There may not be a fountain of youth, but the food we eat and how we treat our bodies can prevent or even reverse aging. Your body needs the right nutrients to fight off damage, and your skin is no different. Nutrients help the cells replicate and have more energy. Processed foods, stress, toxins and low-nutrient diets will accelerate aging. Protecting yourself from harmful chemicals while getting enough sleep, relaxation and exercise will all help you maintain a healthy glow.

WAYS TO KEEP YOUR SKIN HEALTHY

Eat Foods With Antioxidants

Antioxidants are the best resources your body has to fight disease and aging by reducing damage and inflammation. Inflammation is a leading cause of wrinkle formation. Some of the best sources of antioxidants include:

• Nuts
• Seeds
• Purple grapes
• Pomegranates
• Blueberries
• Acai berries
• Goji Berries
• Spinach
• Raspberries
• Dark Chocolate (70% or higher of cocoa content)
• Organic green tea

Have A Rainbow-colored Plate of Food

Free radicals form in our bodies and cause major damage to our cell structures. The different nutrient-rich foods we eat neutralize them. You need to consume the widest variety of antioxidants you can to fight off the different kinds of free radicals. Think about what colors you’ve missed throughout the day, and try to incorporate them into your next meal.

Get Enough Vitamin C

A diet rich in Vitamin C leads to fewer wrinkles. Researchers have found that skin exposed to Vitamin C for long periods of time can produce up to eight times more collagen!

Cleanse Your Body

A buildup of toxins in the body due to the air, water, and food causes damage to the body as well as aging. Detoxing by way of a juice cleanse is recommended for the body to be able to focus on energy production and eliminating toxins. Simply having a glass of water with a squeezed lemon first thing in the mornings is also very cleansing. You could also use a cleanse supplement to help with your cleanse as well.

Eat Healthy Fats

Incorporating foods such as avocados, olive oil, flax seeds, nuts, and fish into your diet is important. The fatty acids are crucial for your skin to look youthful.

Getting Enough Sleep

Your skin rejuvenates and repairs itself mostly while you are sleeping. Make sure that you not only sleep for eight hours a night, but that it is quality sleep. If you feel you are getting too much sleep or not enough try switching up your sleep routine and find the best one that fits you.

Exercising

Exercising will help increase the circulation of oxygen and nutrients and releases toxins through sweat, which leads to clearer, firmer skin. Remember to smile, It’s the best exercise for your face.

Protect Yourself From The Sun

One of the most important ways to take care of your skin is to protect it from the sun. A lifetime of sun exposure can cause wrinkles, age spots, and other skin problems— as well as increasing the risk of skin cancer. Below are some ways you can help protect your skin from the sun:

• Use Sunscreen. Use a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15. Apply sunscreen generously, and reapply every two hours— or more often if you’re swimming or perspiring.
• Seek Shade. Avoid the sun between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., when the sun’s rays are the strongest.
• Cover your skin with tightly woven long-sleeve shirts, long pants, and wide-brimmed hats. Also consider laundry additives, which give clothing an additional layer of ultraviolet protection for a certain number of washings, or special sun-protective clothing— which is specifically designed to block ultraviolet rays.

Treat Your Skin Gently

Daily cleansing and shaving can take a toll on your skin. To keep it gentle here are some tips below:

• Limit bath time. Hot water and long showers or baths remove oils from your skin. Limit your bath or shower time, and use warm— rather than hot— water.
• Avoid strong soaps. Strong soaps and detergents can strip oil from your skin. Instead,  choose mild cleansers.
• Shave carefully. To protect and lubricate your skin, apply shaving cream, lotion or gel before shaving. For the closest shave, use a clean, sharp razor. Shave in the direction the hair grows, not against it.
• Pat Dry. After washing or bathing, gently pat or blot your skin dry with a towel so that some moisture remains on your skin.
• Moisturize dry skin. If your skin is dry, use a moisturizer that fits your skin type. For daily use, consider a moisturizer that contains SPF.

Manage Stress

Uncontrolled stress can make your skin more sensitive and trigger acne breakouts and other skin issues. To encourage healthy skin— and a healthy state of mind— take steps to manage your stress. Get enough sleep, set reasonable limits, scale back your to-do list and make time to do the things you enjoy. The results might be more dramatic than you expect.

Don’t Smoke

Smoking makes your skin look older and contributes to wrinkles. Smoking narrows the tiny blood vessels in the outermost layers of the skin, which decreases blood flow and makes skin paler. This also depletes the skin of oxygen and nutrients that are important to skin health.

Smoking also damages collagen and elastin— the fibers that give your skin strength and elasticity. In addition, the repetitive facial expressions you make when smoking— such as pursing your lips when inhaling and squinting your eyes to keep smoke out— can contribute to wrinkles.

In addition, smoking increases your risk of squamous cell skin cancer. If you smoke, the best way to protect your skin is to quit. Ask your doctor for tips or treatments to help you stop smoking.

Clean Your Makeup Brushes

A British study found that 72% of women never wash their brushes or sponges, even though they collect dirt and bacteria which can cause breakouts-not what you want when you’re trying to get better skin. You can mix a couple of drops of gentle facial cleanser or shampoo and lukewarm water in a cup, swish your brushes around, rinse with lukewarm water, pat dry, and lay flat to air dry.

Keep Your Phone Clean

According to a Stanford University study, that iPhone you can’t keep your hands off, can get more germ-infested than a toilet in a public bathroom. In fact, the glass touch screens on mobile devices are so good at spreading viruses that sharing them may be almost as bad as sneezing in someone’s face. Here’s a scary thought: All those germs land right on your cheek and jawline every time you chat away, causing spots and irritation To keep your phone (and face) bacteria-free, pop a handy pack of anti-bacterial wipes in your and to remind you to give it prednisone a clean.