Premature Aging

Aging is a normal process of life but there are some factors that accelerate this process in the body. This leads to a condition called “rapid aging” or “premature aging” and medically, it is known as “extrinsic aging”.

Also, we cannot stop the natural process of aging medically known as “Intrinsic aging” but we can slow it down, in this post, I will be exposing you to some habits and factors that cause rapid aging and ways we can avoid this, especially with the use of natural remedies.

Causes of Premature Aging

Premature Aging

Stress: Stress taxes your body and multitasking creates more stress, this, in turn, disrupts normal metabolism and increase the production of free radicals which damage your cells and make you age quickly.

Free radicals are unstable molecules that cause a lot of destruction and make you age faster than you are. Try and reduce stress or you manage it effectively.

Emotions and Attitude: Positive emotions and attitude to life keep you looking young and vibrant. Your mind plays an important role in how fast or slows your age. Control your mind by ensuring you are constantly happy and optimistic about life, in doing so, you will decelerate the process of aging.

Even studies have backed up the claim that happier people look younger than their counterparts who are not happy and they also live longer than unhappy people. Your face always appears young when you are happy and optimistic.

Anger, sadness, and pessimism permanently distort the face and lead to increased formation of deep wrinkles and fine lines. These negative emotions twist and deform the muscles while positive emotions make your muscles more relaxed.

One bad day won’t give you wrinkles but try not to get affected by the happenings around you, let nothing touch your inner peace, this will give you an inner glow and youthful appearance. The expression your face carries most of the time can determine how quickly or how slowly you age.

Unhealthy Diet: Sugary foods, over-processed and empty calorie or junk foods don’t just make you overweight only, they also add years to your face.

Excess of sugary food and drinks will trigger a damaging process in your body known as “glycation”, in this process, sugar molecules attach themselves to the protein fibers in your cells, and this will result into unpleasant signs of aging.

Some of the signs you will notice when you take sugar regularly are dark circles under your eyes, a dull complexion or loss of radiance, increased the formation of fine lines and wrinkles, increased pore size, puffiness, loss of facial contours, and loss of skin tone. Restrict your intake of sugar and sugary foods and drinks if you want to maintain your youthful glow and complexion.

An unhealthy diet like refined foods and intake of excessive dairy products can cause inflammation in the body. This accelerates the aging process and even makes you obese.

Unhealthy Lifestyle: Bad lifestyle like excessive intake of alcohol and smoking cause aging at a faster rate. These bad habits deplete the nutrient stores of your body, this makes it difficult for your body to have all the nutrients needed to keep you young and healthy.

Smoking and drinking also dehydrate your skin, dehydration dries your skin and makes it look pale. It leads to lines and discoloration on the face and the support structures of the skin such as elastin and collagen are affected by nicotine and alcohol.

People who smoke have deep wrinkles on their forehead, they also have bad and discolored teeth and wrinkles around the mouth. Smoking also deprives the entire body of oxygen and this will definitely affect your appearance and complexion.

Excessive drinking leaves permanent marks on your body, it damages your liver and kidney, the major detoxifying organs of your body, when they are damaged, your skin will be next because it is the channel through which detoxified wastes are excreted from the body.

Heavy intake of alcohol discolors the face, leads to poor muscle tone, and also triggers the formation of small spider veins. It damages your blood vessels. Do yourself a favor by quitting.

Insufficient Sleep: Having a few hours of night sleep on a regular basis increases the rate of aging. This happens because the only time your body has to repair and heal itself is when you are sleeping deep at night.

Skipping sleep is denying your body of this opportunity, this will lead to a lot of health problems and also make you age fast. An adult human needs 8 hours of night sleep for optimum health and to age naturally.

Apart from aging, you will also have a lot of health complications like memory problems, fatigue, short attention span, and difficulty concentrating. It also causes weight gain, mental and physical sluggishness.

Incorporate sleep into your schedule and don’t give up your sleep time for unnecessary things. Make sure you have sufficient hours of night sleep daily, this will help you age healthily.

Excessive Sunlight: Excessive exposure to the high heat of the sun can damage your skin. It can even lead to permanent skin damage, high sunlight cause wrinkles, age spots, hyper-pigmentation, and other forms of discoloration when our skin absorbs excess UV rays from sunlight.

Excessive Cold: Excessive cold can also damage your skin the same way sunlight does. It makes your skin thin and this promotes the development of wrinkles.

Spending Long Hours Watching TV: This unhealthy habit cause rapid aging in two main ways. First, it makes you sedentary. A study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine involving 11,000 adults from age 25 and above showed that for every hour they watched TV, it reduces their life expectancy by 22 minutes.

They also reported that people who watch TV for at least six hours daily live 5 years less than people who don’t view the TV at all. This negative effect is caused by the sedentary nature of watching TV.

When you are sedentary or inactive for more than 30 minutes, your body starts depositing sugar into your cells, this will make you obese and increase your risk of chronic diseases and also make you age fast.

Another way long hours of watching TV affects our health or make us age fast is by emitting blue light which can affect our sleep at night. When you watch TV late into the night, this blue light will suppress the production of melatonin, a hormone which induces drowsiness and sleep.

This will make you unable to sleep well and deep at night thus, affecting the healing and repairing processes of your body which take place at night when you are in a state of deep sleep.

When Watching TV, after every 30 minutes, try and stand up and move around or do some form of mild exercise, this will help you a great deal in reducing the risks of this unhealthy habit.

Harsh Acne Treatment: Harsh chemicals and other harsh forms of treatments used in treating acne can also destroy your skin. These treatments make your skin dry, the damage they cause is similar to that caused by heat and cold.

They dry out the skin and make the surface rough and wrinkled. They deplete the natural oils of your skin, this ages your skin and makes it lose its elasticity. Moisturizing daily will help you overcome the effects of harsh chemicals.  Do this 2 or 3 times a day.

Inactive Lifestyle: Sedentary lifestyle has a lot of dangers on the body, some of them are increased risk of kidney disease, cancer, obesity, cardiovascular disease, and premature aging.

People who spend most of their day seated at work or at home are at risks of all these diseases. In between long hours of sitting down, whether you are at work or home, stand up and move around or do a little bit of exercise.

Regular exercise will help you live longer and improve the health and appearance of your skin by improving blood flow and circulation to your skin and vital organs.

Unhealthy Weight: The aging process can be affected by overweight or underweight. When you are underweight, the natural fats in your body and face will be affected, this will make your skin sag and wrinkles will set in.

Botox, facelifts, or other forms of treatments can’t help this condition they can’t replace the natural fattiness that fills out the face. Add weight in a healthy way to help you gain back a softer and wrinkle-free face.

Also, overweight forms a poor muscle tone and makes you look much older, it also makes you less active which hastens the process of aging. Moderate exercise will help you maintain a healthy weight

Use of Excess Makeup: Excessive use of makeup can cause rapid aging, most especially makeup products that are oil-based. They clog your pores and cause outbreaks.

Avoid excessive use of skin products that contain fragrances, alcohol, preservatives, and other irritating chemicals. They age your skin and dry it out by eliminating its natural oils, this, in turn, causes fine lines, wrinkles, and other signs of aging.

Poor Skincare Routine: Your skin is a very important organ and has to be properly taken care of. Clean your skin gently using a soft sponge and clean water. Don’t scrub it hard because it can irritate your skin or bruise it and this can accelerate the aging process.

Wash your face twice daily and after sweating, this will reduce the risks irritation which can affect the skin. Always wash your face when you sweat.

Don’t go to bed with makeup, wash it away using soap and water. Avoid using makeup or skincare products that sting you. This can burn your skin and cause greater irritation which will make you look older. Use a natural facial moisturizer daily to help trap water and make your face smooth.

Sleeping with Your Face in The Pillow: This can cause wrinkles and increase the rate of aging. As you age, your face becomes weaker and less supportive, this is because the production of collagen in the body is affected with age and the connective tissues are also becoming weaker.

When you sleep on the same side of your face every night, the appearance of your skin would be affected, it will be rough and won’t be restored quickly as it did when you were young.

The lines formed from your pillow can become permanent, a way to avoid this is to sleep on your back or buy a satin pillowcase to keep your skin smooth and flawless.

Genetics: Genes play a critical role in the aging process, some individuals have rare genetic conditions that make the body display signs of aging in childhood and early puberty. These conditions are called “Progeria”.

Examples of progeria are Werner syndrome, it is so rare that it affects 1 in 1 million people. It is characterized by the development of bald hair, grey hair, and wrinkled skin between the ages of 13 to 30.

Another rare form of progeria is Hutchinson-Gilford syndrome, it is rarer than Werner syndrome that it affects 1 in 8 million babies, children with Hutchinson-Gilford syndrome grow slowly when compared with their peer group. They are also bald and have thin limbs and they have a very short lifespan of 13 years.

Keep Your Home Warm: It’s tempting to heat up your room when it’s cold outside, but this heat will remove moisture from the sir in your home and this, in turn, will lead to dry and inflamed skin.

Over time, this will have an aging effect on your skin. Get a good humidifier that will counteract the dry air, this will relieve your skin from the flaking, scratching, and itching.

If you don’t have a humidifier, you can place a wet towel over a radiator or you place a bowl of cold water in the corner of the room, this will add back the lost moisture to the room.

Environmental Toxins: Exposure to environmental pollutants can cause premature aging by triggering the formation of wrinkles and pigment spots. These pollutants are present in the air and they come in contact with your skin on a daily basis.

Constant Use of Straw: You might want to prevent stained teeth by using a straw especially when drinking colored beverages, when you do this frequently, it will make you squint and this will lead to the formation of wrinkles around your eyes. Take your drinks and beverages from a glass to prevent puckering up.

Deficiency in Healthy Fats: Not all fats are unhealthy some fats are important and needed for your body to function optimally. These healthy fats maintain the youthful appearance of your skin and give it a natural glow.

These healthy fats can be found in nuts and seeds, oily fish like mackerel and salmon, and other rich sources of omega-3 fatty acids. These healthy fats prevent the formation of wrinkles and they keep your skin plump and supple. Also, include fish in your meals regularly.

Slouching: Sitting or slumping in front of a computer or keyboard in a slouch position for hours can damage your spine, it can lead to a hunched posture which is unattractive and harmful.

Bad posture caused by slouching disrupts the well-balanced S-shaped curvature of the spine which helps to support and stabilize us. This causes misalignment, and disorders of the bones, discs, and muscles.

These conditions are also followed with fatigue and pain, and even spinal injury and degeneration which can lead to permanent disability. Make sure you form a good seating posture, your ears, shoulders, and hips, should form a straight line when you are seated.

Signs and Symptoms of Premature Aging

Hair Loss: Hair loss and baldness are signs of aging. This hair loss can also occur in other parts of your body like your arm, legs, and even pubic hair. This shows you are aging at a fast pace. Another hair sign of aging is gray hair.

Red Eyes: We all know that red eyes can come by spending long hours looking at screens or it can be as a result of seasonal allergies. Red eye is another sign of aging but most people are not aware of it.

Chronic red eye is a sign of chronic inflammation and this process is associated with aging and age-related diseases like osteoarthritis.

Decreased Energy: Your strength is directly proportional to how you age because you lose muscle mass as you age, and this leads to aging. When you notice you can’t lift some objects or weight as before, this is a sign that age is setting in. You can increase your energy by eating nutritious foods, doing some strength training, and building muscles.

Droopy Eyelids: Fatty deposits around the eyes or droopy eyelids are an indication that your body is aging. This happens because droopy eyelids are linked to oxidative stress which allows for the accumulation of free radicals in the body.

These molecules cause damage to the body and accelerate the process of aging. The risks of droopy eyelids are higher when you eat a lot of processed foods, this leads to oxidative stress which accelerates the process of aging.

Droopy eyelids can also be an indication of a thyroid disorder, allergies, fatigue, and fluid retention. You can overcome the negative effects of oxidative stress by eating foods rich in antioxidants.

Wounds Heal Slowly: A major sign of aging is that healing from wounds and injuries take longer time to heal. Your skin has a powerful ability to heal itself and when this is not the case, it shows that there is a fault in the internal aging system.

Wrinkled and Saggy Skin: This is an inevitable process of aging but some people start experiencing this in their early 20s. This is mostly caused by unhealthy eating and the accumulation of toxins in the body. This can be rectified through a high intake of fruits and vegetables and herbal detox.

Sun Spots: These are also known as liver spots or age spots; they are flat spots that appear on your skin and they are caused by years of exposure to high sunlight.

These spots can develop on your face, forearm, and back of your hand. People with fair skin are more prone to sunspots than people with colored skin.

Change in Skin Tone and Texture: The conditions of your skin can be an indication of what’s going on inside your body. Extremely dry and flaky skin signals thyroid problems, this could be a signal that there are problems with your thyroid and adrenal glands and they can affect how you look.

This can also make you feel tired always and it can also be a sign of accumulation of toxins. When you detoxify and treat the underlying cause of these conditions, you will notice that your skin will glow and feel better.

Gaunt Hands: When you are aging, the top layer of your skin becomes thin and contains just a few structural proteins like collagen, this affects the shape of your skin.

Thin veins will appear on your hands, this will make you prone to wrinkles and other signs of aging.

Constant Fatigue: Chronic stress causes rapid aging and one of the signs of chronic stress is constant tiredness. This is known as chronic fatigue syndrome and this condition will make you way older than you are.

What to do Next?

Premature Aging

If you are young and you notice any of these signs, you should see a doctor or a dermatologist as soon as possible. This is to rule out skin problems or start treatment immediately.

This will help you know for sure what you are dealing with and the best approach to take to handle the situation. You can try some of the natural remedies below to rectify this condition.

Effective Natural Remedies for Premature Aging

Honey: This is nature’s answer to all skin problems. It nourishes dry skin and keeps it hydrated, it also exfoliates and promotes regeneration of new skin cells.

It also improves the elasticity and suppleness of your skin. Apply honey on your face, you can make it more effective by adding lemon juice to it. Then you wash it off after 20 minutes using lukewarm water. Also, replace refined sugar and other artificial sweeteners with honey.

Minerals: There are some minerals that support optimum skin health and fight aging, 3 main minerals that do such are zinc, copper, and selenium.

Zinc controls the production of oil, it heals scars and lesions and prevents breakouts and acne. This mineral clears your skin and makes it glow.

Copper is needed in the formation of structural proteins like elastin and collagen. These support the structure and functions of the skin. It eliminates the signs of aging and improves the clarity of your skin.

Selenium boosts optimum skin health, it is a powerful antioxidant thus it helps clears the signs of aging. It combats free radicals and oxidative stress in the body and also improves the elasticity of the skin.

Olive Oil: This is one of the most potent natural remedies for aging, it clears wrinkles and tightens your skin. It eliminates fine lines and sagging skin and it is a very rich source of important nutrients your skin depends including natural fatty acids.

It is easily absorbed by the skin and it is a good source of antioxidants which fight inflammation and other cause of aging. Olive oil hydrates your skin, makes it supple and improve its elasticity.

You can apply olive oil on your skin after having your bath at night before going to bed and massage gently in a circular motion, you can also replace your normal vegetable cooking oil with olive oil.

Lemon Juice: Lemon is a natural bleaching agent, it helps remove the signs of aging, tans, sunburns, and closes pores. It is a rich source of citric acid which helps in eliminating the dead skin cells and impurities.

Lemon gives you a younger appearance by making your skin smooth and flawless, it tightens your skin and increases its elasticity and it also improves your complexion and gives you a healthy glow.

Use cotton balls to apply lemon juice on your face and wash it off after 30 minutes. You can mix it with honey to make it more effective. You should also increase your intake of lemon water, especially in the mornings on an empty stomach.

Increase Your Intake of Water: Regular intake of water hydrates your skin, regular shower also helps in hydrating your body. You can also invest in a good moisturizer, this will help lock moisture into your skin and prevent dryness.

Pineapples: Pineapple fights premature aging because it is loaded with antioxidants and powerful nutrients that fight the damaging effects of free radicals and oxidative stress.

Pineapples improve your complexion, skin tone, and overall health. Apply pineapple juice on your face and neck and wash it off after 20 minutes using lukewarm water. Include pineapple regularly in your diet, you can take unsweetened home-made pineapple juice because sugar causes aging.

Aloe Vera: The skin benefits of aloe vera gel are numerous, it reduces excessive production of oil and treats acne, eczema, and other skin conditions. Aloe vera gel is rich in malic acid, this improves the elasticity of your skin and eliminates the appearance of wrinkles, fine lines, and other signs of aging.

It also contains zinc which closes skin pores and maintains youthfulness. Mucopolysaccharides are also found in aloe vera gel, this fights skin dryness by locking in moisture in your skin and it also promotes the production of collagen.

Apply aloe vera gel on your face or any body part and massage gently in a circular motion, leave t for 20 minutes before washing it off or having your bath. Use lukewarm water and do this thrice weekly. You can also add aloe vera gel to your fruit and vegetable smoothies.

Avocados: This awesome fruit improves the suppleness and elasticity of your skin, it is a moisturizer and also repairs dry and damaged skin. It promotes the regeneration of new skin cells and eliminates toxins from your body. eat lots of avocados regularly and you can also apply the creamy paste on your face and wash it off after 30 minutes.

Detoxify: Accumulation of toxins cause rapid aging, you can detoxify and clean your body of these harmful molecules by increasing your intake of herbs, fruits, and vegetables.

Alkaline foods also help in detoxifying your body, this includes greens, sprouts, non-starchy vegetables, and ripe fruits. These will slow down the process of natural aging and stop premature aging.

Anti-inflammatory also help fight the root cause of rapid aging, this include sweet potatoes, garlic, cucumbers, walnuts, and almonds. Feed your body with a lot of beauty foods to help maintain the radiance and youthfulness of your skin.

Beauty foods like turmeric, pears, and cabbage should be added to your food regularly, they decrease the formation of wrinkles and sagging skin.

Intake of warm lemon water every day, especially in the morning makes your skin glow by detoxifying your body. Increase your intake of these foods and put a stop to premature aging.

Almonds: Almond oil and almond has numerous benefits on the skin, it is an active ingredient in most skincare products and it works by preventing the degeneration of collagen and other structural proteins protecting the skin.

Apply almond oil on your body or you soak some nuts of almond in milk overnight and in the morning grind it into a thick paste and apply it on your face. Massage it gently for 5 minutes in a circular motion and wash it off after 30 minutes using lukewarm water. Do this as often as you can.

Fenugreek: This potent herb is a storehouse of niacin and vitamin B3, these nutrients expel damaged skin cells and trigger the regeneration of new skin cells and tissues.

They also lighten hyperpigmentation, age spots, crow’s feet, fine lines, and wrinkles. Grind a handful of fenugreek leaves until it forms a thick paste, mix it with honey and apply it on your face, neck or any other part and wash it off after one hour. Do this as often as three times a week. You can also eat fenugreek regularly.

Blueberries: Blueberries along with other kinds of berries such as raspberries, cranberries, and strawberries are dense in powerful antioxidants which put a stop to the process of premature aging, and they also slow down the process of natural aging.

They protect your cells from the negative effects of free radicals, blueberries are even more effective than Botox which temporarily paralyze the muscles that cause wrinkles.

Blueberries also improve the signs of aging, they help reverse short-term memory loss in old people and also improve coordination and balance. Blueberries have the highest amount of antioxidants when compared to other fruits and vegetables, this helps prevent aging and chronic diseases.

Coconut Milk: Coconut is a storehouse of important vitamins and minerals, they support the health of your skin, fight aging, hydrate your skin, and improve your glow and complexion.

It makes your skin soft and supple. Grate raw coconut and squeeze out the milk, apply this milk on your face and wash it off after 20 minutes using warm water. You can also ingest coconut oil, add coconut to your meals, drinks, and smoothies regularly.

Egg Whites: An effective way to eliminate the signs of aging is to apply egg white on your face, it smoothes wrinkles and fine lines. It closes your pores to give you a smoother, youthful, and younger appearance.

Egg whites are rich in proteins, riboflavin, magnesium, and potassium. These nutrients repair your skin, hydrate, and moisturize it and also neutralize the damages caused by free radicals and oxidative stress. Apply egg white on your face and wash it off after 15 minutes. You can eat up to 3 organic and grass-fed eggs daily.

Papaya: papaya has powerful antioxidant effects, this makes it a good skin food. It contains an enzyme papain which digests and eliminates dead skin cells and makes your skin more firm and elastic.

Mash few ripe pieces of papaya and apply the mast on your face, wash it off after 15 minutes using warm water. Do this regularly and also include papaya in your diet regularly.

Magnesium: This essential mineral is needed for longevity, it regulates the functions of your muscles and keeps them healthy. Foods rich in magnesium are brown rice, wheat germ, wheat bran, peanuts, and almonds.

Rose Water: Rose water cleanses your skin and removes clogs and dirt from your pores. It reduces puffiness under the eyes, it firms your skin and tightens it. Mix two spoons of rose water with 4 drops of glycerin and half teaspoon of lemon juice.

Every night, apply this mixture on your face using a cotton ball, do this before going to bed and you will see positive results.

Bananas: This fruit is loaded with antioxidants, vitamin E, C, B, and potassium. They hydrate and moisturize your skin, they improve the production of collagen, elasticity, and suppleness of your skin.

Bananas fight free radicals and oxidative stress and give you a flawless and youthful appearance. It makes you glow naturally. Smash ripe banana to form a paste and apply it, wash it off after 30 minutes and apply a moisturizer. Also, increase your intake of bananas.

Cucumber: Cucumber eliminates puffiness and dark circles under the eyes. It soothes your skin and exfoliates it because it is rich in lactic acid.

Smash cucumber and mix it with curd, apply this paste on your face and wash it off after 20 minutes. increase your intake of cucumbers, especially the bark and the seeds, they will keep your skin young and healthy.

Sources;

  1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3611628/
  2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3257702/
  3. https://books.google.co.in/books?id=0fNvBAAAQBAJ&pg=PT91&dq=potato+anti+aging&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjX-urzwfPRAhUKNI8KHWlABy0Q6AEISjAF#v=onepage&q=potato&f=false
  4. https://www.aad.org/public/skin-hair-nails/anti-aging-skin-care/causes-of-aging-skin