Growing old is a part of life, but looking old isn’t. Most New Yorkers look a decade or two younger than they are, and what keeps them looking young isn’t exactly a secret.
Stay Away From the Sun
Sunny days are rare in New York, and that’s a good thing. With clear days (when there are less than 30 percent cloud cover) numbering less than 70 days in a year, New Yorkers are rarely exposed to the full intensity of the sun and its harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation. UV is the leading cause of visible skin aging, most notably in exposed parts of your body like your face and neck.
Clothes can make a big difference, as the amount of exposed skin can leave you vulnerable to sun damage. The fashion style of New Yorkers makes them less vulnerable, with their preference for suits, jackets, and coats. Umbrellas are popular (especially black ones), and they provide excellent protection from the sun. UV can still damage your skin with 80 percent cloud cover, so drizzles won’t stop it from aging your skin. Avoid direct sunlight by wearing hats, long-sleeved shirts, jackets, and pants. You can also bring an umbrella on your strolls or apply sunscreen if you can’t avoid sun exposure.
Stop Smoking
Less than 15 percent of New Yorkers smoke, and you can probably tell who they are at a glance. Smoking cigarettes or cannabis is damaging to your skin. Inhaled smoke reduces the amount of oxygen in your body while introducing free radicals into your system. Smokers will often have a gray or orange pallor because of a drop in oxygen levels, magnifying their skin flaws. The nicotine in cigarettes damages the collagen and elastin in your skin.
Collagen keeps your skin firm, while elastin helps it retain its elasticity. Reduced levels of collagen and elastin make your skin vulnerable to wrinkling, sagging, and cracking. Quitting can stop — or even reverse — skin damage due to smoking. It takes three to four smoke-free weeks to get your collagen and elastin levels back to normal and your skin looking young again.
Take Care of Your Skin
No state spends more money on anti-aging products like New York. Looks are an asset in the state’s youth-obsessed culture. Looking 25 when you’re over 40 is the norm, and that requires plenty of skincare products. New Yorkers (both men and women) use moisturizers and facial cleansers for their skin daily, and most will have more extensive regimens. If you’re new to skincare products, start with mild exfoliating facial wash once you get home for work and then apply moisturizing cream before you go to sleep.
Stay Fit
New Yorkers are always walking, and at a brisk pace at that. Constant physical activity burns many calories, but New Yorkers will often integrate exercise routines into their daily life to ensure they retain their slim figures. Packing extra weight can age the body prematurely, putting undue stress on its joints, musculature, and bones. Obesity can age your body by eight to ten years, both in outward appearance and internal functions.
Not only does staying fit keep you looking young, but it also ensures you get to live a longer and healthier life. Add a bit of physical activity to your day. Take walks for trips less than a kilometer or two and consider signing up for a gym membership. Exercising with a group can keep you motivated while also increasing your social network.
Try an Extended Fast
Almost every New Yorker follows some diet restrictions, whether restrictions on certain types of food or caloric intake. However, fasting is also growing in popularity. Even celebrities are following intermittent fasting (where they can only eat in a 6-hour to 8-hour window), and big tech CEOs are taking long two to ten-day fasts, along with their employees! Any fasting will promote weight loss, but extended fasts provide additional benefits. Fasting for longer than two days puts your body into ketosis, where your body burns fat for energy. Extended fasts can allow you to think clearer, reduce inflammation in your body, and even jumpstart your immune system.
Get a Little Extra Help
There’s no harm in getting extra help when trying to look younger. Whether it’s plastic surgery or Botox injections. Aesthetic clinics are fairly common in New York, whether in the Big Apple or farther cities like Syracuse or Buffalo. Going under the knife might seem a little extreme, but Botox injections are fairly safe, and they can make you look five to ten years younger.
New Yorkers have found a way to stave off time and retain their youthful looks. Live like a New Yorker, and you can probably look a decade younger.
