10 Simple Habits to Help You Live Longer and Look Younger

1. Bathe with Olive Oil.
We know that Olive oil is healthy for cooking but it is also good for your skin. Skin is made up of mainly fat, and you need high quality fats and oils from natural sources such as an Olive Oil, which is an excellent source of Vitamin E and essential fatty acids. Apply small amounts of Olive oil to moisturize dry skin, chapped lips, feet, elbows and your face. Olive oil resembles the natural oil that our body produces. You can also improve hair conditioning by soaking and rinsing your hair with it. It is inexpensive as well.

2. Eat healthy.
A healthy diet contains a balanced intake of complex carbohydrates, protein and fats. Whole-wheat pasta, beans, brown rice, potatoes all provides complex carbohydrates, which are very beneficial for your body. Complex carbohydrates keep control over hunger by preventing your blood-sugar level from dropping. Scientists have found that the use of complex carbohydrates is most effective for weight loss for a simple reason - complex carbohydrates will control your hunger and provide energy as your body is burning them more efficiently. Vegetables and marine (fish and shellfish) sources of protein are best for your heath and vitality.
Pasta, wheat bread, beans, and salads are also fiber rich. Fiber cleans your intestine and colon by moving unwanted substances quickly. This is important not only in fighting colon cancer but also in improving weight loss and making the skin glow. Eating fiber rich food with plenty of drinking water is a healthy formula for a great looking body and skin as well.

3. Drink Water.
Drinking plenty of water instead of calorie filled sodas is a healthy habit for not only weight loss but also for achieving luminous, smooth skin. Water flushes the kidneys and liver, enabling them to remove toxins.
It is not only excellent for your body but also for your brain as the intake of water fights dehydration, which can cause memory loss and senility over the long term. You may have to urinate more but your bladder will be eliminating unwanted substances.


4. Citrus Fruits and Vegetables are a must.
Antioxidants are essential for healthy skin. Spinach and other leafy greens - as well as green tea - contain vast amounts of antioxidants. Citrus fruits like oranges and grapefruit have vitamin C, which boosts the skin's production of collagen.
Collagen is essential for skin elasticity, and firmness, and prevents the onset of premature wrinkling.

5. Sleep well.
A sound sleep provides the backbone for your well-being. A restful sleep refreshes your mental and physical condition so that you feel energetic when you wake up the next day. Nighttime is Mother Nature's cue to rest your body after a hectic day filled with stressful events and anxiety. Hours of sleep before midnight are most effective for the body's renewal. Aim to develop the habit of sleeping a few hours before midnight to rest and restore your mind and body. Remember that sleep deprivation has a negative impact on the overall quality of your life.

6. Exercise daily.
Exercise is the most effective way to counteract the effects of aging.
Regular exercise improves muscle mass and raises the level of HDL (High Density Lipoproteins) cholesterol - the "good" cholesterol - in your body.
Exercise makes the body stronger and leaner which, in turn, makes you look and feel both younger and healthier.
Exercise is also the most effective way to control weight.
The benefits of weight control are many - a healthier heart, a lower risk of Type 2 diabetes, more energy and younger looks are just a few.

7. Practice Yoga or Meditation daily.
Your breathing slows; blood pressure decreases and stress hormone levels fall during the yoga or meditation practice.
The beauty of yoga and meditation lies in their ability to create restful awareness.
Your body rests while your mind is still active, yet quiet.
Regular practice of meditation or yoga leads to less hypertension, blood pressure, heart disease and stress.
A stronger body/mind connection is vital for feeling younger and healthier.

8. Fast for a day.
Fasting is an excellent way to detoxify your body. It's a period of time allocated to avoiding food intake. Fasting detoxifies your body by giving the organs a rest and also brings natural healing by cleansing out the body. Fasting also detoxifies your mind by eliminating anxiety, hypertension and stress. The process helps speed up weight loss, which in turn brings feelings of better health. However, before embarking upon any detoxification it is essential that you first seek the advice of a qualified Health care professional.

9. Develop healthy relationships.
Every relationship portrays us by revealing our view of others. A healthy relationship means changing the way we perceive the other person. It is essential to transform a toxic relationship into a harmonious relationship for a healthy and happy life. List the traits of the person involved in the toxic relationship. Your list may include - greedy, rude, self-centered, controlling. You may be surprised if you ask someone if any of these traits mirror your own personality. As you squash your desire to judge the other person with a grudge, you will feel a new understanding of the positive and pleasant characteristics of that person. Relationships are strengthened when needs are met by both parties. Try to understand the needs of the other person and do the best in your capacity to meet those needs. A healthy relationship will reduce stress, anxiety and other toxic emotions and make you feel healthier and happier.

10. Have a positive attitude.
The Placebo effect on the state of our health is well known. Numerous studies have shown that when both doctor and patient believe in a specific treatment, the rate of success goes up significantly. My mother was told to remain bed ridden after losing her kidney yet her own perception and optimism won. She still lives an active life at the age of 72. Whatever you anticipate happening with your heath will likely happen. You can use the effect of thoughts on your health to good advantage by breeding positivity in your life.
We live a life of choices. Why not choose habits that can lead us to feel younger and live longer? Are there any habits that you can reveal to all of us which help you to feel younger and love longer? You may make difference in our world by sharing those habits.
The only way to keep your health is to eat what you don't want, drink what you don't like, and do what you'd rather not.