Feel and look younger with these easy-to-follow tips that boost your energy and more.
Wouldn’t it be nice if we could “plug” ourselves in to feel brand new, just like our devices? Unfortunately, the body is a bit more complex than that. The good news is that there are plenty of habits and tips you can follow that do make a big difference in your energy and help you feel and look younger naturally.
What Causes Low Energy and Premature Aging?
Up to half of adults complain of fatigue, low energy, or signs of early aging. The trouble is that rather than supporting the body to create its own energy naturally, most people mask their fatigue with stimulants like coffee and sugar. This perpetuates the low energy cycle and can even set you up for long-term health conditions. So, what’s really at the root of low energy and aging?
Insufficient sleep
It’s no surprise that low energy and early aging are closely linked to poor sleep. Regularly getting less than the recommended 8 hours of sleep per night builds up a sleep deficit that drains your energy and can lead to serious health conditions. Just like we charge our devices or put them in sleep mode to function fast and efficiently, we need to do the same for our bodies.
Nutrient deficiencies
Food is the fuel that gives us the energy to take on our days. If your diet lacks the necessary nutrients your organs need to function, you’ll feel tired, foggy-headed, and even ill. A lack of essential nutrients will also affect your skin’s natural defenses and may lead to early wrinkles, lines, and sagging.
Stress
Chronic stress is one of the most common reasons we feel low in energy. Living in a constant state of stress leads to hormone imbalances, especially in the adrenal hormones cortisol and adrenaline. Over time, the adrenal glands wear out and we experience adrenal fatigue. Having natural energy and youthfulness starts with taking good care of yourself. That means getting enough rest, eating the right foods, and staying active.
12 Simple Tips to Look Younger and Have More Energy
Here are 12 simple habits that help you stop the energy drain, feel revitalized, and help you look younger – mind, body, and skin!
1) Improve your sleep with Yoga Nidra.
Your sleep impacts nearly every aspect of your health – especially your energy levels. The best way to wake up with energy is to improve your sleep the night before. Easier said than done, right? It doesn’t have to be. Getting better sleep starts with sticking to a sleep schedule, reducing distractions in your bedroom, and avoiding screen time before bed.
For even better sleep, try Yoga Nidra. Yoga Nidra is often called “yogic sleep” because it trains the mind and body to relax into a sleep-like state. But, you can also use Yoga Nidra to help you fall asleep faster and enjoy a more restorative rest.
2) Cook with healthy fats.
Are you worried that cooking with fat will sabotage your weight loss goals or lead to health issues? The truth is, the right kind of fats are a necessary nutrient if you want to keep your youthful, resilient skin and enjoy lasting energy.
The best types of fat to eat for energy and youthful skin are omega-3 fatty acids. You can find these in fatty fish like salmon and mackerel, oysters, flaxseed, chia seeds, and walnuts. Try cooking with canola, flaxseed, avocado, or walnut oil instead of vegetable oil or butter.
3) Diversify your gut microbiome.
Did you know that your energy levels and skin quality are directly influenced by the trillions of bacteria living in your gut? Through the gut-brain and the gut-skin axes, the balance of these tiny organisms can make or break your health.
A rich and diverse microbiome is ideal to support the nervous, immune, and endocrine systems, as well as the skin. The trouble is, our diets are much less diverse than they used to be, containing mostly simple carbs and not enough vegetables, probiotics, and prebiotics. This leads to lower diversity in the gut and a thriving population of harmful bacteria. The lower your microbiome diversity, the more likely you are to experience issues like low energy or skin conditions and aging.
If you regularly experience fatigue, brain fog, mood swings, digestive upset, allergies, blemishes, or other skin conditions, your gut microbiome could be in need of some serious TLC.
The first step is to eliminate or reduce the foods that harm your microbiome: processed foods, sugar, dairy, and other inflammatory foods. Next, replenish your gut health with a variety of whole foods, fiber, prebiotics, and probiotics (like Aceva’s Ultrabiotic).
4) Load up on antioxidants.
One of the best ways to promote both younger-looking skin and good energy levels is with antioxidants. Antioxidants fight “oxidation.” Think of what happens when you cut an apple. Over time, the once crisp, white flesh of the apple becomes brown and mushy. This same oxidation process happens to our cells when we are exposed to harmful free radicals, toxins, and stress. Over time, oxidation depletes our energy, weakens our immune systems, and speeds up the aging process.
Eating foods that are rich sources of antioxidants is a simple antidote. An antioxidant-rich diet reduces the signs of aging and gives you a natural energy boost. Plus, these antioxidants help keep you fit and healthy, preventing cell damage and chronic health conditions.
To eat more antioxidants, add foods like leafy greens, berries, herbs, spices, and colorful produce to your diet. Or, add Aceva’s Absolute Greens to your morning smoothie or glass of water. One scoop gives you the antioxidant benefits of 50 superfoods while boosting your energy naturally.
5) Avoid the afternoon slump with smarter snacks.
When 2 o’clock rolls around, do you find yourself reaching a sugary snack? While a treat feels like a quick fix to get you through your afternoon, sugar depletes your energy in the long run and wreaks havoc on your skin.
Instead of sweets, opt for snacks that boost your energy naturally. Choose protein or healthy fat-based snacks over sugary treats. Sugar offers a quick jolt of energy, but you’ll soon feel the consequences. Protein and healthy fats offer a better source of energy without the energy crash or inflammation.
Try these better-for-you ideas:
- Natural trail mix
- Nut butter
- Hummus
- Bone broth
- Energy balls
- Green smoothies
6) Trade in coffee for green tea.
Green tea is a great alternative to coffee or sugary sodas. Like coffee, green tea contains caffeine. But, because of its additional calming and healing compounds (like L-theanine and EGCG), green tea helps you strike the perfect balance between calm and alert. No jitters, no dehydration, no headaches. As a bonus, green tea’s impressive antioxidant profile is great for improving the look and feel of your skin.
7) Start the day with an invigorating facial cleanse.
Antioxidants aren’t just for eating. When you use antioxidants topically on the skin, they increase blood flow to the skin, repair sun damage, reduce inflammation, clear acne, and neutralize the free radicals that break down collagen to fight the aging process.
Many beauty businesses use the power of antioxidant plant extracts to give their topical products age-fighting properties. But you don’t have to spend a fortune on skin care products to reap the benefits of antioxidants. There are tons of DIY facial masks that you can use with powerful antioxidant foods you likely already have in your kitchen!
Here are some of the best antioxidant facial mask ingredients to use in homemade face masks for youthful skin and energy:
- Raw honey: Raw honey is a powerful antioxidant with antibacterial properties that prevent acne and skin inflammation. Honey is also highly nourishing and leaves skin soft and glowy.
- Apple cider vinegar: Apple cider vinegar balances the skin’s pH. This helps keep your skin in that perfect condition: not too dry (which can lead to wrinkles) or too oily (which can lead to breakouts).
- Turmeric: Turmeric is used in Ayurvedic skincare routines as an anti-inflammatory and anti-aging ingredient.
- Spirulina: Spirulina is a green-blue alga that encourages skin detoxification and healthy skin cell turnover.
8) Get daily support with a high-quality multivitamin.
Your body needs a wide range of macro and micronutrients just to power your everyday functions. If you want to boost your energy and feel younger, you’ll need even more support.
While a healthy diet and regular exercise will help improve your energy substantially, it’s not always enough to get all the vitamins and minerals you need to thrive. Taking a daily multivitamin is the easiest and most efficient way to supplement your current diet. But beware: not all multivitamins are created equal.
Aceva’s Daily Balance is the most trusted multivitamin by AlignLife Chiropractors. It offers comprehensive, potent multi-nutrient support through a blend of essential vitamins, complete B-complex, minerals, and antioxidants. Daily Balance uses only bioavailable forms of over 27 nutrients, so you can rest easy knowing your body is fully benefiting from every dose.
9) Take advantage of Vitamin C.
Vitamin C is known as the cold-and-flu-fighter, but its benefits go so much further. This antioxidant vitamin also boosts your energy and revitalizes your skin.
Eat plenty of vitamin C-rich fruits and vegetables (like citrus, kiwi, and tomato) or get your C through a supplement like Daily Balance. Then, use skin care products with vitamin C topically to brighten your skin tone and promote collagen and elastin production.
10) Stay active.
When you’re tired, the last thing you want to do is lace up your sneakers and exercise. But movement is exactly what you need! Research shows that exercise increases circulation, oxygenation, and mitochondria levels in the body – all benefits that lead to a boost in energy. As a bonus, regular exercise enhances your body’s detoxification processes, which leads to clearer, healthier skin.
Before you hit the gym, remember to keep your exercise intensity in the moderate range. Exercising too hard or for too long can deplete your energy levels and leave you feeling more fatigued than before. Aim to exercise at 70% of your potential.
11) Fight stress with scheduled me-time.
A schedule full of work and family commitments with no time for yourself is a recipe for fatigue and accelerated aging. Reclaim your energy by taking back your me-time.
Me-time doesn’t have to be extravagant to make an impact. Even a few 5-minutes breaks throughout the day can help you fight the stress that causes fatigue and aging.
When you have more time to dedicate to yourself, consider going for a facial. This is a natural way to improve the look and feel of your skin while your mind and body get some extra rest.
12) See your chiropractor.
Consistently struggling with low energy isn’t something to brush off. It’s a signal from your body that something is out of balance. Misalignments in your spine can hinder the proper blood flow and functioning of your organs. Over time, your body has to work harder to do its daily functions leaving you feeling exhausted even after a normal day.
Chiropractic care realigns your spine so all organ systems can function at their best. Your chiropractor can also help you adjust your posture, improve your sleep, and determine which diet and exercise programs will work best to relieve your fatigue from the root.
Ready to Feel Younger and Have More Energy?
It’s time to reset your battery the holistic way. Through spinal adjustments, nutritional consultations, and lifestyle advice, our chiropractors are ready to help you start feeling younger and more energized naturally. Ready to make a change, look younger, and have more energy? Schedule an appointment with your local AlignLife Chiropractor to get started on the path to vibrant energy today!
