Health and Beauty at Forty can be your reality!

Forty and fabulous! If you have checked out your Instagram feed, Facebook stories or beauty articles, you must have stumbled across wonderful women who are absolutely rocking their forties. So, what’s the secret to health and beauty at forty?

Be it Jenifer Aniston or Jenifer Lopez, Shilpa Shetty or Malaika Arora, these women are just defying the concept of ageing. Forty just looks like the bold and beautiful version of twenty.

And the secret to their enviable health and beauty at forty is not something exclusive and extravagant. They are not hiding behind tons of make-up or crucifying corsets. Neither its some fancy surgery or lavish therapy!

Then what is it? 

Is it some new elixir of youth that these ladies have got their hands on?

Really? No. The concept of reverse ageing has been there for ages! It was just the absence of social media that our ancestors could not flaunt it.

So, what’s the secret of these ageless beauties. Let’s unveil.

Health and Beauty at forty: 7 Things every woman at 40 should do

They say beauty fades with age. And I tell you it’s a lie. 

With grace and elegance, you can be a breath-taking beauty at any age. 

One thing that makes a huge difference in your health and beauty is your body. By keeping it fit and toned you can deceive any age.

Check out these seven simple tips to keep your body healthy and beautiful at forty:

1. A bounteous breakfast

Never skip breakfast!

A bounteous breakfast is very essential to keeping the weight down and metabolism up. A nutritious breakfast in the morning makes you energized and keeps your hunger pangs down.

A study revealed that women who ate a bounteous breakfast lost 21% of their body in 8 months. Whereas, women following restrictive diets and eating a small breakfast lost only 4.5 % of their body weight.

But what to eat in your breakfast?

You can add cereals and oats, eggs and milk, idli and dosa to your breakfast. It is better to eat whole fruits rather than juice. Design a diverse diet for every day so that you ensure a supply of varied nutrients to your body.

Eat nuts, grains, herbs and spices. 

Your ideal breakfast should largely depend on your ancestral food. 

2. Make wonders with a workout

Going for fad diets can definitely make you slim, but they also add years to your face! The nutrition deficiency reflects right on your face!

So, what’s the tip to that glowy face and slender waist?

It’s a power-packed workout.

Women must start strength training and weight training along with cardio and yoga in their 30s. Strength training not only helps you lose weight but it also builds your muscles. It increases your metabolism, stamina and balance. 

The 30s is the time when most women plan their pregnancy or get busy in their career. Which means it is a hectic phase where many tend to put on weight around the belly and waist.

A 30 minutes workout regime helps in keeping that weight in check while offering oodles of benefits to the body and brain.

3. Say Shoo to Stress

Research has proven that stress is one of the main culprits in speeding the process of ageing. From turning your hair grey to adding weight to the waist stress is the silent sinister.

Women in their 30s and 40s endure a lot of stress. From family responsibility to professional pressures, it’s a hectic time! It’s the time they embrace motherhood, they scale in their career. 

This undue stress can wreak havoc in their system. It can trigger unhealthy changes that can cause blood pressure, diabetes, migraine, bone weakness, body aches, lower libido, and faster cell death.

Shoo stress with breathing exercises, adaptogenic foods, body massage, warm bath, foot massage, short trips, me time, recreational activities, walk and herbal medicines.

4. Design a nutritious diet

Most people think that cutting down on calories would help them reduce weight. But in reality, it’s eating the right nutrients that help in weight loss.

Boost your calcium and Vitamin D intake. Both are essential for strong teeth and bones. Include milk, cheese, yoghurt, eggs, mushrooms in your diet. Vitamin D can also be obtained by soaking in the morning sun!

Another nutrient that’s crucial to women’s health is protein. It is essential for retaining the body’s muscles. Protein also contains amino acids that boost the levels of mood-lifting neurotransmitters in the brain. This helps in relieving symptoms of depression, and weak memory. 

Ideal sources of protein are eggs, fish, quinoa, legumes, beans, meat, pulses etc. Avocado, asparagus are a great source of many essential nutrients.

5. Spice up your sex life

To look young, you must feel young. And to feel young you must live young.

The young ones find a lot of excitement in exploring their sexuality. But the repeated actions over the years might fade out that spark for you. 

So, its time to get adventurous in the bed. Try new positions, go out to exotic locations, do new things and replay the foreplay. Try new tips to rekindle your romance.

Sex is an amazing stress-buster. It helps in losing weight. It’s a mood enhancer. 

If you are going through a phase of libido loss then you might try Ashwagandhadi Lehya or consult an Ayurvedic doctor for natural tips to restore your libido.

Loss of libido is absolutely normal and it can be cured!

6. Keep a track of your health trails

Ageing is a common risk factor for many diseases. This means your increasing age makes you susceptible to a number of diseases. So, keep a close eye on your health with regular screenings and check-up.

No matter how healthy your lifestyle is, don’t neglect the following check-ups:

• Eye check- up : Every year
• Blood pressure: 6 months
• Pap smear test and pelvic exam: Every year
• Thyroid test: Every 5 years
• Mole check: Every year
• Mammogram: Every year
• Blood glucose: Every  year

These durations are for women who are not suffering from the disease. For those who are already experiencing some chronic trouble, they must follow-up with their doctors for regular check-ups.

7. Add up the antioxidants

Antioxidants help in destroying the free radicals that are responsible for ageing. Also, antioxidants protect your body against a myriad of diseases. It keeps the body energized and help fight fatigue.

Try to get as many antioxidants as possible from your diet. Eat lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, herbs and spices. 

If needed you might also try herbal supplements for getting necessary antioxidants.

Green Tea is a great source of anti-oxidants. You may also try Haldi doodh!

Few more tips for fabulous forty

Along with these tips, you can also try the following for a healthy, happy body:

• Take care of your digestion.
• Avoid smoking and drinking.
• Keep your body hydrated.
• Take out time for fun trips.
• Go out with your girl gang.
• Try natural herbal packs for that glowing face. 
• Cleanse, tone and moisturize your body.
• Take care of your oral hygiene.
• Take good care of your feet.
• Adjust your wardrobe.