It’s the ultimate irony of life – we spend all our youth wishing we were older and once we are older we wish we were young again. While it isn’t possible to go back in time, it is very possible to stop (and sometimes even reverse) the aging process so that you feel and look younger. The key elements of looking young and staying that way are diet and nutrition – here are a number of easy-to-remember tips that will help you embrace and enjoy every day:

• Go To Bed Early – Studies have proven that when people go to bed before midnight they not only get more rest on average, but they are much more likely to stay asleep throughout the night. Maintaining proper energy levels throughout the day is vital to maintaining your routine and feeling good in the process of completing it.
• Exercise Your Brain – People who constantly are challenging themselves mentally (through work, games, or both) have shown improved signs of memory retention when reaching old age. So bust out your brain-teasers, crosswords, boardgames, and books – by challenging your brain regularly you could even decrease your chances of contracting Alzheimer’s later in life.
• Protect Your Skin – The skin is the body’s largest organ, yet it gets treated like giant coat at times. What goes onto our skin is absorbed into our bodies, so it is critical that you use sunblock if you frequently are in the sun and it doesn’t hurt to use moisturizing cream to soften and soothe damaged skin.
• Reduce Aches & Pains – Part of old age that most people dread is the inability to move around without feeling aches and pains. This can easily be avoided by taking proper care of your body before that time – exercise regularly to insure that you don’t have to worry about becoming obese or developing arthritis. Additionally, Omega-3 fish oil supplements can help prevent the degeneration of cartilage thanks to it’s essential fats.
• Get Rid of the Stress – The only thing that can make a 40-year-old look 80 is stress – nothing is more physically or mentally taxing than being unable to think clearly about things. Take a long, hard look at your environment (where you live, your job, your friends, etc.) to determine what elements of it are causing you stress, so that you can figure out a preventative course of action. Stress ties into all of the previously aforementioned tips, as you won’t be getting a good nights sleep, a solid work-out, or care about protecting your body if you are unable to get your mind right.

Everyone has heard the phrase “you are what you eat” – while you also are what you sleep, what you think, and what you do. If you can change your behaviours so that they focus solely on enhancing and prolonging your life you will be amazed by the results.

Guide created by Scottsdale Mental Health & Wellness