Many of us spend time each day taking care of our appearance. It might be a quick brush of the hair or a full spa day appointment. It’s natural to want to look as good as we possibly can. Looking good can also help us feel good about ourselves. It boosts our confidence and makes us smile. Of course, somewhere in the back of our minds is that little nagging worry about the passage of time. When the signs of aging start to show, we want to be armed with the right products and supplements to fight them off for another decade!

So what are the signs of aging that bother us so much, and when are they going to start to be a bother? That depends on a lot of things. The first is your genetic makeup. DNA plays a big part in how we look and how our bodies and cells will react to the passage of time. There are several issues that could make your age show up a little more than you may want:

• Genetics – Go through old photos of your parents and grandparents to see when they started to look a little older. This might give you an idea of what age you might start to notice changes in yourself.

• Environment – Most of us are fully aware of the damage that exposure to the sun can do to the skin. Did you know that much of this damage can be permanent, and contribute to the appearance of aging skin? Stay out of the sun altogether, or wear a hat and sunscreen to avoid harmful UVA and UVB rays altering your skin.

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• Nutrition – Every cell in our bodies relies on your diet choices being the right ones. Internal organs, skin cells, and even our blood cells need a wide range of vitamins and minerals every day for optimum health. Sure, there will come a time when many of your cells are aged and not renewed or regenerated. But right now, you can make sure your whole body is given all it needs to help you stay healthy, inside and out.

• Stress – It’s true that stress can make you look older. Whether it truly turns your hair gray or gives you wrinkles is unclear. However, stress hormones can certainly make a mess of your natural cycles, your metabolism, and your ability to sleep well.

• State of Mind – Your state of mind or attitude toward your appearance will play a huge part in when you may become bothered by the natural signs of aging. If your appearance is crucial to your career then it is understandable you would want to do whatever it takes to maintain a healthy, youthful look. If you’re happy and proud of your years of wisdom and experience, chances are, you’ll be proud to wear the odd wrinkle and gray hair with confidence.

So what are these pesky signs of aging that bother us so much, and are they really the consequences of life experience we should worry about the most? Gray hairs, a few lines and wrinkles, and a little extra weight could be the least of your worries. Your skeleton and muscles will also start to change as you reach those milestone birthdays. This is why it is crucial you adjust your diet and exercise as you get older, just as you would your choice of night cream and hair colorant.

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Changes to your spine can become quite serious, causing your pain. Have you ever spoken to anyone or asked what is Spinal Stenosis? It is something that affects us all as we age. Yet few of us have considered the consequences of changes to our bones, joints, and skeletal frame as we get older. These changes can start in our forties, or maybe even earlier in life.

Teeth can also give away your age. Staining over time is just one problem that affects how we look. Gums can also be less effective at holding the teeth in place. Most of us spend time each day trying to make our teeth whiter. We may have abrasive brushes or toothpaste to scrub away the stain. However, these can be a mistake, especially over the long term. Damage to the gums and erosion of your enamel could make your smile older-looking. You may be in for some hefty dental bills to correct the problems.

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Have you been getting tired more easily lately? Your energy levels can quickly start to wain. Most of us blame it on a busy career or family life, but aging can be contributing to this more than you think. Stamina is something you can improve with careful nutrition choices and extra exercise. Your hormones will be changing when you reach middle age, and this can slow you down even more. Don’t forget that your lifestyle can be contributing to these earlier signs of aging too.

Aches and pains creep up from time to time. They tend to occur after exercise, after sleep, and after drinking too much! As we get older, the body needs longer to recover from the effects of stronger movements, lack of movement, and toxins we ingest. We simply can’t get away with some of the things we used to do in our teens and early twenties. And these changes in our bodies can start as early as thirty!

How can we avoid or overcome these signs of aging? Well, we’re all getting older, and sometimes we have to accept that our behaviors and activity choices may need to change. Lifestyles tend to change quite dramatically for people between twenty-one and forty-one. It’s understandable that our bodies will change too, regardless of the aging process.

You can reduce the impact of aging on your body by keeping it in good condition. Careful nutrition choices and daily exercise will help avoid many of the risks of injury from activity. You may also be able to delay the signs of aging on your outward appearance by improving your health. Can you enjoy being older? Absolutely. Love your life for life.