Liz Thompson
Aging is a controversial topic. On the one hand, we hate the thought of wrinkles and age spots, not to mention disease and decline. But, let’s face it, we all want to get older because the alternative stinks.
Since hitting 40 I have tried to embrace aging. In general, I have always been of the “You are as old as you think you are” adage, but have noticed a few, albeit subtle, changes. My once normal skin is getting drier (as is my hair) and there is a little more sagging and a few extra fine lines.
But really, do we want to look 25 (or 30) when we are 40 and up, or do we want to look healthy for our own age?
An article from Weleda’s WE Magazine really tells it like it is but in a very uplifting and positive way. They lay out the facts, but also put a few notions out there that you don’t usually read about. Check out this paragraph from the article:
If it’s reassuring to know we age at our own individual rate, NIA research is also helping us understand other aspects of the effects of time on the body, such as the distinction between aging and disease. A study of patients over a 50-year period showed that even though our bodies over time become more delicate and can decline in certain ways, these changes are distinct from diseases. In other words, if we take care of ourselves, we can avoid maladies such as diabetes, hypertension or dementia and even minimize or overcome any genetic predispositions. Through a proactive approach, we can affect our aging processes for long-term health and vitality.
Cool, huh? And we all know what it takes to do that; eating a healthy, balanced diet, exercising regularly, keeping stress to a minimum and eliminating as many toxins from our lifestyle as possible. Love Lula has a great guide to keeping you looking and feeling your best.
It sounds so cliché but true beauty really is inner beauty. Who do you think looks more beautiful, the woman who is all made up and “perfect” or the woman who obviously takes care of herself and seems comfortable with who she is? For me it’s hands down the latter.
Image: Lucas Janin at Flickr.com, Creative Commons license.
