tale wrinkles around their lips.

7. Reduce stress. No, really. Doctors theorize that stress puts a drain on your adrenal system, which can allow skin conditions from acne to psoriasis to worsen. And, since nothing is more important to a youthful look than a healthy-looking complexion …

8. Eat fruits and veggies. As with eliminating smoking, adding fruits and vegetables is good for your general health. But this post is dedicated to the deeply superficial, so I must note that it’s also VERY good for your skin because it helps balance your pH level. If your body has too much acidity (which can come from eating too many proteins and refined sugars), you can find yourself with poor skin color and tone.

9. Wash your face. Perhaps not as often as you wash your hands, but do it twice a day. It’s exposed to tobacco, pollution, and other environmental factors that simply do damage.

10. But be gentle! Those who exfoliate their skin too often with alpha-hydroxies or scrubs can deplete the natural oils and even exacerbate acne and discoloration. FELLAS, THIS GOES FOR YOU, TOO! Remember, if you’re clean-shaven, you already exfoliate your face daily with a razor.

11. Moisturize as soon as you get out of the shower. This is the best time to apply moisturizer to your body – after toweling yourself but before your skin has a chance to dry completely.

ABOUT THE FOLLOWING TWO -- Find moisturizers that contain these products. I imagine swabbing a tea bag all over would be time consuming and, well, icky.

12. Don’t just drink green tea. Slather it on your skin, too. Green tea is easy for the skin to absorb, so a moisturizer fortified with it comes with antioxidants that help protect against the damage from pollutants.

13. Same with Vitamin C. Studies have shown it can actually help REPAIR skin damage because Vitamin C has been proven to enhance collagen production.

If you enjoyed these, pick up the April issue of Allure for
more tips and greater detail.

Leave your link in the comments section and I'll add your name here:
1) Malcolm names some of our favorite TV duos
2) Pjazzypar looks back on In Living Color
3) Holly goes random on us
4) Anthony North doesn't have a TT, but he has some very provocative posts
5) Kay has a very entertaining TT
6) Linda Moore has a taxing TT
7) Nicholas has another one of his charming literary TTs
8) Ornery's Wife invites us to Miller Manor
9) Claudia bravely brings up life's unanswerable questions
10) Sandy Carlson shines a spotlight on one of her favorite animals
11) Adelle shares her wishlist
12) Siteseer has a fragrant, floral TT
13) Journeywoman looks back on Hollywood Hunks for days gone by
14) Lori warns us what movies NOT to see
15) Lori (a different one) goes back to the 80s
16) Wacky Mommy is all over the place with a pleasantly random TT
17) Grace takes us off the beaten track to a museum in Dubai
18) Mo helps us with our word choices
19) Ivanhoe sings the praises of cruising
20) Marcia celebrates her own birthday with a trip down memory lane
21) Xakara gives us an animated view of her week
22) Storyteller has an imaginative TT
23) Laura had to search for her TT
24) She became a butterfly lovingly remembers those who were "gone too soon"
25) Brenda shares tips on writing
26) Candy Minx has a super-terrific TT
27) Chris shows us what his students would see if they could read his thought bubble
28) Lisa's TT is brought to us by the letter K
29) Lucy's TT starts at the top and works its way down
30) Angelie has a highly visual TT

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!


The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others' comments. It’s easy, and fun! Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!



34 comments:

  1. Flossing is such a pain in the ass for me... even though I know it's something I need to do. I've got plenty of it so there's really no excuse. It never occurred to me that smokers squint more than the rest of us. However, it makes total sense. Thanks for the tips.

    Yeah, yeah, yeah, you beat me this week. I just realized that there is a simple reason that you will most likely comment on my T13s before I get to yours. I'm not telling you what that reason is though, lol.

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  2. I gave up the cigarettes almost three years ago, I floss regularly, and I eat plenty of veggies. I just can't get with the exercise thing. What a hassle.

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  3. You forgot the "get a MUCH younger man as a boy toy..."

    Sorry, couldn't resist that one! Good tips really. Wish I'd paid attention to the people who always said, "moisturize, moisturize, moisturize".

    Smiles,

    Holly
    http://theabundanceplace.com

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  4. I live by the motto a little of everything never hurts.
    It's kept this old, wrinkled, decrepit, 53 year old body going strong :-)

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  5. Great list of reminders. Just one question--wine is a fruit, not alcohol, right?

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  6. Anonymous5:49 PM

    So cool! I knew many of these, but not all. Especially I would never have thought of wearing green tea. ;)

    I have two TTs this week.

    How to ride 95 miles while doing one's taxes
    http://www.ravensrides.com/tt13-doing-the-taxes

    13 favorite photos of the day for March. Pick your favorite :)
    http://www.ravensroads.com/potd-favorites-0802/

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  7. Anonymous6:14 PM

    Well, I gave up smoking in 1990, and I love salmon. I floss and don't drink very much. I'm sort of getting there. I don't think I'll ever be found drinking green tea though -- ugh!

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  8. Great list! I already do most of those, but honestly, I don't know if I will ever "fall in love with salmon" despite the fact that I try to eat it fairly frequently. The motto "eat to live, don't live to eat" has taken on a new meaning since we've gone more healthy. My other favorite is drink more water.
    Happy TT!
    TM

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  9. Anonymous6:53 PM

    Huh, great advice. My biggest struggle is stress. I'm kind of addicted to it. That's one of my goals for this year - learn to unwind, relax. We'll see how it goes!

    Happy TT!

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  10. I can do these! Thanks for the hope. I never knew that about the salmon.

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  11. Great list. I do most of them already, except for the salmon. yuck!
    Happy T13!

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  12. okay, I impressed myself by doing the first ll. Gotta say though that I recently looked in the mirror and asked "when the hell did I get so old looking?" I think it happened overnight. lol I feel great!
    Great TT
    http://wheretheroadtakesus.blogspot.com

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  13. Anonymous9:03 PM

    Interesting list.

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  14. Awwww yes, in the perfect world we would all live to be 100 and look beautiful!!! Im gonna have to try Salmon. My Mom and sister swear by it. Happy TT my friend:)

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  15. Moisturizer is my best friend.
    :-) Seriously, I get out of the shower and my face goes, "Swwwwp" and sucks every drop of moisture out of me. It would hurt to skip the moisturizer. Glad to know I'm doing something right!

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  16. Anonymous11:51 PM

    EXcellent.

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  17. OK I will follow all advices and then you can look at me in my stroller, lol !

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  18. Anonymous6:31 AM

    Thanks for the tips! I think I will follow the moisturizing technique. Happy TT!

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  19. Yeah...now, if only I could master #6, I'd be well ahead of the curve...

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  20. What a great idea! I am doing most of them except I'm still smoking... :o( Guilty... I'm just not ready to stop...

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  21. I floss a million times a day --and i LOVE Salmon and exercise-I can actually manage all of them but #7 and I would add-- get enough sleep-- I can't do that either

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  22. Anonymous9:16 AM

    I'll have to work on the salmon. And hopefully my watepik is doing the job since floss is my enemy!

    Thanks for the tips, I should pick up more bodybutters with sunscreen in them. Even my complexion only comes with so much protection and it's not enough in the end. It's now on my list. *wink*

    ~X

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  23. I was going to say something like at 63 I don’t think much about ‘looking younger’ any more, but after reading your list I realize what excellent ideas these are for people of ALL ages! I’ve done many of them most of my life but a few are new to me (like rubbing vitamins and green tea on the skin). Thanks for the reminders and Happy T-13ing to you! Hugs and blessings,

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  24. Those are great tips...and very inexpensive, to boot. Happy T-13!

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  25. i never thought about the fact that our faces and skin are so exposed to pollution. thank you for pointing out the obvious.

    she
    http://www.shebecameabutterfly.net

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  26. Great tips. You make me feel younger and I do many of these.
    Happy TT!
    otherworlddiner.blogspot.com

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  27. Wow! There are a couple here that I didn't know about. I like the idea of moisterizing as soon as out of the shower. it makes sense.

    I had never heard of putting green tea on skin before. Actually, I bought some organic green tea yesterday and will try to make a strong potion for skin. Cool idea.

    Now...of course, I want to get this ALLURE magazine issue...to at least check out the list entire.

    Thanks!

    I am slow today but finally here is my TT list:

    http://gnosticminx.blogspot.com/2008/04/goddesses-of-sort-13-favourite-female.html

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  28. Anonymous1:08 PM

    All great ideas even though I hate flossing, working out, sunscreening, etc etc. Happy TT & thanks for the tips.

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  29. Great tips...TRying depserately to institute as many as possible...I've been feeling my age lately.

    Happy TT My list is up!

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  30. I better work on #1 more often and I only drink my green tea! thanks for the great infor! I am always looking for tips on looking younger! :)
    http://luluspetals.blogspot.com/2008/04/thursday-13-4.html

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  31. Anonymous3:52 PM

    I wish I liked fish. I keep hearing such good things about it. Alas, it is icky.

    I am drinking some iced green tea right now though. So woo!

    Happy TT!

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  32. Great list. I hate flossing - it always makes my gums bleed no matter how often I do it. And my dentist tells me that my gums and teeth are very healthy. The rest is all good advice - especially the exercise.

    Happy TT!

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  33. Excellent list! As far as exercising - does chasing a nine-month old count? Hahaha

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  34. What an excellent, practical TT! Since I hit 50, I'm ALWAYS on the look-out for anti-aging tips. (I've become a reader of Prevention Magazine!)

    As for green tea...I didn't know it was good topically as well as internally! I drink quite a bit of it.

    And I'm with Malcolm...I have SUCH a problem remembering to floss!

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