POSITIVE AGING

I recently read an article about the fashion designer, Norma Kamali. In her new book, I Am Invincible, Kamali, who is 75 and ageless details her philosophy of “aging with power”. Reading her suggestions got me thinking- what we “non-celebrities” can do to age better and look as young as we feel? I found that there is strong evidence that we can control many aspects of what is considered inevitable.

Dr. Sara Gottfried believes that, “genetics loads the gun and environment pulls the trigger.” She continues, “Guess what controls most of your aging: Your daily habits of body and mind, both conscious and unconscious, including how often you move, environmental exposures in your home and office, what you eat and drink. Practical lifestyle tweaks allow you to manage your exposures and personalize your approach to preventing disease and unnecessary aging.” This is great news and through positive aging we can alter our behaviors to look and feel better.

Your Interior

• Make yourself a priority. Know that you count and that you are not invisible. Only you can tend to your own well-being. Stay in the moment.
• Commit to a healthy life style. Eat the right foods- colorful vegetables, fruits and wild caught fish. Exercise daily to keep your blood flowing and heart healthy. Get enough sleep. I have found that for me sleep is huge and I have really had to change my habits to ensure a good nights rest: wind down, cool room and total dark.
• Dismantle limiting beliefs. Fran Sorin in her Tools of Innovative Living reminds us to, “Remember that your inner critical voice is only your personal tape recorder that continues to emit the same old messages that have been playing in your brain for decades. With discipline and desire, you can choose to rid yourself of these self-sabotaging thoughts and replace them with empowering ones.
• Reduce anxiety and calm fears by meditating and focusing on today- not the future or the past.
• Floss your teeth. People who don’t floss have a 30 percent higher risk of mortality, and if you see the dentist only once per year, mortality is 30 to 50 percent higher. Flossing can prevent periodontal disease after as little as one month of regular use.
• Develop a gratitude practice and remind yourself daily of your blessings.
• Laugh. A lot. Frequently.
• Find your “peeps”. Avoid negative friends and environments.
• Commit to learning something new. Create obtainable goals and make sure you follow through.

Your Exterior

• Edit your wardrobe and get rid of anything that looks dated or frumpy.
• Add a pop of color to your neutral clothing- maybe a scarf or a colorful jacket/vest.
• Evaluate your colors- they have probably changed and what once looked great might not flatter your current hair color.
• Find jeans that flatter your figure.
• Use prints sparingly.
• Think updated classic clothing.
• Take care of your skin with moisturizers and use sunscreen.
• Keep your hairstyle updated. Color your hair or let it go gray. There isn’t one answer, but focus on the maintenance and upkeep.
• If you color your hair, consider lightening the color from its original shade. Lighter colors flatter aging skin.
• Find comfortable shoes that are hip and don’t look “old lady”.
• Exfoliate your skin daily with a scrub or use a retinol product.
• Minimal makeup is best, but take care and fill in your eyebrows, use an under eye concealer and apply lipstick.
• Facials, micro-needling, cosmetic lasers etc. can help your skin look fresher. Research the services that your Dermatologist or aesthetician offer.
• Stand up straight- a straight spine is key to looking youthful