Anti-Aging Tips (That Have Nothing to Do with Skincare!)

Hi guys!  I am back with another “Everybody and Their Mother Monday!  Today I am sharing all of my anti aging tips that have nothing to do with skincare.  These are tips that everybody and their mother should know! You can also head over to instagram and watch my short videos on my latest post!  Here on the blog, you will find links and additional info.

As a woman in her mid forties who just had a birthday, I get a lot of questions about what I do to stay looking young. Here are six tips, and a bonus, that I think make ALL the difference.

1. BACK DOWN.

LEARN TO SLEEP ON YOUR BACK.  I know…  but before you roll your eyes at me, please understand that I used to be a stomach and side sleeper, too.  Like, from birth until my late 30’s!  Fetal position was the best 🙂  I would sleep whichever way I could that made me feel the most secure and cozy.  Back sleeping was NEVER something I could do, or even WANTED to do!  But while I worked in the beauty industry, I learned that sleeping on your stomach causes wrinkles around your eyes, mouth, nose and sometimes your neck!  That’s all I needed to hear!  I had to find a way to sleep on my back, if only for my vanity, lol!  Sleeping on our backs also ensures less lower back, neck and shoulder pain.   Head over to Instagram stories to see how I did it.

2. CUT THE SUGAR

CUT BACK DRASTICALLY ON SUGAR (AND OTHER INFLAMMATORY FOODS) BECAUSE THESE THINGS CAN MAKE YOU LOOK OLD. Guys, this is huge.  But, how?  I used to ask myself the same thing.  My grandfather, mother, and aunt all died from cancer, and my little sister discovered she had breast cancer at age 29. About 5 years ago, I wanted to do what I could to reduce my chances of getting cancer, and I stumbled across Whole30 after researching what I should eat.  It was all about non inflammatory foods!  A Whole30 is when you go without sugar, dairy, grains, legumes, alcohol and processed foods for 30 days and only eat real, whole foods.  It changed my LIFE!  It’s an elimination program- not a weight loss diet- that helps you understand how certain foods affect you, and to rid yourself of addictions to things like SUGAR.  

After doing my first Whole30, I felt so good that I never really went back to eating the way that I used to.  I found out that for me, eating a little rice, corn, and small amounts of sugar were fine, but man… whenever I ate wheat, dairy, or processed sugars and foods, I felt it IMMEDIATELY.  I was instantly sluggish, had brain fog, was bloated and broke out. 

But the main point here is aging.  Sugar causes aging like you wouldn’t believe. Because INFLAMMATION causes aging!  Sugar is highly inflammatory, and most of us are addicted to it. I know for sure that I was! It is in EVERYTHING- not just sweets. Seasonings, dressings, soups, chicken broth, ketchup, sauces, and pretty much anything that is processed.  Guys, long story short, sugar causes wrinkles and loss of elasticity in the skin and we are all better off reducing it– like 10-years-younger better!!! Since it is truly an addictive drug, I believe whole-heartedly (no pun intended) in the Whole30 to help rid you of this addiction.  I feel and look so much better. If you are thinking of doing one, I HIGHLY recommend that you read the book, It Starts With Food.  It really helped me to be successful and to continue eating better by changing my habits and lifestyle.

Do I still eat sugar?  Yes I do, in moderation.  However, I know my limits and it does not have a hold on me anymore!  I really believe my skin looks a thousand times better than it would had I not started eating a more clean diet with less sugar and processed foods.  

3. DRINK UP

Drink a CRAP TON of water.  Y’all.  Any celebrity that has incredible skin after the age of 40 drinks more water than you could ever imagine.  Gabrielle Union, who is 47 years old but literally looks like she is in her twenties, drinks a gallon a day.  She said her hair, skin and nails completely changed as soon as she started doing this.  I love water, guys.  And I drink sooooo much.  Not only does it flush your system of toxins and aid in digestion, but it helps your entire body and brain function at the highest level.  On top of that, drinking a lot of water makes skin look incredible!!  A couple of tips:

• Try to drink filtered water if you can.  We had a reverse osmosis system installed under our sink that has a little faucet installed next to the regular one.    I also think that Alkaline/ph  water is great.

• Another tip that I have for you is to get yourself a very large water bottle.  I use Nalgene’s 48 oz bottle.  I drink 2 1/2or 3 of them a day.  That is anywhere from 120 oz to over a gallon.

• Right before bed, I fill my bottle up and set it next to my bed on my side table.  That way, when I wake up in the morning, the first thing I do is drink about a third of the bottle.  That starts my day right and I get a good amount of fluids into my body before I do anything else!

• One other tip is to follow influencers who remind you to drink your water!  Every morning, Mattie James starts her stories with a slide of her filling up her glass with water and poll that asks:  Did you drink your 12 oz yet?  And my friend Casey of The Mouvement, also gives us lots of reminders to get your water in for the day.

• Finally, how much should you drink? Take your body weight and divide it by two.  Whatever that number is, THAT’S the number of ounces you should be drinking. This is the bare minimum, so try to work your way up to this number and then keep going!

4. A WORD: TURMERIC.

TAKE YOUR TURMERIC! You guys, did you know that turmeric can help with detox, depression, pain, and might even kill cancer cells?  It also helps with sleep, and, NEWS FLASH: Inflammation!! Dr. Axe compiled an entire article on this and cites this research as well. https://draxe.com/nutrition/turmeric-curcumin-benefits/

Since turmeric helps with inflammation, it also helps with, you guessed it, ANTI AGING!  If you aren’t taking your turmeric, you’re missing one of the best ways to keep your skin and body looking supple and fit.

I take Turmeric two ways:

• Tablet form.  The one I like is by MegaFoods because all of their supplements are food grade, which makes them easier to digest.  In order for turmeric to absorb into your system properly, it MUST BE combined with black pepper.  The mega foods supplement has that, AND tart cherry, which is great for pain.   I don’t really take Advil or Tylenol anymore.  Instead I pop a Megafoods Turmeric supplement for pain.   

• Warm Beverage before bed. Rob and I have been drinking the Gold Tea from Organifi (15% off with my code: ANNAMAE) and I cannot say enough great things about it! We fall asleep so fast, and the tea is a treat plus a relaxing bedtime ritual. It’s so good! Spicy cinnamon, coconut, and sweet like honey- I don’t know what I did before this stuff! It also contains black pepper, reishi mushroom and lemon balm to promote a deep sleep and immunity. Bottom line: Get your turmeric and get younger!

5. SLEEP. Beauty sleep is a real thing. While we sleep, our bodies renew, repair and recover in every way- from our brains, to our eyes, to our skin and hair. Sleep is important if you want to look great, among other benefits!

I’ve already given you one tip for better sleep (turmeric night time drink), But here are a few more:

• Try to turn off your screens well before bed, and to schedule “night shift” on your apple products starting at 6 pm.  It really helps your brain to get into sleep mode, since blue light at night can cause sleeplessness, depression, and really messes with your sleep cycle.  You can also invest in blue light-blocking glasses. I have been wearing a pair by Prive Riveau.  

• Also, take magnesium.  I take about 400 mg every night (magnesium glycinate which is easier to digest) and it contributes to a good night sleep.  I have a magnesium spray that I make (I have an IGTV and a highlight on how to make it here) since it is easier to absorb magnesium through the skin.  You can also take a bath in magnesium flakes -it is so soothing, and it helps with pain.

• Finally, every night, I use essential oils like lavender, cedarwood and frankincense which are great for diffusing, or massaging a few drops directly onto my chest.  

BONUS TIP:  LAUGH!  Rob and I laugh SO much.  We are really weird and we are always doing stupid things to make each other laugh.  If laughter is not your thing, then just try to find joy in the little stuff.  Proverbs 17:22 says, “A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones.”  Joy is an anti-aging ingredient that is free. Finding joy and gratitude for the blessings in my life keep me feeling and looking youthful.  

That’s all for this edition of “Everybody and Their Mother Monday!” I hope this was helpful! Oh, and if you click on some of those links above and purchase from there, I might earn some money for showing you the things that I really love. I hope you think that’s as cool as I do!