One of the most profoundly impressive parts of our body is often the first we take for granted. It’s easy to look over our skin and see what appears to be an infinite number of imperfections. But how can you say that about our greatest line of defense against sickness, injury, and environmental assaults?
Every day your skin is on the defense - heat? Let’s regulate that. Pollution? Keep that out! Pathogens? Don’t even think about it. It’s an endless task of protection, and sometimes we get a little sidetracked about how hard our skin works that we throw shade at it at the first sign of wrinkles.
Although no one really likes the signs of getting older, it does show how effective our body is at keeping us safe. But oftentimes, those signs of aging also might mean your skin may need a little extra support. Rather than think of wrinkles or sunspots (and other signs of aging skin) as a not-so-subtle hint you’re getting older - it might be time to realign your thinking with the impressive power of your biology. Early signs of aging often are physical expressions your body might be underperforming and might even be suggesting exactly what you need to function at optimal health.
So if you’re looking to find the best way to prevent wrinkles and reduce your skin’s signs of aging, take a look at our list and see if you’ve already got all these tips and tricks down for optimal skin health.
1.Don’t Underestimate Hydration
One of the most powerful things we can do to improve our overall health inside and out is drinking more water. The average adult only consumes less than 4 glasses of water - that’s a far cry from typical recommendations that range from 8 glasses to a gallon! It’s not just our organs that need the hydration to help filter out toxins, keep cells functioning, regulate temperature, and so much more. Our skin needs it too!
Aside from keeping your skin hydrated, water helps keep the elasticity of your skin. As we age, our skin’s elasticity starts to fail and it doesn’t quite bounce back like it used to. That’s typically what we see when we notice our skin begin to wrinkle! So before you start purchasing expensive skincare products, check your hydration levels and start incorporating a couple of extra glasses of water in your daily routine.
2. Get Your Face Active!
It’s been pretty well documented that working out can help fight signs of aging. There are potential benefits to strength training and cardiovascular exercise that expand from heart health down to improving overall quality of life. But there are also a ton of benefits of regular exercise for your facial muscles too!
It might look strange, but focusing on ‘face yoga’ or other activities that stimulate the muscles in your face can improve blood circulation and cell turnover to fight normal signs of aging. Even just a few moments in the day of looking in the mirror and practicing isolated facial movements can radically improve the appearance of aging on your skin. By helping to reduce muscle atrophy in your face, you’re actually combating wrinkles and skin laxity.
3. Vitamin D and Sunlight
Taking care of your skin can mean taking preventative measures to reduce signs of aging - and one of the best ways to do that is by using natural sunblock options. The energy emitted from the sun is actually a form of radiation, and long-term exposure has a tendency to do damage to our skin. However, humans - and just about all of life on earth - have evolved to rely heavily on our sun for many physiological processes. One of the important ways our body has evolved with the sun has a lot to do with vitamin D. Although we can consume vitamin D in our diet, our skin is well equipped to generate it ourselves thanks to our relationship between the sun and our skin. This form of vitamin D is powerful and has a number of benefits to our health ranging from signs of aging on our skin, all the way to strengthening our bones.
That’s why it is important to get a couple of minutes of full-spectrum sunlight every day before we cover up with sunblock. Spending just 10-15 minutes a day out in the sun before you cover up or toss on sunscreen is equivalent to about 15,000 IU of vitamin D3 (not to mention gives you a healthy age-defying glow!).
4. Channeling Inner Health For Outward Health
Signs of aging (especially premature) might be a way your body is communicating an issue elsewhere. Our skin has an uncanny way of sending out warning signals that something is impacting our internal health - and nowhere has this been more evident than with gut health.
Because our gut microbiome has a very close relationship with our skin microbiome, signs that our gut ecosystem is in turmoil may be telegraphed right to the surface of our skin. This can be from signs of inflammation, dysbiosis, or other issues that can perpetuate an imbalance of our skin microbiota. If our diet is lacking in key nutrients, or even sensitive to certain foods we normally consume, these issues can permeate our skin and transform the landscape of our skin microbes. Disrupting their balance can cause acne, rosacea, and even include early signs of aging. If our skin is constantly fighting signs of inflammation or pathogens that are colonizing on our skin, the stress can disrupt normal skin cell function and reduce their ability to stay healthy or replicate.
Determining where your gut health stands might be one of the easiest ways to make changes to your skincare without spending bookoos of money on countless products that boast ‘results’ without treating the source of the issue. Though taking care of the needs of your skin and including topical retinol, vitamin E, and hyaluronic acid-rich products may support your skin cells, if your diet is harming their ability to function - you’re not likely to see results that match your investment.
5. Incorporating Anti-Aging Supplements To Your Routine
If you’re wondering whether certain supplements touting anti-aging properties work, the answer is yes - and maybe - and - have you checked in with your gut?
There are a number of powerful natural ingredients on the planet that have anti-aging properties. Some help increase cell turnover (allowing your cells to replicate and refresh). Others support the skin cell membrane, and others trigger Sirtuins: a family of proteins that support DNA and allow the cells to stay healthy, longer.
If you’ve tapped into our Health Intelligence Test, you may very well see a number of these impressive ingredients on your recommendations, ranging from NAD+ to collagen, turmeric to CoQ10, each a different supplement targeting different processes. They’re all very impressive - trust us, we’ve seen the research! - but without a healthy gut, your body may face an uphill battle in absorbing or even utilizing them. That’s why we focus heavily on balancing the gut microbiome so that our body is fully equipped to accept the benefits of many supplements - and some of those chosen in your unique formula help facilitate the healing potential of your dietary recommendations. It’s like putting together the perfect package of age-defying ingredients, with the foods and supplements needed to get them shipped and delivered with precision.
That’s why we’re always talking about helping your body do more with less and supporting its natural ability to heal itself. After all, the best anti-aging tricks don’t use pharmacology - they use your own, unique and natural biology.
The information on the Viome website is provided for informational purposes only and with the understanding that Viome is not engaged in rendering medical advice or recommendations. Viome provides this educational information to share the exciting developments being reported in the scientific literature about the human microbiome and your health. Viome products are not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
