To ensure that you continue to receive Looking Good
e-mails, please add michele@gophercentral.com to your
e-mail address book.

FOLLOW ME on Twitter.... Follow Me

Are you on Facebook? If you are, check out the Deal of
the Day fan page. You get exclusive offers and a new deal
every day. It is easy to become a fan, just click here and
hit the like button... Become A Fan


Skin & Premature Aging: Causes & Habits That Age Skin

Most people have a good idea about what things they should avoid to keep their body healthy, and their skin looking youthful.

However, there could be a few habits you practice daily
without a second thought that are causing you to age rapidly. Fortunately, the dreaded problem of premature aging is easily avoided if you know what to watch out for.

So read ahead to learn what lifestyle habits can cause your
skin to age more rapidly.

Habits That Cause Skin Aging:

Tobacco Use

Inhaling cigarette smoke either directly or indirectly can
age your skin. Smokers and those who associate with smokers will slowly see their amount of wrinkles increase, and their skin will become dry. Also, when you put a cigarette up to your mouth to inhale smoke, you are piercing your lips, and repeating this motion hundreds of times a day, which will create lines and wrinkles on your face. The smoke will also drain your Vitamin C, which is a crucial vitamin for healthy, supple skin.

The opinion of many scientists is that sun exposure and
smoking hold the same amount of risk when you�re exposed to either one in large amounts. So even if you aren�t the one smoking, but you�re in a group that does smoke, you�re still putting yourself in harm�s way. It is important to mention that there are many more harmful effects of smoking on skin.

Exposure to the Sun

There is a reason cosmetic companies are adding SPF in nearly every beauty product these days. And the reason is that the sun is damaging, and can cause wrinkles, sun spots, dry skin, sagging skin, leathery appearance and cancer. Even if you haven�t been very careful in the past, you may be able to reverse the appearance of sun damage to the skin by consulting a physician, and determining how damaged your skin is so you can correct the problem. It�s worth mentioning that only using products containing SPF isn�t protecting you fully from the sun�s rays. So you should always use a sunscreen that fights against UVA and UVB rays � this is something that holds true even on cloudy days.

Not Exercising

If your job requires you to sit at a desk or stand in one area for long periods of time, then you�re not getting the exercise needed to remove toxins from your body. Sweating induced by exercise will increase blood flow, tone muscles and also burn calories, thus giving you a slimmer waist. It will also allow toxins to leave your body instead of remaining sedentary inside of you. You may also find it interesting to know that a sedentary lifestyle in older adults will increase odds of suffering from dementia. Lastly, keep in mind that exercise is an instant mood-booster, so by feeling better and more confident, you will also appear younger.

Exposing yourself to Harsh Weather

There is nothing you can do to change the elements, but you can be better prepared to keep your skin from damaging winds and low temperatures. The cold temperatures that accompany winter tend to dry your skin, so it�s important to use a oisturizing lotion on your face and body daily to replenish the moisture in your skin. In some cases, you may find that a home humidifier will help keep your skin moisturized while you are using your home�s heating system.

Binge Drinking

When you drink alcohol, you are causing small blood vessels
in your skin to dilate, thus causing blood flow close to the
skin�s surface. Excessive drinking over time can damage these blood vessels permanently, which causes patchy red skin and sometimes broken vessels.

Worrying Too Much

Stressing over little things can cause you to age much
faster, but there are things you can do to relieve stress
such as exercise and meditation. The thing is, you may not
even know when you�re frowning or over-worrying about an
upcoming project. Even so, if you are stressing it could be
leaving you with a lot of sleepless nights, which is also
bad for your skin. You can try breathing exercises for
stress to become more relaxed and sleep better during the
night.

Sleep Deprived

If you�re staying out too late partying, the odds of
retaining beauty are against you. Not getting enough sleep
will create dark under-eye areas, wrinkles and a less
energetic you, which leads to skipping workouts and eating
fast food because you simply don�t have the energy to make
food at home. Sagging skin is also associated with not
getting enough sleep. It�s also been said that those who
don�t get between 7-9 hours of sleep every night will have
a negative point of view and little interest in socializing.

Some tips on helping you get plenty of sleep are to drink
less caffeine while you�re awake during the day. If you stop eating 2 hours before you go to bed, you will sleep better and set up a nightly bedtime routine.

Not Wearing Glasses

If you�ve been prescribed eye glasses or contacts and refuse
to wear them when needed, then you could be causing wrinkles and fine lines around your eyes and forehead. Squinting isn�t attractive on anyone, so it is better to wear the glasses or contacts you have so that you don�t develop worry lines.

Not Wearing Sunglasses

If you�ve been prescribed eye glasses or contacts, then you
should also consider purchasing a pair of sunglasses with your prescription. Even if you�re only walking out to your vehicle, walking into a store or driving in a car, your eyes will need protection. Don�t make it a habit to close one eye when the sun is bright; it is better to have a pair of sunglasses available for you to wear rather than struggling to see through the bright sunlight.