If You Cover Your Face While You Tan Does It Still Cause Wrinkles?

Wrinkles do not develop overnight, but over the course of many years. You don't get wrinkles from sleeping on your face all through the night; neither are you going to get them from staying out with your face towards the sun for several hours. True, these can lead to wrinkle-formation, but they won't happen within a span of only twenty-four hours. Needless to say, taking the necessary precautions can go a long way in delaying the appearance of wrinkles.

Wrinkles and The Sun

Prolonged and unprotected exposure to the sun's harmful UV rays can accelerate wrinkle development. This is because the UV rays are damaging to the skin. They thin out the layers of the skin, depleting it of moisture, and making it more vulnerable to wear and tear, and yes, wrinkles.

But of course, it is not like you will just have to live in the shadows all your life. You can, by all means, enjoy the sun, but always with protection. If you plan to go to the beach to tan or simply enjoy the sun as it is, keep in mind the following sun protection tips:

* Apply sun protection cream generously at least 30 minutes before going out. Use one that comes with organic and natural ingredients to get the most benefits. Remember to re-apply whenever necessary.
* Wear sunglasses with UV protection. There are lots of sunglasses which you can buy at a cheaper price, but be wary of these as these may not come with the protection you need.
* Use a wide-brimmed hat. This helps to protect your face from the sun.

It goes to say that covering your face while you tan is not going to stop the wrinkles from forming. This, along with the other tips, serves to reduce the impact of the sun's rays on your skin and thus help delay the appearance of wrinkles, but they cannot stop them.

Wrinkle-formation is part and parcel of the aging process. You'll have them when the time comes, and when that is going to happen depends on how well you take care of your skin. Wrinkles come earlier for a lot of people, but for those who are wise, wrinkles may not be visible until they are already in their forties or fifties, even.

Delaying The Appearance of Wrinkles

So what does it mean to be wise? You don't have to be a genius in order to delay the appearance of wrinkles. Just follow these tips:

* Be always mindful of the aforementioned sun protection tips.
* Make it a habit to wash your face twice daily.
* Moisturize, preferably with something that has antioxidant properties and which also serves as a humectant.
* Drink lots of water. Water keeps your skin hydrated.
* Make wise food choices. Load up on raw vegetables and fresh fruits. These are rich in natural enzymes that help your body fight aging.
* Avoid anything that is not in the natural form. Eating foods that contain additives, chemicals, preservatives, and the like, damages your internal organs and lowers your body resistance. The toxins from these foods also hasten the aging process.
* If you are a smoker, stop smoking. If you're not, don't start thinking about it.
* Exercise. Exercising regularly boosts your metabolism, helping you get rid of toxins more effectively.
* Avoid stress as much as possible. Stress can make you look old in an instant. Take a break from work in the office or from work at home. Everybody deserves some time to himself/herself. Make time to laugh. Apply stress management techniques and don't let stress take over your life.

Anti Aging Skin Tightening Solutions for Men and Women

There are many skin tightening solutions available when we begin to show the signs of aging. Although aging is the most common cause of sagging skin, there are others. After pregnancy, surgery, weight loss, etc, sagging skin can become a problem. Sagging jowls, which appear on our face, are generally caused by extreme weight loss or aging. Weight loss can cause loose skin in every part of the body. Sun damage, genetics and gravity can also be a factor in loose skin. As we age, gravity results in drooping skin and our face looses volume. There is a solution regardless of the problem.

Among the solutions available are creams that have been shown to be very successful in tightening the skin. Creams that contain elastin and collagen, will give the best results. Although, creams usually work best on younger skin, such as someone who has had recent weight loss or pregnancy, they can also be used for older skin as well. The skin of a senior may not obtain the same results but should show some improvement. Creams will also assist in evening skin tone, brightening dull skin as well as reducing wrinkles. Research has shown that Latino, Asian and African American skin obtains be best results with a cream.

Another of the skin tightening solutions is in the form of a lotion. These are available for all skin types. Many of the lotions and creams can also be used as a healing agent or to correct dry skin. There are lotions that can be used for the entire body, including face, neck, arms, legs, stomach and buttocks. By using these lotions you can obtain firmer, tighter skin and a reduction of cellulite. They can also be used to moisten and hydrate the skin.

For many years, the only solution to sagging skin was plastic surgery. That can be costly and is not without danger, as with any type of surgery. If the creams and lotions do not give the results you are looking for, there are other treatments available. Injections, such as Restylane, Juvederm, etc. can be used to fill out areas of the face by restoring volume. These usually last for about a year. In addition, there are skin tightening devices used by physicians, such as Thermage or TITAN to tighten the skin. There is also laser skin surfacing. These treatments should always be performed by an American Board Certified Plastic Surgeon. It is best to find one with excellent referrals.

When you decide that you need a solution to your sagging skin, select the treatment that provides the results you are seeking. You should always check with a professional before starting any of these procedures

Is Jergens Face Creme More Effective For Wrinkles Than Coconut Oil?

When it comes to moisturizing lotions, Jergens is one of those brands you would hear about often. Lots of people have come to love Jergens for one reason or another. Some do because it's affordable and comes with great moisturizing properties. Others use it because it happens to be "always around" every time they do their grocery-shopping.

But, how effective is Jergens in so far as preventing or treating wrinkles? And how does it compare with coconut oil? Let's take a closer look.

Jergens Moisturizing Creams and Lotions

There are different types for facial creams and lotions by Jergens, and all of them basically have one general goal - to moisturize. In a way, this helps to strengthen the skin, making it less vulnerable to wrinkles as one gets on in years.

Some of Jergen's products appear to have age-defying properties. It's Natural Firming Glow cream comes not just with moisturizing agents but collagen and elastin to make the skin firm. It also has Vitamin E and antioxidants to protect the face from skin-damaging free radicals.

Coconut Oil

Coconut oil, meanwhile, comes from the coconut fruit, which many refer to as the Tree of Life. From the fruit down to the roots, coconut does have plenty of health benefits and uses. Coconut oil is one of the healthiest oils in the world, loaded with antioxidant and moisturizing properties. It fights age spots, skin discoloration, dryness, and yes, especially wrinkles. It makes the skin supple, firmer, and stronger. Unlike other commercial face creams that are usually water-based, coconut oil is well absorbed by the skin without clogging it. And best of all, it's all-natural.

Synthetic Ingredients in Face Creams

There are plenty of brands coming out today, promising essentially the same thing - flawless, wrinkle-free skin. Many of them do deliver what they promise, but most of the time, not without consequences. Face creams that contain synthetic ingredients are always double-edged. You can not have the best of both worlds, so to speak. Many commercial creams out there contain mineral oil and petrolatum, ingredients that are found to clog the pores and even speed up the aging process. You also have to watch out for Parabens, DMDM Hydantoin, and BHT, which act as synthetic preservative but which pose health risks, among them allergic reactions, weakened immune system, tumor growths, and organ damage.

The Better Choice?

When it comes to choosing skin-aging products, you need to be wise. Just because something is heavily advertised or even endorsed by popular celebrities does not necessarily mean it is the best. You cannot base your choice on the price, either, because a cheap product does not always mean a good deal, and something that's expensive does not always equate to quality.

Among the major factors to look into are the ingredients the product comes with. To be on the safe side, look for organic or 100% natural ingredients in your choice of product. Pure, coconut oil appears to be one of your best choices out there. Pure coconut oil is organic and proven to be beneficial to the body not only to the skin. It contains high levels of natural antioxidants that for me is a very important factor in treating wrinkles and preventing them. I also like the fact that it is not water-based, which means to say that it can bring about long-term effects, not like its synthetic counterparts that offer temporary relief only. Over time your skin becomes younger, more revitalized, and more beautiful with coconut oil.

Anti Aging Vitamins - The Key to Slowing Down Aging

Aging is a natural process that all of us go through, a process where over time our physical and mental attributes slowly but surely erode. Although aging is a natural part of life, accepting it can be difficult. Fortunately, there are ways to delay the aging process, to slow down the effects that age has on us. A healthy diet and regular exercise are of course important, but the results you get can be improved upon greatly by taking anti aging vitamins. By providing our bodies with the vitamins and minerals that they need, we can help to ensure that they function at the highest level possible. In addition, antioxidants can help to minimize the results of free radicals which will in turn further slow down the aging process. By taking anti aging vitamins on a regular basis you give your body the supplements that it needs to perform at an optimal level and slow down the aging process.

One of the main mistakes that people make when thinking about which vitamins to take is that they don't use them on a regular basis. Using vitamins sporadically simply is not effective. In order to get the most out of your vitamins, it's important to take them daily. Most vitamins will only help your body if they are consumed on a regular basis so that they remain at effective levels. In fact, many vitamins won't begin to show any effect at all for several weeks since it takes a good deal of time for them to build up to effective levels in your body. Another common mistake that people make when looking into anti aging vitamins is that they think they need something different than their normal vitamin. While taking many different supplements can be beneficial, the truth is that the daily vitamin that you may already be taking can be very effective. If the vitamin you are taking is a multipurpose liquid vitamin that contains a combination of the essential vitamins and minerals that your body needs, then it is likely to be just as effective as a more expensive replacement. Liquid vitamins that are highly bioavailable are key.

As we get older it becomes increasingly important to take better care of ourselves. It's important to eat a healthy balanced diet, and to engage in regular exercise. It's equally important to take anti aging vitamins on a regular basis. The combination of diet, exercise, and vitamins can help to reduce the negative impact that age has on us. By taking proper care of ourselves we can live not only longer lives, but healthier lives as well. For many of us, growing old gracefully isn't something that we are willing to embrace. Instead we choose to slow down the aging process as much as possible, we choose to retain our intellectual and physical prowess for as long as possible. Why give in to the effects of aging without a fight? Instead, by taking care of your body and supplementing with anti aging vitamins, you can reduce the effects of aging and live a longer, fuller life.

A Great Exercise for Keeping Us Young

Back in the day, every bodybuilding expert and would be "Mr..." something recommended working the hamstrings for all the wrong reasons. Because in my humble opinion, too many of those experts looked at the hamstrings as being analogous to the biceps of the upper arm. And who could blame them, or the neophytes among us?

The hamstrings are medically identified as biceps femoris. The front portion of the upper arm is called biceps. Ah ha - the same name must mean they are the same, hence, let's all train them the same.

But it's not the same. Let's be clear that I am not a medical doctor nor am I a licensed fitness guru nor to do I play either of them on TV. Still, I think the main function of the hamstrings is to keep us upright. It is to assist the hips, glutes, and lower back in picking things up. It is to keep our upper body stable as we walk, run, or move forward.

Weak and/or tight hams open us up to lower back injury.

It fights gravity.

As we get older, too many of us tend to stoop. It's as though the weight of the ages are on our shoulders. The young are tall and straight. The sphinx's riddle tells of "walking on all four's in the morning, on two's in afternoon, and on three's in the evening." The elder walk on three's because of the cane.

Yet it need not be so.

And a key to this is having strong, flexible hamstrings.

A great exercise that strengthen and stretches your hamstrings, along with working the glutes, hips, and lower back, is the stiff-legged deadlift. This is not the straight leg variety that locks your legs ramrod straight. A stiff-legged deadlift keeps a bend in your knees that puts your lower back in a stronger position.

This exercise can be done with barbells, dumbbells, or resistance bands. Regardless of what you use, you must remember to keep you back straight and your knees slightly bent throughout the whole movement. Unlike powerlifters, you also do not want to excessively lean back at the top of the movement.

And your hands should not descend more than a few inches past your knees on the downward, end movement. If you keep your back straight and shoulders square, you will not be able to go lower, regardless. The end movement is not to touch your toes but to get a great stretch in your hamstrings and glutes. Keeping your shoulders square and back straight is critical to this.

As for how and when to do them, I would suggest about twice a week along with an overall quad movement like the lunge.

Although I am a big fan of squats, I think as we get older; it may not be the most productive exercise out there. If it works for you, then by all means; you should continue to do them.

But at this point, I think pairing stiff-legged deadlifts with dumbbell lunges make more sense. And, I recommend twice a week. Your objective should be 3 to 4 sets with the repetition range between 12 to 15 reps.

I have always recommended doing squats, lunges, and deadlifts as being the best combination of exercises for legs. For those of us over 50, I think dropping the squats makes some sense. Lunges and deadlifts will get the job done while keeping us out of the injury zone.

SLOW Principles for Supplements and Aging

Slow solutions are those that can be incorporated into our daily routine. Supplements as a way to support healthy aging are no exception. They are not for whenever we remember to take them, or for lining our bathroom cupboard. They are not for taking in one fad of enthusiasm and then stopping when the fashion changes. This may do more harm than good. For example, antioxidant supplements also stimulate pro-oxidant pathways to balance our systems. This isn't a problem while the antioxidant remains around, but may be an issue if they are stopped. This may be one reason why the best successes are achieved by a diet high in antioxidants, as we are less likely to forget to eat than to take a pill. Sustainability must be a key goal when choosing supplements to support healthy aging especially when compared to dietary changes. One way to get the most of our supplement and aging plan is to establish a routine.

Supplementation as a positive experience
Supplements are not the bitter pill we had to swallow in order to ensure good health, or a punishment for the nutritionally wicked. We will never stay this kind of course. If we are going to embrace supplements, like any relationship, it helps to like what we are hugging.

* Information is important. We need to know as much as we can about our supplement and how it will support a healthy aging process.

* Nothing is without side effects in some individuals. This is especially the case if it actually works. Find out what they are. While we need to be conscious of unwanted effects, we also need to actively take steps to minimize them. This can be as simple as timing and optimizing the dosage, or shopping around for a formulation for healthy aging that sits right with you.

* Introduce supplements one at a time and note any positive or negative changes over a week or two. Pay attention and keep a record. If you feel neutral or good, then introduce a new supplement until you are taking all of the supplements in your plan. If you don't care how you feel, you have to ask why you are taking the supplements in the first place!

* Track the benefits. Make note of any improvements or changes in your health and aging when taking supplements. While this is a subjective measure, it is also one of the best measures of personal health. If the supplement we are taking is for prevention, then we may not notice an obvious change in our own health outcomes. However, there may be changes in our biochemical tests. Ask your health care provider to go over these with you at appropriate intervals.

Don't be exclusive
The best option is never contained in a single pill. Although supplements are often regarded as 'alternative medicines', they cannot be regarded as an alternative to a good diet, exercise, lifestyle or other healthy practices mentioned in this book. This includes cancer screening and lowering of blood pressure and cholesterol levels. In fact these activities are even more important to live long enough to make the most of our supplements. For this reason, it is better to consider supplements as synergistic or complementary therapies used in addition to, and to the advantage of other interventions that underpin healthy aging.

For example, starting any dietary supplements should also be accompanied by a review of our diet plan. We might find that substituting fresh broccoli for pasta is a cheaper and tastier alternative. Or we might identify that there is not enough B12 or iron in our current vegetarian diet that may be more readily corrected with supplements, so dietary changes can proceed at a slower pace or with a different focus (such as weight control).

Supplements can also help us get through periods when our health focus is elsewhere, like work/relationship stress, weight gain or disease. Rather than dropping one ball while trying to pick up another, supplements can give us the time and resilience for more holistic interventions.

Don't go it alone
Don't go it alone when tackling the choice of using (or not) supplements. You will need help learning about the options first.

There are almost too many options available - certainly too many to be covered in any one web site! One place to start is to ask for a little help. There are many professionals out there to offer advice and make practical suggestions. A growing number of doctors and health care professionals are able to offer useful advice about the role supplements can have in our aims for aging well.

If one doctor doesn't understand, find one that does or consider a provider who is knowledgeable in this area. Look to find someone who will be a guide or a coach, rather than one who says you must only do something their way. Shop around. Assess their credentials. Gather information from a variety of sources and evaluate the information carefully. If you know someone who's gone there, ask them about their experiences. Call the provider to request an interview.

It's about you, Goldilocks
No matter what we read on the Internet, everybody is different. So find out about yourself, and listen to the feedback. Follow progress as we go and set new goals as we are doing it. It is important to follow our successes and failures. Keep a log or a journal to follow how we are performing. Use testing to establish your areas of focus and choose supplements at the right dose that will meet that need. Not everything will work. Some of us will not tolerate some of the very concentrated products on the market. Some will not work at the doses we can get in some supplements. Others will fit like a glove. Following Goldilocks, and test what best works for you.

Anti Aging 101: Winter Skin Care Tips

Dry skin is one of the classic signs of skin aging. As we age, our skin loses its natural oils which help in maintaining the moisture content of our skin. As those oils slowly get depleted, the skin becomes dry and eventually becomes leathery and very rough in texture. Dry skin can happen any time during the year, but it is most common during the winter season. During winter, low temperatures, cold winds and low humidity strips off the natural lipid layer of the skin which prevents the skin from drying out. Furthermore, furnaces and fireplaces also suck out our skin's moisture content. This is why it is really quite a challenge to keep a well moisturized and hydrated skin during this time of the year. With this, let me share to you some tips on how to add moisture to your skin and how to keep it locked in this winter.

1. Avoid bathing in hot water. I know it is very tempting to bathe or dip on a tub of hot water during the harsh winter weather. But, did you know that hot water strips off the skin's moisture? This rule also applies to hand washing as well. It is best to use lukewarm water rather than hot water when taking a shower and washing your hands.

2. Avoid bathing frequently. Water, be it cold, warm, lukewarm or hot can actually dry out the skin, so it is best to take a quick bath once a day. Frequent hand washing can also dry out the skin, but of course you can't limit hand washing so just make sure you moisturize your hands after every wash. This winter, it is all about making your contact with water short and sweet.

3. After pat drying your body with your towel, immediately lather up with a rich lotion so that it gets absorbed by the skin. Your pores are still open after taking a bath so it's important to moisturize immediately so that it can be effectively absorbed by your skin.

4. Drink lots of water. Usually we forget that drinking lots of water during the winter season is as important as drinking lots of water during the summer season. It is very important to drink lots of water during the winter season because the skin tends to get easily dehydrated. Winter air is drier which makes our body lose more water, so drink up.