Caesar got older, and it showed. Aristotle got older, and it showed. For people in that time, the visible signs of aging were also indicators of great wisdom and experience – at least among men! We can be quite sure that the women tried very hard to iron out every wrinkle with various old-wives remedies and concoctions. Not fair, eh? Anti-aging was then, and even till recently, in the realm of science fiction. In our time, however, dermatologists and plastic surgeons have translated anti-aging from fiction to fact.
Unfortunately enough, aging is inevitable. There is no real magic wand that will turn back the clock. But there are now products and procedures that can make us look younger and better. If Egyptian queens Nefertiti and Cleopatra could set hearts-a-flutter even when well past their prime, there’s no reason why we shouldn’t – especially with all the technology we now have at our command. Remember how effortlessly Helen Mirren managed to look younger than her age in 'Prime Suspect'? That image hit the world pretty hard; and since then, a growing number of very young women with barely a wrinkle to show are booking themselves in for anti-aging treatments.
The Quest for Youth
The fabled fountain of youth has worn out many a brave knight on a quest-to-the-death. There’s even the apocryphal half-millennium-old story of a Spanish explorer, Juan Ponce de León, who actually found it - a mythical spring fabled to possess the ability to restore health and vitality. Now, almost five centuries later, researchers have discovered ways of replenishing the body with hormones and anti-oxidants that play a key role in slowing down the aging process. If not the fountain of youth, they may have found one of the minor tributaries that fill it.
In a society where everyone is judged by their appearance, even younger people are now choosing to undergo procedures like Botox™ to deal with early wrinkles, frown lines and brow creases. And such procedures are almost seen as part of the regular beauty routine, much like highlighting hair or getting teeth whitened. With all the makeover shows on television, new anti-aging cosmetics, and the general obsession with staying and looking young, it’s no surprise that people are willing to spend fortunes on such products and procedures.
Deep Cuts the Knife
So is there no way to look the way our favorite stars do without going under the knife? This is not an open-ended question; it’s a choice you need to make. And what is the true cost of these procedures?
A more holistic and natural approach may be to take anti-aging supplements. They boost the levels of DHA and melatonin – both building blocks for the body’s anti-aging hormones – and restore vitality. The principle behind any anti-aging supplement program is that the supplements work when the vitamins, minerals, or phytonutrients they provide are not present in right amounts in our diet.
Ideally, our bodies retrieve all this from fresh fruit and vegetables; but this is not always possible, not after a certain age. Before taking anti-aging supplements, it’s a good idea to consult your physician as some of these supplements may interfere with the normal functioning of the body or may cause side effects.
Rome Wasn’t Built Overnight
Anti-aging supplements are not miracle cures that will make you look younger overnight. They don’t offer immediate results like Botox™ or Restylane. But they will replenish the body with the required nutrients and vitamins that make us feel better and younger.
The aging process encompasses much more than just physiological changes of skin cells; there are psychological changes as well. Thus, whether you go for anti-aging supplements or surgical procedures, the best results can only be achieved when you shore up your body with a healthy lifestyle - a balanced diet, adequate sleep and plenty of water and exercise.
