How to prevent and reverse aging

women today are looking fit and fabulous at any age. So how do you go about reversing aging?

by Linda Leibl — 

Anti-aging and wellness are hot topics these days. Everywhere you turn, there is more information about looking and feeling younger. Even grandmothers look younger these days — not like they did 10 or 20 years ago. As you’re hearing everywhere, the new 50 looks 30, the new 60 looks 40, and today’s 70 frequently passes for 50! That’s right: women today are looking fit and fabulous at any age. So how do you go about reversing aging?

Making yourself over

Everything and everyone is being made over, from your closet and home improvements to your smile, dental enhancements, and nips and tucks. While some of your friends may brave the surgical knife to have cosmetic procedures done, others may be more reluctant to undergo such extreme measures.

Those of us who tend to take a more cautious approach may be drawn to the medical procedures and noninvasive techniques that are advertised as quick and painless. However, if the procedure requires supervision by a medical doctor, understand there must be reasons why he is on call or on the property.

Do your research up front and be sure to ask lots of questions about the process. Make sure your questions are answered thoroughly and to your satisfaction. If the office staff avoids answering any questions, thank them for their time and ask that one of the professional medical staff members calls you back. If you feel you were treated unprofessionally on the phone, you may want to look elsewhere or even consider rethinking this procedure or technique altogether.

All too often, concerned clients tell me their stories and ask my opinion after they have already undergone their treatment. Do your homework, ask all your questions up front and listen to your intuition. There are many great choices out there. Ask friends whose opinion you value which practitioners they are seeing. Always ask for referrals to help you choose wisely. If a particular treatment does not feel right, do not proceed.

Facial Sculpturing Treatment

An important first step to stopping — and reversing — the signs of aging is to find a great facialist or aesthetician whose services extend beyond the face to other areas of the body.

The aesthetic and wellness industry attracts all levels of professionalism. There are infinitely different types of facials, from superficial, medium and deep peels to non-chemical and chemical peels, as well as treatments using different types and percentages of acids. There are also injectables, fillers, fat-transferred procedures, non-surgical facelifts, laser resurfacing, lasers such as IPL and Fraxel, LED light therapy, Titan Thermage, microcurrent, microdermabrasion and oxygen infusion.

My favorite is the Hollywood Facial Sculpturing Treatment. With it, there are no harmful side effects, no redness or swelling, no pain or discomfort, and no downtime or recovery. This treatment combines microdermabrasion and oxygen infusion, followed by the delivery of microcurrent into the face and body through specially designed conducting wands that are applied to specific acupuncture points. Because of its close proximity to the body’s current, it works on more of a cellular level.

The experience is described as wonderfully relaxing and euphoric, with no twitching of the muscles, and the age-defying results are remarkable. You might think this sounds too good to be true, and that is understandable. Nearly everyone using this protocol has been where you are now, but the skepticism of those who try this technique quickly fades … right along with their creases, lines, wrinkles and sagging skin.

From the inside out

There are many things you can do at home to rejuvenate your body and skin. You can start with what I call “the simple basics,” by working from the inside out.

1. Water intake. Drink half your weight in ounces. For example, if you weigh 130 pounds, drink at least 65 ounces of water each day.

2. Reduce or abstain altogether from the whites: bread, flour, rice, etc. White flour, bread and rice generally have very little nutritional value and are difficult to digest. Brown and wild rice have more nutritional value. Cornmeal and quinoa are wonderful alternatives for baking and for use in tasty, healthy dishes.

3. Avoid sugar and most sugar substitutes, such as Equal, NutraSweet, SweetN’ Low and Splenda, which are very unhealthy. Stevia is a natural substitute, if you are looking for a healthier alternative. Read the labels — this is a great place to begin when you want to live healthier. Remember, there are 10 teaspoons of sugar in a can of soda pop, and 27 teaspoons of sugar in a milkshake; not to mention the additives, artificial flavorings, colorings and chemicals.

4. Increase your intake of vegetables, fruits, grains, nuts and seeds. Think of it as going back to the time when people grew their own food. The farmers’ markets have wonderful selections of fresh, organic and local foods. See www.localharvest.com for listings of farmers’ markets in your area.

5. Think young. Remember, how you think almost always correlates to how you feel, so nurture your state of consciousness. Think young and you will feel young. Feel young and you will look younger.

Here’s to your health and happiness.

Linda Leibl, B.S., Cl.Aest., founded Advanced Skin Technology in Scottsdale, Ariz., in 1993. 480-443-3445 or [email protected].

Reprinted from AzNetNews, Volume 28, Number 1, Feb/Mar 2009.