Skin Care and Diet Tips for Your 40’s
Middle-aged? Forget it – you’ve hardly started. In 1901, a woman’s life expectancy was 49 and a man’s was 45; it’s now 81 for women and 76 for men in the UK. In the 21st century, 40-something isn’t the beginning of the end; it’s the start of a fabulous, feisty decade.
- At the age of 40, 30 per cent of skin cells are still active.
- In your late 40s, you’ll be producing less oestrogen (the hormone that controls collagen and elastin production and moisture retention) so it’s important to maintain a high-level antioxidant diet to combat damaging free radicals.
- The metabolism and digestive system slow down around this age.
- Vitamin A and retinoids (chemicals that encourage the production of new skin cells) give skin a smoother appearance. Vitamin C will help boost collagen and elastin levels in your skin, making it look younger.
- Our skin becomes drier as oil production drops and wrinkles become more defined on our face as our skin thins.
- Skin texture becomes coarser as dead skin cells build up on the surface.
It’s not always easy to avoid stress, especially as most people in their 40s have hectic lifestyles, balancing the needs of family, home and work. But there’s no doubt that your body will now cope less well with stress and lack of sleep.
Muscle wasting also increases as we age. As we grow older our muscles become less sensitive to the proteins we eat which are needed for muscle renewal. However, you can kick-start the release of growth hormone by taking vigorous exercise (a brisk walk will do). If you eat a meal rich in lean protein (such as steak or salmon) up to an hour after exercise, the combination of growth hormone and protein makes muscle maintenance much more likely.
Now is the time to look long and hard at your diet. What you ate a decade ago may no longer suit your body’s needs. Hormone-and oestrogen-balancing foods are key if you want to feel healthy and avoid the more damaging effects of ageing.
- Try a pesco-vegetarian diet – eating mainly fish and vegetables.
- Eat at least five servings of fruit and vegetables a day (smoothies and soups are a great way of eating two or three servings in one go).
- Oily fish, such as sardines, mackerel and salmon, not only help guard against inherited problems such as heart disease, arthritis and osteoporosis, but are fantastic at preserving beautiful skin thanks to the essential fatty acids they contain.
- Not all fat is bad fat. You need healthy fat in your diet to keep the wrinkles away and avoid leathery, wrinkly dry skin.
- Legumes (chickpeas, lentils and beans) will help you cope with the impending menopause.
- Copper can slow down the degeneration of body tissues which will help keep the skin looking plump and glowing. Copper-rich foods include nuts, soya beans, peas, lentils, whole grains and oysters.
- Drink lots of water; it hydrates and moisturizes the skin and helps the digestion.
- Cut your salt intake; avoid ready-made meals, bags of crisps, etc.
- Take potassium, calcium and magnesium supplements which help to lower blood pressure.