4 Natural Anti-Wrinkle Solutions

While it’s a given that we will all age (as long as we are living), many people spend the second half of their lives working to erase the evidence of their years on earth. Wrinkles, age spots, sagging skin—they are all evidence of age and for many, they are an unwelcome reminder that our time here is limited. Fortunately, taking good care of your skin can help you retain a youthful appearance throughout the years.

As we age, our skin gets thinner, dryer, and loses elasticity, contributing to the signs of aging. When you add sun damage, smoking, dehydration, and the effects of some medications, these wrinkle-inducing changes are only worsened. While you will age, some of the changes you make now could reduce the visible signs of aging, or at least slow them down. Aloe vera in particular is seen as a powerful solution for wrinkles, but of course the solutions don’t stop there.

Here are 4 other ways to reduce wrinkles naturally:

1. Hydrate

Dehydration can have immediate effects on your skin. Just as dehydrating a grape leaves it wrinkled and aged beyond its years, so does depriving yourself of water.

Last year, a 42-year old British woman made headlines when she went from her water-abstaining ways to drinking a gallon a day. The changes were remarkable. (You can see her photos here). In just four weeks, she took years off her appearance. Her skin was even-toned, wrinkles reduced, and eyes brighter.

2. Stop Smoking

If you’re still smoking, with all the information out there detailing its damaging effects, it’s time you kicked the habit. According to GreenMedInfo, one 2010 study looked at 64 smoking women and found that they looked an average of 9 years older than their actual age. Further, after 9 months of not smoking, they were able to reduce their age-appearance by 13 years– clear evidence you can reverse skin damage from smoking.

3. Increase Fat Consumption

A study involving 716 Japanese women found that those who had the greatest intake of total fat, saturated fat, and monounsaturated fat, also had the greatest skin elasticity. Not all fats are created equal, however. Stick with natural sources like coconut and olive oils,  nuts and seeds, grass-fed meats and dairy products, and wild caught salmon.

Read: Home Remedies for Stretch Marks

4. Eat more Vegetables

The same Japanese study found that those women who ate the most green and yellow vegetables had the fewest wrinkles. These vegetables are rich in antioxidants and beta carotene. You can get more of these anti-wrinkle compounds in things like: kale, broccoli, cabbage, collards, spinach, bell peppers, tomatoes, and squash.

Hopefully, you will age (the alternative is an unpleasant thought). But your appearance doesn’t have to leave you collecting a senior citizen’s discount before your time. Taking good care of your skin through simple, natural methods will help you age gracefully and feel better in the process.