Prima magazine’s May issue shares some of my quotes in their article Let’s Age Beautifully. Along with skincare advice from me on which oils to use to keep your skin, hair and nails supple, strong and in tip-top condition, there is advice on exercise, posture, meditation and even smiling. It’s a really interesting article and it got me thinking as I am a woman of a certain age myself!! Ageing beautifully has got to be a complete package. I firmly believe that there is no one trick does all.
Acceptance has got to be high on the list - accepting that we have no choice about ageing but we do absolutely have a choice about how we do it. Use it or loose it is one of my mantras but at the same time we have to respect our bodies and take good care of them as well as our minds which need to be kept sharp. There are many aspects of being older that I actually prefer to when I was younger. Life’s rich tapestry has filled me with so many experiences and I feel I know how to approach most circumstances with at least some degree of experience.
Diet is key. A good diet shows in your skin. Clean fresh and simple are great pointers for both skincare and diet. Don’t over complicate things - if your mind is clear, your body is strong and nourished and your skin clean and fresh you can’t go far wrong no matter what age you are. Here are my seven top tips for ageing gracefully or even disgracefully if you prefer!
1. PLAY Keep your inner child alive. Play board games, outdoor games, group games or even one person games. I play Words with Friends and on line word game a bit like Scrabble, every morning with some old friends/neighbours. It keeps us in touch and keeps us competitive whilst waking my brain up for the day ahead. We love Words With Friends.
2. LAUGH I did a blog on facial yoga a while back, since then laughter yoga has stepped in. Just the thought of this makes me laugh! I think it could work. They say that laughter is an inner massage don’t they? It might be the way forward and who doesn’t love a good laugh? . . . . and smiling uses the muscles in your face, makes you more attractive to people, cheers other people up and gives you an all round feel good feeling. Facial yoga is a good way to keep your smile smiley. Perhaps try FaceYogaMethod.com and this FaceBook page Unleash Your Laugh.
3. LEARN
Keep your mind alert by learning a new skill, language or subject. Yes, yes, we all know that learning a language keeps your mind young or learning to play an instrument might drive your family crazy but again, it will keep you on your toes. Some thing a little less taxing? Get in some history of art with our great friend Lynne Hanley who will talk you through the great masterpieces at Beyond The Palette. try Duolingo for learning languages. The opportunities are endless and all available on line so no excuse not to sharpen that brain.
4. DANCE Any kind of dance will do and like the old saying goes - dance like no-one is watching. I don’t get that as it’s wonderful watching people dance and as an ex- dancer myself, I loved to dance for people but I guess its more to do with not feeling in anyway self conscious. It’s the best form of exercise ever and there is so much choice from ballet to just jumping around to good music in our living rooms. Do see this website Passion4Dancing
5. SING Oh yes! Join a choir. Meet people and sing your heart out. Its great for oxygenating your whole body and letting off stream. This website lists a lot of choirs where you may find one you like the sound of - Choirs.org.uk
6. REST Getting a good nights sleep is something that often becomes more difficult as we age. We don’t need as much sleep as we did when we were younger but we still need to allow our bodies to rest and recover from everyday life. I find that regular meditation not only rests me perfectly but it allows me to drop off quickly if I wake in the night. meditation teaches you to switch off your brain and nine times out of ten, wakefulness is due to an over active, racing mind. I use Headspace.com
7. STRETCH There’s nothing like a good stretch. Yoga is ideal for this as it builds strength too but just having a good stretch each morning will also help hugely. You want to keep stiffness at bay and the only way todo this is to keep that suppleness. Make a simple routine for yourself - just a few minutes will do, and repeat it every morning. Elevate Sport does a 45 minute Stretch class on Zoom every Tuesday and Thursday morning.