This may be a major newsflash for you ladies, but everything changes in your forties, if you don't already know it. It really does change your life and there is good reason for it. But wait! I am not talking about all gloom and doom here. This isn't the cup is half empty "oh woe is me" type of story. Oh not at all! I think your 40's is a time to celebrate! Ladies, if this is a mid-life "crisis" then BRING. IT. ON.

There are many, many amazing changes that comes with being a womxn in her forties in the 21st century such as increased confidence and self-assuredness. Many women report feeling more balanced mentally and spiritually as they have found their passions and hobbies that bring more light to their lives. Many women also state they no longer give any "F's" about the stuff that used to bother them tremendously. That feels great doesn't it?!  

Want some inspiration to Find Your 40 with REAL stories from other women? 

Imagine we can find more balance and peace when our hormones are riding shotgun on a massive roller coaster! This just shows how strong and powerful we are as a force. 

Regardless of where you are at in your journey through your 40's (or close enough) and whether you are making peace with your age, there are some fundamentals that can serve all women who seek to have their best skin and complexion ever into their 40's and beyond. The truth be told, it isn't that difficult to get great skin if you follow these tips. 

 1. Hydration is key.

Herbal teas, fruit infused waters, sparking water, non-dairy milks, kombucha, even coffee and the odd glass of wine. However you choose to get liquids into you, know that you need to be consuming upwards of 2L of liquid each day. Probably choosing 2L of wine or coffee will leave you feeling umm a little buzzed or on the toilet, so maybe not the best choices. Everything in moderation my friends.

On any given day my liquid consumption looks like:

7-8am - water with workout

8-9am - coffee with oat milk & MCT powder

9-2pm - water, water, water (sparkling, infused with fun things like ginger, cucumber, mint leaves, lemon), plain, you name it) and about 1-1.5L of this fantastic stuff

2-3pm - coffee, tea or kombucha (or all three!)

3-8pm - more water .5-1L (especially if out in the heat or exercising)

8-9pm - herbal tea (I love dandelion, tulsi, or lavender tea at night)

9pm-bedtime - sips only to take bedtime vitamins (I am not a fan of waking up to pee during the night!)

A tip about water: 

Drink room temperature water for digestion, detox, and pain relief. When you drink cold water, your blood vessels shrink, and this restricts your digestion. Warm water helps break down food, aids constipation, and even helps you lose weight while improving your blood circulation.2. Sleep is paramount. Honestly how do you feel if you miss out on one night of solid sleep? How about two nights? What if you repeatedly only get say 5 or 6 hours a night? I am steadfast about getting 7-8 hours of sleep each night and more on weekends (upwards of 9 if I am lucky). 

Source: Spoon University

 

2. Sleep is paramount! 

Menopause and perimenopause changes our hormones and throws us out of balance, just like puberty does so for teenagers. In fact, menopause is puberty in reverse. Think about that.  It is our ovaries drying up and winding down our hormones and that causes changes and sometimes even wreaks havoc on our skin, our sleep, and sometimes our relationships because it affects our moods. 

Ever notice that you don't sleep as soundly or peacefully after a night of drinking alcohol? Why is that? 

Does Alcohol Affect Sleep?

Alcohol may aid with sleep onset due to its sedative properties, allowing you to fall asleep more quickly. However, people who drink before bed often experience disruptions later in their sleep cycle as liver enzymes metabolize alcohol. This can also lead to excessive daytime sleepiness and other issues the following day. Furthermore, drinking to fall asleep can build a tolerance, forcing you to consume more alcohol each successive night in order to experience the sedative effects.3. Mindfulness and stress relief.

Source: Sleep Foundation 

3. Mindfulness does Matter!

Yes it is a buzzword, a trend, an overused word that encompasses just about everything from watching tv, to journalling, to having a bubble bath, to a night out with girlfriends. Everything nowadays is all about being mindful and practicing self-care.

But what really is mindfulness in practice?

I like to think of it like this: 

When I eat, I really savour what I am eating. I notice how it tastes, how it feels in my mouth, how it makes me feel, when I am full or when I want more. 

When I go for a walk, I notice the trees, the sounds, the animals, the air, the sky, the way I feel as I walk.

When I meditate, I notice my breath, my body, any sounds I hear, the taste in my mouth, my body aches, what my thoughts are telling me, and when it is time to come out of it. 

When I do yoga, I feel every posture and pay attention to what my body is telling me. I ask myself why I want to come out of a pose at that moment and challenge myself to sit with the discomfort to hold it a little longer.

 

When I get upset or react to something that has been said or done to me, I ask myself why I am reacting that way. What could that say about me or the situation that I need to resolve on my own? 

When I make love to my husband I notice how my body feels and how his feels against mine. I listen to him and take cues from his reactions. I try to feel everything in my body as though I am feeling for the first time ever. 

If you can practice mindfulness in these key activities you will start to see the world differently and react to it in ways you didn't know were possible. You will feel yourself changing to be able to notice what causes you stress and also pay attention to things you can let go of. Mindfulness helps you to reframe everything you do, day in and day out. 

Want to try out a 5-minute meditation to focus on aligning and balancing your chakras?

 

4. Movement Matters Too

You know you should be moving your body every single day but hate the gym, can't stand the thought of a sweaty yoga studio, only run when someone is chasing you, and weight lifting sounds like a painful thing that will turn you into the Hulk (But it won't by the way! I have been lifting for years and have yet to see the hulk arms bust open my shirt sleeves!). 

There are 7 Blue Zones in the world, based on research by Dan Buettner, where he has studied what makes people live to be over 100 years old. There are commonalities across these 7 areas of the world and one of them is that they move their body every, single, day. They walk, they work their land, they do something physical like walking rather than taking a car, take stairs instead of an elevator, get outside rather than sitting watching Netflix all day. 

Want to see how you measure up to the Blue Zones in terms of your healthy lifestyle? You may be surprised by the results. 

Try this quiz!

5. Think about what you put ON Your Skin

Your skin is your largest organ. It is the outer layer that protects your internal body from all of the elements, retains heat and moisture, and allows your organs, muscles, fascia and everything else stay in place and do what you need! Why then do we (the royal we) not take better care of our skin and only wake up when the damage has been done (most women start to notice their skin in their 40s but went for years without protecting it!). 

Use quality CLEAN skincare.

There is much debate, confusion, misinformation and green-washing that goes on nowadays so understanding how to read product labels and to cut through the crap (literally) so that you are not putting it on your skin and inside your body. My advice is to choose to use only products made with plant-based oils and ingredients that are 100% natural and clean ~ meaning without synthetics, parabens, phthalates, fragrances, GMO's, petrol, aluminum, PEG's, sulfates, and the list goes on. For more details visit the Dirty Dozen list here. 

Wear sunscreen EVERY. SINGLE. DAY.

Yes, every day even in winter. Even when you don't plan to leave your house. Every single day. This simple act will help you to preserve your healthy skin and to reduce the damage caused by the sun that leads to hyperpigmentation and skin cancers. 

6. Think about what you put IN Your Body (and therefore shows up on your skin)

It is a must that you ensure you have the nutrition that supplies your body, and thus your skin as the largest organ, with the adequate supply of vitamins and minerals that it needs to thrive. Here is a list of the top foods you should have in your diet for glowing skin in your 40's.

Food to eat for glowing skin and gut health (they go hand in hand!):

1. Collagen & Vitamin C rich foods: either through collagen peptides that you add to smoothies or through bone broth, collagen is a must for women in their 40s as this is the time that the rapid loss of collagen starts to show up on our face. 

Vitamin C is necessary for our bodies to produce collagen. Pre-clinical studies provide strong evidence that vitamin C enhances collagen production and reduces photo-damage including wrinkles and pigmentation. Source: Bend Beauty (my favourite collagen powder!) 

2. Omega 3's: To get plenty of omega-3s, eat fatty fish and walnuts, or take a high-quality omega-3 supplement. 

3. Phytoceramides: Ceramides are a naturally occurring constituent of skin and help to keep it hydrated and support its overall function. Phytoceramides found in beets and spinach offer similar benefits.

4. Amino Acids: A diet high in essential amino acids (which the body can't make on its own) helps support skin health, while a deficiency makes it thin and dry.* Meat and eggs are your best sources for essential amino acids.

5. Potassium-rich foods: Sea salt, which is high in potassium, pulls water into your cells, making them firm. You can also get skin-hydrating potassium from fruits (think bananas) and veggies, nuts, meat, poultry, and fish.

6. Fermented Foods: A radiant gut translates into radiant and smooth skin, while a bad gut shows up on your skin every time. Good gut bacteria help keep your body well supplied with the nutrients your skin thrives on. Bad bacteria, on the other hand, can cause a leaky gut and allow toxins to escape your intestines and create inflammation throughout your body—including your skin. Your skin shows the world what is going on inside your gut.  Try foods like kefir, kombucha, kimchi and sauerkraut.

7. Antioxidant rich foods: green tea, green and yellow veggies, blueberries, cherries and others that are loaded with antioxidants that help to protect your skin from oxidative stress, damage caused by free radicals. 

Want to try a healthy skin recipe for glowing 40s skin?

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