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These aren't really herbal remedies, but here are some things I swear by. If some readers don't feel they need to be concerned about anything "ant-aging" at this point in their lives, these are still some good things to look into, for health reasons. Three things that I find really helpful as far as "the face" goes: 1. drinking lots of water, 2. getting lots of sleep, and 3. utilizing "natural" nutritional supplements, shea butter and chia seeds being my two current favs.
A well-hydrated face is like getting botox shots or something (without the botulism! lol). My complexion looks startling different (to me) when I do or don't drink plenty of water. Water seems to "fill in" facial lines, as well as keep skin and lips soft, and flush out toxins. The pores on my nose shrink, face powder goes on better, and my forehead seems smoother. I don't drink tap water, but regularly refill a bpa-free water cooler thingy and drink that (some of you might already know about the god-awful, polluted water in California
I have ranted about).
It goes without saying that a good night's sleep is anti-aging. Lack of sleep not only shows in performance, but also on the face. Dark bags under the eyes are not the only casualty. I find the complexion itself suffers, and just looks all bumpy and "stressed," with a slightly greyish cast to it.
And shea butter...this stuff is just amazing! Don't "save money" by buying cheap, stinky, processed shea butter --you'll only waste money in the long run (and get grossed out), and have to throw it out. Buy fresh, raw shea butter from a reputable person. If you have oily skin, only put shea butter on the non-"
t-zone" areas of the face, or it may break you out.
Here's a little blurb about it:
One of the more significant uses of raw shea butter is as an anti-aging treatment. In an outstanding six- month clinical study performed by F. Renard as part of his doctoral thesis, 30 participants used raw Shea Butter as a daily moisturiser. Within just a few weeks, the dull complexion of most participants had disappeared, and smoother, clearer skin was revealed. The research demonstrated that raw shea butter reduces thinning and activates the development of collagen. At the study’s conclusion, evidence of skin regeneration had occurred in all participants. More than half of the volunteers studied by Renard also exhibited a noticeable reduction in wrinkles caused by sun damage.
Raw shea butter...contains anti-aging properties proven to reduce wrinkles and also promotes the cell renewal process. Vitamin E is a potent antioxidant with the ability to neutralize damaging free radicals (molecules that attack cells in our bodies damaging collagen and causing skin dryness and speeding up ageing) that cause lines, wrinkles and the signs of aging. Vitamin E is vital for healthy skin....Raw shea butter contains high levels of unsaponifiables. This is a type of fat which contains high concentrations of the healing elements of oils.....The moisturizers in raw shea butter are the same as those produced by the skin’s sebaceous glands, which are essential for the retention of moisture and elasticity. Source:
http://raw-sheabutter.com/
I really love this stuff!
Many celebrities swear by the benefits of ch-ch-ch-chia!
Guess it ain't just for chia-pets anymore. Read more here:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/artic ... hink-.html
Chia seeds are great. Amongst
a boatload of other good things, they provide a lot of amino acids, which also has an anti-aging effect on the skin. Amino acids are important for the production of
collagen, and crucial to maintain nice skin. I keep a bag of chia seeds at work and at home, and sprinkle them all over my food. They don't have a taste.
On a final note, two "behavioral" things I think are also very anti-aging:
doing things that are helpful to the world, and enjoying a passion of some sort. It's nice if they're the same thing, the same activity or whatever, but they don't have to be. "Aged" people tend to be rather self-centered. I think "worry lines" are the result of, well, worrying too much about the wrong, ego-centered things (but also somewhat hereditary, as well). When you volunteer in the community, you take the focus off yourself and care about the well-being of others. I think this encourages "youthfulness" in demeanor and attitude.
Also, people with a passion of some sort, anything --singing, golfing, collecting weird stuff-- have a sense of joyfulness about them that is really fun to be around. People with no interests seem kinda' boring and dull, always complaining about what they don't like. I've seen people in their 20s or younger seem so old and crotchety in their outlooks on life, and I've seen 90-year-olds full of joie de vivre, bright sparkle in their eyes. I have repeatedly read that a lack of significant mental stimulation encourages the onset of dementia-type cognitive problems, i.e., aging! So, I think not being engaged with the world is the most "aging" thing of all.
I know these aren't herbal remedies, but I hope you might find them helpful to your anti-aging endeavors!
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