Lockdown Tips: Ways to Stay Young Inside and Outside

Apr 13, 2020

All of us want to stay young both on the inside and outside... age gracefully. We envy the evergreen looks of some of our favorite celebs and want to find the same fountain of youth. Is it possible? What’s their secret?

Most will tell you that in order to feel young both inside and outside involves a consistent exercise routine, eating healthy (green smoothie, anyone?), and maintaining a sense of calm and confidence in the face of a stressful situation.

And as our body clock ticks on, we might be deliberating on the true meaning of ‘inner beauty’. Well, here are some techniques you can opt-in to look and feel young inside and out.

Yes, age is just a number but we deserve to feel awesome no matter what that number is!

Deluxe Bathrobe - Cotton and Linen Blend

Bust that Booty

When it comes to exercise, it is 'whatever works for you'. As long as it helps you improve your posture, build strength, and become more energetic, improve your mood, and loosen the stress noose around your neck, invest some time in it.

For instance, yoga.

It has been around for thousands of years helping bridge the divide between our minds and bodies. It’s not just a fad that seeped into American society in recent years. Yogic breathing, stretches, and its simple and uncomplicated poses are known to bring about the benefits of oxygenating cells, rejuvenates the digestive and immune system, ridding the body of harmful toxins, preventing illnesses (mentally and physically), and improves skin conditions.

De-stressing is also a form of exercise because it keeps you looking and feeling young both inside and out!

You can hit the gym twice a week, slip on your Fitbit for a run around your favorite park/trails, load up a YouTube home workout session every day for 20 to 30 minutes, or get on a bike for a good spin around a local park.

The secret is to keep it consistent.

Here are some of the best exercise apps and YouTube channels in 2019/2020:

Eating Right

2. Dress for Success

People who are considered attractive are not always the fairest of them all. Most will agree that Oprah, Lady Gaga, Tom Hanks, Blake Shelton, Mark Consuelos, Tom France, and David Harbour don’t exactly fit the traditional mold of being beautiful.

And yet, there they are.

A picture, all framed up prettily on top of the countertop, will bring about a surge of pride. They will become the source of your positive self-esteem in the days to come. Frame the picture up, look at it and remind yourself of your journey, and know that you’re stronger than you think!

Rose Gold Hexagon Border Photo Frame 8R & 4R Set of 2

People who are confident and have inner beauty have the following traits:

Positive energy
Cheerful and brings joy
Insightful
Powerful character
innovative
Intelligent
Creative
Motivated
Inspiring
Successful
Strong self-belief
Daring to ask for help
Unafraid of owning up to flaws and mistakes
Takes care of oneself and those around them
Kind and generous
Graceful and elegant
Carries himself or herself well
Bold

Dressing up can also boost your self-confidence and present your best self to the world, making you feel years younger and the feelings of happiness come naturally.

Although not an overnight process, give yourself some time and start investing in self-care and self-improvements and you’ll soon find yourself being more confident about your abilities. It will shine through and people will see you in a new light.

3. Eating Right

Dan Gold on Unsplash

The jury’s out on this one too because there’s no single one diet that is right for everyone. The key is to know your body, state of health, preferences, and biggest motivations.

The basic rule of thumb is to eat more fruits, vegetables, and healthy fats. It all boils down to reducing the amount of red meat, eating more magnesium-rich foods, leafy greens, seaweed, and omega acid-rich food. The good news is that it includes salmon, almonds, avocado, and dark chocolate!

"Omega-3s also boost the ability of the body's enzymes to pull the fat out of storage-from your hips, say-and use it as energy," - Nicholas Perricone, M.D., author of 7 Secrets to Beauty, Health, and Longevity

Going vegetarian, although a wise move, can be difficult at first. Start small by reducing the amount of meat in our daily meals and including lentils, beans, and other meat alternatives into your diet. Once your taste buds get used to it, assign a day of the week into eating purely vegetarian food and expand from there.

Let’s also not forget to include super fruits into our diet. Superfruits have high levels of antioxidants, vitamin C, and carotenoids and they’re found in fruits like blueberries, goji berries, and pomegranate. These nutrients lower cholesterol and blood pressure levels, on top of delaying the onset of autoimmune and age-related illnesses.

What’s even better is that regular consumption of superfruits, be it in original or juice form, protects your skin from sun damage from the inside! Including super fruits into your diet will help you get better sleep, look younger, reduce fat deposits, improve your memory, and give your immune system a boost.

Other super fruits to add to your diet includes:

Kiwi - digestive aid
Beetroot - blood purifier and detoxifier
Lemon - immunity and an antioxidant powerhouse
Non fruit - fights high blood pressure and reduce bad cholesterol
Acai berries - packed with powerful antioxidants
Bananas - loaded with potassium to counter high blood pressure
Cherries - reduces inflammation, lower triglyceride and cholesterol
Grapes - protects your heart
Plums - contains chlorogenic acid which reduces anxiety

Check out our The Honey Colony’s Red Gum TA 40+ dark honey made with bold and distinct eucalyptus/caramel aftertaste for that extra-added goodness in your drinks and meals.

4. Sleep Well

There’s no break for the brain.

It processes tens of millions of information just from the walk from your home to the park. It is processing and storing a whole barrage of information subconsciously as we work, prepare lunch, drive, and even when we’re doing nothing while waiting in line at the bank.

Scientists believe that our brains don’t stop working even when we’re asleep. In fact, while we’re getting a quick blink, the neurons spring into action to restore and rejuvenate the brain like well-trained soldiers tackling side-lined signals we’ve received throughout the day while we actively go about performing our daily tasks.

While asleep, the brain sorts through a sizzle reel of information that has flooded our brain subconsciously, too much for day time, to ensure a balance of proteins, enzymes, and hormones.

“Nearly 40% of adults have nodded off unintentionally during the day in the past month, and 5% have done so while driving” - Time.com

Sleep-deprived individuals don’t have enough antioxidants floating in their systems to counter free radicals which can result in the death of neurons. As our brain becomes less efficient in clearing away toxic thoughts and toxins alike, we start to age mentally and physically.

Having enough sleep is one of the keys to looking and feeling young inside and outside. They don’t call it beauty sleep for nothing. In the meantime, here are some really awesome tips to help you sleep well at night.

5. Red, Red Wine

Catching up with your friends over drinks after work or grabbing that nightcap is not so bad after all!

Studies show that moderate drinking leads to a longer lifespan, promotes youthful outlook in life, and leads to overall happiness.

That can easily translate to a younger-looking you on the outside too!

Heart.org considers one glass of 5-ounce wine or 12-ounce regular beer is good for your health. Yes, even if you’re a fan of bourbon, vodka or gin.

The groundbreaking study reveals that substances found in the skin of grapes complement a high-fat diet. According to the National Institute on Aging, enough resveratrol reduces the risk of diabetes and liver problems when tested on lab subjects.

John Hopkins University has also studied the effect of wine on mice and deduced that red wine diminishes brain damage caused by stroke by approximately 40%, reduces arterial clogging, and lowers cholesterol levels.

The key is to not overdo it. While a wine a day is good for the mind and body, overdrinking or binge drinking can have a boomerang effect.

If you can’t finish the bottle, keep it in the cellar or fridge for tomorrow with Sala Essentials' elegant Elephant-themed wine stopper.

However, if you are worried about your intake of wine or alcohol, it is best to talk to your doctor first.

6. Have a Break and Meditate

Forget about the new-age woo-woo stuff people tell you on social media or through the grapevine. Giving yourself a break and meditating is one of the best things you can do for yourself whether you’re stressed out, just waking up, or winding down after a long day.

Stress accelerates aging because of the surging hormones, adrenaline, and cortisol.

"Sixty to 90 percent of all doctors' visits each year are related to anxiety, depression, obsessive anger and hostility, insomnia, high blood pressure, heart attacks-all problems caused by stress," - Herbert Benson, M.D., author of The Relaxation Response

Most people are intimidated by the idea of meditating because they think it involves an hour of sitting around thinking about nothing and chanting mantras.

That cannot be further from the truth. We all have things to do, bills to pay, meals to cook, and children to drive to school. We automatically put it on the backburner when we think we can’t afford the time and don’t know how to do it.

The most effective technique for modern folks like us is to commit to 10 to 20 minutes of meditation once or twice every day.

Sounds simpler now? Yes, because we CAN afford 10 minutes and it’s doable!

Find a corner in your room or home, sit comfortably, close your eyes, and relax your muscles from top to bottom. It would be awesome if you have a specially decorated corner for meditation dedicated to your daily practice, decorated with your favorite artwork and meditation visual aids...like this awesome, elegant candle holders from Areli Designs.

Elegant vertical candle holders - Areli Designs

If you need meditation aid, stream relaxing music or use a meditation app instead. It works wonders! Tell your spouse, children and other family members that you’re ‘on a break’ and not to be disturbed for a while.

Some people believe that yoga and meditation go hand and in hand and while there are extra benefits to reap from this practice, it is not necessary.

So, if you want to slow down, take a breather and meditate.

7. Brain Exercise

DESIGNECOLOGIST on Unsplash

Mental training, especially when done regularly, can help rewire the brain. It’s our brain’s equivalent to a good workout. Brain exercises improve our ability to think on our feet, make better decisions, improve memory, help us become happier people, provide a better outlook on life, and prevent cognitive decline.

Running a household full throttle while keeping the kids busy at the same time can take its toll on just about anyone, regardless of the size of the family.

Misplaced lunchboxes, forgotten laundry, missed appointments or phone calls, and burnt dinners - these are things people don’t often talk about when they’re posting their life best-of moments on social media. But it’s IRL.

There are lots of simple things you can do to keep your brain active and it ranges from doing crossword puzzles to playing mahjong or cards. Playing with your family and friends is fun but if it is not possible, there are other ways to do it.

So, here are some fun brain teasers and games to download to your phone or mobile device to help you keep your brain in tip-top condition.

Conclusion

Staying young both on the inside and outside requires determination and effort. It’s about finding balance, taking on a new challenge, having a positive outlook in life, socializing with friends and making new ones, keeping yourself active, dressing up and looking good, and reducing stress.

Although there’s no magic wand or fountain of youth, taking on a combination of the above ideas will help you feel and look young for many years to come!

Before you go....

Don't forget to stay in touch with us when we publish useful, fun, and interesting articles up on ClunArtisans by beocming a member and sign up for our newsletter!

We're excited to bring you loads of new stuff here on ClubArtisans and help connect you with communities that will benefit tremendously from your hellp and patronage.

If you're on Social Media, don't forget to hit that like and follow button on either Facebook or Instagram!

Stay safe and keep in touch always!

-

Bust that Booty