Feel and Look Younger: 4 Ways to Age Gracefully.

We can forget that getting older is something to celebrate. Each birthday brings more life experience and appreciation. Yet, with every candle that gets added to the cake, a new wrinkle appears, an extra five pounds is gained and energy lags even more. Growing older as a woman is a beautiful process, and aging can be too without those side effects. These four tips can help keep you looking and feeling younger for graceful and empowering aging.

Follow Inspiring Insta Accounts

Instagram has grown to be more than a photo-sharing app for life’s highlight reel of enviable pics to share with followers. It can also serve as a resource for health and wellness tips and inspiration. Accounts like @mindbodygreen and @iamwellandgood post pictures that promote nutritious eating, influencers in the wellness scene, health trends, goal setting and motivational sayings. To discover the latest in products that innovatively restore youthfulness and prevent aging, follow accounts like Amway’s. Learn all about cutting-edge supplements and body treatments for living well inside and out.

Practice Self-Care

It doesn’t matter if you’re an entrepreneurial #bossbabe or stay-at-home mom, women are under pressure, whether we put pressure on ourselves or it’s thrust upon us. While caring for a family, achieving career goals or both, the stress of handling it all can wear on our mental, emotional and physical health. The effects of this stress are reflected in all aspects of our lives, from the mirror to our moods.

Woman who put themselves first can actually become better leaders in their lives by getting proper rest, refueling with nourishing food, and recharging with relaxation and enjoyable activities. Women may feel guilt for indulging in themselves; however, Guy Winch, PhD, licensed psychologist, advocates for the importance of self-care in his TED Talk — a reminder that it’s not only OK, but paramount, to take time to care for yourself. There’s no universal prescription for the best self-care regimen. Explore what makes you feel most revitalized. Introduce meditation to your routine, set a new fitness goal, make time to cook a nutritious meal or write in a journal.

Protect the Skin with Zinc Oxide

If there’s one ingredient to look for in a skin care product, it’s zinc oxide. This mineral blocks UVA and UVB rays by protecting on top of the skin as a barrier to the sun’s rays. Mineral sunscreen with 15-20 percent zinc oxide provides the best broad spectrum protection against sunspots, over chemical sunscreens. Dr. Josh Axe, DNM, DC, CNS, breaks down in detail how zinc oxide works, its origins and why it’s the top natural solution to prevent sun damage. Beauty Editor listed 18 of the best high-zinc sunscreens for summer of 2017 and what ingredients to look for.

Get Moving with HIIT

It’s no secret that physical activity is essential for healthy living, at any age. But a study released in spring 2017 and published in Cell Metabolism found that high-intensity interval training is the best type of anti-aging exercise — boosting the ability for cells to regenerate energy. HIIT consists of a quick intense workout with 100 percent effort, followed by a short rest, and is usually programmed to be between five and 15 minutes.

Older women who follow HIIT can experience improved lung, heart and circulation health, as stated by the New Scientist, along with increased mitochondrial activity to stunt aging. HIIT is also beneficial in preventing/reversing chronic health problems, lowering glucose levels, reducing body fat and improving the body’s ability to use oxygen more efficiently. DAREBEE offers a 30-day HIIT fitness program that requires no equipment for those with limited time and is suitable for any fitness level.