Anti Aging Wellness: Nature’s Best Home Remedies

What does ageing gracefully really mean? Well, for most of us, it boils down to acceptance; A combination of being too poor to do anything about it and hobbling as fast as you can away from last night’s pizza. It used to be much easier to eat junk and stay up until stupid o’clock in the morning; Now, I feel out of sorts if I’m awake past midnight. Cardiovascular diseases, hot flashes and the inability to read the small print also become facts of life. As does the need for a camomile tea and a Poirot to unwind. The things we used to think were boring are suddenly now fascinating – ancient history, gardening.

Love it or List it.

And yet, we’ve only arrived at the middle bit. There’s a good 40 or 50 years left of tea rooms, garden centres and glasses of port.

So, how do we stave off the bad parts of aging long enough to enjoy it all without spending a fortune at an anti aging ‘wellness clinic’?

We’ve all heard the advice: if you want to hold on to that youthful glow as you age you need a healthy diet, exercise, hydration, sunscreen and preferably enough money to go on holiday and wear it.

Good genetics also help. But if you weren’t blessed with those (or money) you might want to try the odd essential oil and stick with a nourishing balanced diet.

So how can home remedies work as part of your anti aging wellness strategy?

Caution

Now let me be clear, I’m not saying that the stuff hanging around your kitchen or essential oils can replace medical professionals (I’m not shilling for any MLMs in case you were wondering). If you’ve got serious issues, go see a doctor.

Otherwise, you can get a lot of mileage from the power of plants. You can also get the smug satisfaction of having moisturised with a banana and some coconut oil and not having spent untold sums on gadgets, dermal fillers and chemical peels that promise to reverse the effects of time.

If you want to try all that, go for it. No judgment here. Do what works for you. Frankly, though, I’d rather put food on my face and go on holiday. Not at the same time, you understand.

First, let’s look at the elements that play a role in anti aging wellness.

The Aging Process 

Looking young is just the outward manifestation of what’s going on inside. Two of the biggest facets that affect aging are hormone levels and chronic stress. 

Impact of Hormone Levels

Menopausal symptoms, reduced hormone production, and a decrease in the body’s natural balance all play a part in the aging process. hormonal imbalance can send everything out of whack, leading to issues like lower energy levels, fine lines, a decreased immune system, and mood swings.

Now, as I said, your first port of call should be to seek advice from medical professionals, whether that’s from a medical practice (again, not me) or naturopathic doctors, (also, not me) especially if you have existing health conditions or are taking medications.

That said, balancing hormone production doesn’t always have to involve synthetic or bioidentical hormones. In fact, a nutrient-rich diet combined with a few natural remedies can do a lot to help maintain your body’s natural balance. 

Essential Oils for Hormone Health

Essential oils may not be able to directly replace or produce hormones but they can offer support:

• Clary Sage: This oil is believed to have oestrogen-like properties and may help regulate hormone levels in women. It’s been shown to reduce cortisol levels and improve thyroid hormone levels in postmenopausal women.
• Rose: Rose oil has been used to balance hormones, support menstrual cycle regularity, and provide mood-enhancing effects.
• Geranium oil may support hormonal balance with similar benefits to rose. In a study on Korean climacteric women, aromatherapy massage using a blend of oils including geranium showed improvements in menopausal symptoms compared to the control group. They experienced significant reductions in hot flashes, paraesthesia, and melancholia.

Now clearly, hormone imbalance is tricky and there can be more than one cause. But a healthy diet, regular exercise, stress management, and proper sleep along with the use of essential oils can go a long way towards supporting overall hormonal health.

Add a bit of vitamin C serum to your skincare routine and you’ll help combat the visible signs of hormonal changes too.

Be careful with essential oils: they can be potent. And if you do have hormone-sensitive conditions, seek out the medical professionals first.

Stress Management

Advice on how to combat stress is usually something along the lines of, ‘try to reduce stress in your life’.

Okay then. If I’d known that was all I had to do…

Yet the reason for this is that stress is individual. It’s hard to give general advice when modern life is full of potential stressors. You can’t necessarily change your terrible job for the digital nomad lifestyle for instance. Meanwhile, chronic stress can take a toll on physical health, hormonal balance, gut health and more.

It’s the gift that keeps on giving. Sometimes even years later in the form of heart disease.

If you want to combat chronic stress, looking after gut health and sleep hygiene are good places to start. As are prayer and exercise.

I’d also throw in lots of laughter (despite the potential crow’s feet) essential oils and as I said, a good vitamin C serum.  

Also start doing things for you, even if that’s just trying a new DIY moisturiser (this is where home remedies come in). You can take years off your face naturally while also enjoying a bit of pampering.

Of course, like hormone balance, mental wellness is not as simple as that. You’re not going to beat chronic stress with a bubble bath and a face mask. Switching yourself off when there’s a bigger problem tends to make things worse. Believe me, I’ve been there.

Don’t mess around with your mental health, if you think you might need some help, talk to someone. That alone can do wonders for supporting a healthy aging process.

Essential oils for Relaxation and Stress Relief

In the meantime, here are a few essential oils that can help you relax:

• Lavender oil: Research has shown lavender essential oil may help reduce stress, and anxiety and improve sleep quality, even in high-stress environments like intensive care units. Lavender and chamomile essential oils also helped decrease depression, anxiety and stress levels
• Bergamot essential oil: This oil was found to alleviate depressive mood in postpartum women in one study.
• A study on Juniperus phoenicea (juniper) and other essential oils applied topically found favourable effects on physiological, neuroendocrine and psychological measures of stress resilience.
• Neroli: This oil can help reduce anxiety and improve sleep; important for maintaining hormonal balance and stress management.

If you want to try something else, bergamot, lemon, geranium and clary sage are some of the most commonly studied essential oils for stress relief.

Gut Health, Probiotics, and Stress Oh My

The health of your gut microbiome is closely linked to various aspects of wellness, including anti aging.

Chronic stress and poor diet can negatively impact gut health, leading to inflammation and an imbalance in the microbiome. This, in turn, can accelerate the aging process and contribute to a range of health issues.

You’d be amazed at the difference some leafy greens and a probiotic yoghurt can make to your energy levels, mood and ultimately, skin. You can also try kefir, kimchi and sauerkraut.

If you want to know more about gut bacteria, you can read about it here. In the meantime, this is what you need to know:

Gut-brain Axis and Mood Improvement

The gut and brain are connected through the gut-brain axis, which involves biochemical signalling between the nervous system in the digestive tract and the central nervous system.

Probiotics can influence this connection by affecting neurotransmitter production, such as serotonin. And since 90-95% of serotonin is produced in the digestive tract, it’s no wonder gut bacteria play such an important role in mood regulation.

Anti Aging Wellness through Probiotics

Probiotics have been found to increase beneficial bacteria like Bifidobacteria and Lactobacilli, enhance intestinal barrier integrity, and reduce intestinal inflammation. All good things. And especially helpful for improving wellness and immunity as we age.

Not only that but certain probiotic strains have also been shown to decrease cortisol levels and self-reported stress in human trials. Add to that, a small study by the late great Dr Michael Mosley demonstrated that a diet rich in probiotics led to a significant reduction in stress levels. So, it seems the gut microbiome plays a role in regulating the stress response.

Skin Health

While we’re talking about axes, there’s a gut-skin one too. The gut-skin axis means that skin health is also closely linked to the gut microbiome. This may not seem like a big deal, but, dysbiosis (imbalance) in the gut microbiome has been linked to various skin conditions, including:

•    Psoriasis
•    Atopic dermatitis (eczema)
•    Acne vulgaris
•    Rosacea
•    Alopecia areata
•    Hidradenitis suppurativa

And of course, premature aging. What fun. 

But, all is not lost because modulation of the gut microbiome through probiotics and prebiotics has shown potential benefits in preventing and treating inflammatory skin diseases. Probiotics are our friends…

Skin Barrier

Certain probiotic strains produce short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) like butyrate, which have anti-inflammatory effects and can improve skin barrier function. SCFAs also help maintain the integrity of the intestinal barrier. Probiotics also stop harmful bacteria and toxins from the gut from getting into the bloodstream, which could otherwise end up affecting the skin.

Reducing Inflammation

Probiotics can also modulate the immune system and reduce inflammatory responses in both the gut and skin. Lower inflammation will also help maintain a healthy skin barrier.

Balancing skin microbiome

Oral probiotics can also positively influence the skin microbiome composition, promoting good bacteria that support skin barrier function.

Anti Aging Essential Oils for Skin-Balancing Wellness

You may not be able to reverse the aging process, but there are things you can do that can help you hold on to a youthful, vibrant appearance while promoting overall well-being. 

Essential oils have been used for centuries to promote wellness and vitality. Whether it’s the regenerative properties of frankincense, the skin-balancing effects of sweet orange essential oil (all that vitamin C), or the antioxidant benefits of rosehip oil, essential oils can help support your body’s natural balance and fight the creeping crow’s feet.

The Efficacy of Vitamin C Serum

A good vitamin C serum (this one’s my favourite) can do an awful lot to brighten, firm and protect the skin. Vitamin C is a potent antioxidant that helps defend against the visible signs of aging, such as fine lines and wrinkles. Vitamin C neutralises free radicals and boosts collagen production.

If you only want to use one thing in your skincare routine, get yourself some Vitamin C serum. It can make a tremendous difference.

Natural Remedies for Anti-Aging Wellness

As promised, here are some recipes for those who want a bit of a boost the natural way. They may not be as drastic as platelet-rich plasma (a vampire facial to you and me), but they’ll do a great job of making you feel and look good naturally, without breaking the bank.

Now usual disclaimer applies- I’m not a doctor so don’t blame me if they don’t work. Also, Make sure to seek medical advice before using them, especially if you have any medical conditions or allergies.

To boost your anti aging wellness routine try the following:

Anti Aging Face Mask

Mix 1 tablespoon of honey, 1 tablespoon of yogurt, and 1 teaspoon of lemon juice in a small bowl. 

• Apply the mixture to your face and neck, avoiding your eyes and mouth. Leave it on for 15 to 20 minutes, then rinse it with warm water. Pat your skin dry with a soft towel.

This mask can help moisturize, brighten, and tighten your skin, and reduce the appearance of wrinkles and age spots. Enjoy the natural facial rejuvenation.

Anti Aging Hair Rinse

Boil 2 cups of water in a small pot, then add 2 tablespoons of dried rosemary and 2 tablespoons of dried sage. 

• Simmer the mixture for 10 minutes, then strain it and let it cool. After shampooing and conditioning your hair, pour the rinse over your hair and scalp, and massage it gently. Do not rinse it off. Let your hair air dry or blow dry.

This rinse can help darken, strengthen, and condition your hair, and prevent hair loss and graying.

Anti Aging Body Scrub

Mix 1/4 cup of brown sugar, 1/4 cup of sea salt, 1/4 cup of coconut oil, and 10 drops of lavender essential oil in a medium bowl.

• Transfer the mixture to a glass jar with a lid. In the shower, wet your skin and apply the scrub to your body, using circular motions. Rinse it off with warm water. Pat your skin dry with a soft towel.

This scrub can help exfoliate, moisturise, and soothe your skin, and relax your muscles and nerves.

Anti Aging Tea

Boil 4 cups of water in a large pot, then add 4 bags of green tea, 4 slices of fresh ginger, and 4 sprigs of fresh mint. 

• Turn off the heat and let the tea steep for 10 minutes, then remove the tea bags, ginger, and mint. Pour the tea into a pitcher and let it cool. Add some raw honey and lemon juice to taste. Refrigerate the tea until chilled and enjoy.

Great on a summer morning.

Finally

Now obviously some essential oils and a nice tea aren’t going to give you drastic results if that’s what you’re looking for. It also takes time, exercise and probably nutritional counseling to reach your personal goals without medical intervention.

But these anti aging wellness tips and natural remedies can give you a little natural boost. They can help you revive your hormone wellness, lift your energy levels and strengthen your immune system, seeing you through the inevitable aging process, while helping you maintain your youthful vigour.

Remember, it’s not about reversing time but about accentuating your natural beauty and vitality through a healthy lifestyle. By bringing a few natural remedies into your daily routine, you can take some control of your physical health, combat menopausal symptoms, and navigate the natural process of aging with grace.

Thank you for reading, and I’ll see you next time.