Family Encyclopedia >> Beauty & Style

This Is Why You Look Older Or Younger Than You Actually Are

Not only children change. The body of an adult also changes. Yet there are peaks where the body changes (extremely). It's like this:your body changes in three phases:when you turn 34, 60 and 78 and this is why you look older or younger than you actually are

Your body changes in three phases:when you turn 34, 60 and 78

Many people say that as you get older you start to show more and more signs of age. You get wrinkles faster or suffer from bags under the eyes, you get gray hair and your skin changes. However, new studies have shown that it is slightly different. There are three ages when the body seems to make a splash when it comes to aging. Blood tests have shown that your body goes through a major change at 34, 60 and 78. And all this has nothing to do with your genes or your characteristics, they are phases that everyone goes through. This has to do with the amount and composition of proteins in your blood plasma.

Or and especially how you age has everything to do with your blood. While it used to be assumed that you will slowly but surely show signs of aging, science has now discovered that this is outdated. There are three moments in life when a major change takes place in your body.

This is why you look older or younger than you actually are

As mentioned above:you can put many people of the same age together with very large differences. Whether someone looks young or old has everything to do with your genes in the first place. If your parents have already looked older, there is a very good chance that you are always estimated to be older than you are.

Your biological clock also plays an important role in determining your external age. Some people look like 20 because their biological clock tells them to. Others, on the other hand, look very old, because the biological clock is 20 years ahead. That's because your body can age 3 years in a year. This is not only due to bad living habits, but can also have everything to do with stress in your childhood. Your birth weight also influences this.

How do you know that your body is aging prematurely?

There are several ways to find out whether your body is aging prematurely (read before you turn 34).

  • Easy bruising. If you hit yourself and you bruise very quickly, this can indicate two things:you have abnormalities that make you bruise more quickly or you are aging quickly. From the age of 45 it can indeed take longer for a scratch from your cat to heal. However, if you are only 32 and you still see the crab after 2 weeks, this may indicate that you are aging faster
  • Thin skin and visible veins on your hands. Do you notice that your skin on your hands is thinning and the veins are more visible? This may indicate early aging. Please note:if you have always suffered from thin skin or visible veins, then you don't have to worry about anything.
  • You become less fit. A big sign on the wall is the fact that you can't keep up with your partner anymore. If you have to run after your partner during a walk and you become completely out of breath, it is a sign that you are aging quickly. This is especially true if you are both the same age and maintain the same lifestyle.
  • Extra fat on the body:It can happen at all ages. At some point, you will simply store more fat around the abdomen and hips. Do you suddenly see fat between your shoulder blades? Then this could be a sign of rapid aging.
  • Another sign that your body is aging faster are brown spots on your face, neck and neck. These are pigment spots that in principle do not appear before your 40th birthday. Is this the case? Then your biological clock may be older than your real age.
  • If you suddenly start to snore, it could be a sign of aging. As you get older, the risk of cardiovascular disease increases. Snoring can be a sign that your body is not quite right. It is good to keep a close eye on your blood pressure in any case.
  • Irregular cycle. Of course, this does not apply if you have PMS, but if you suddenly suffer from an irregular cycle while you are not yet 45, this may be a sign of your body that you are aging faster than you want.

What can you do to prevent (rapid) aging of your body?

Unfortunately, aging cannot be prevented. That is a natural process that you cannot ignore. You can't change your genes. Fortunately, there are things you can do to keep your body young and healthy for as long as possible. Those are things you can control yourself.

  • Ensure a healthy lifestyle with healthy food, sufficient exercise and especially enough sleep
  • Use as little make up and (chemical) care products as possible when you are young
  • Avoid the use of sugars as much as possible. Tip:these are 5 signs that you are eating too much sugar
  • Limit the use of screens as much as possible. Do you often use your phone? Then keep the screen straight in front of you and don't look down on it
  • Have your blood tested every now and then to determine the condition of your entire body
  • Understanding your hormones can also help you stop the aging process. The use of wrong medication and vitamins can also contribute to the aging process
  • Wash your face more often with (lukewarm) water. Do this not only in the evening and in the morning, but also after exercise if you sweat. Do not use any other products, only water

I am older than I look

The fact is:even if you list ten people of the same age, there is a good chance that some are estimated to be younger and others older. I myself am always the tightrope:I am always estimated to be much younger than I really am. When I walk down the street with my adult children, it often happens that people think they are my brother and sister or that I am the girlfriend of one of them.

If the children are not there and I tell about the children, the question is always how old my children are. There is often great disbelief when I tell them that my children are now adults. In Suriname they often thought that I was a Dutch intern and I was regularly estimated to be no older than 22 – 25 years. Of course it has its charms, but every now and then I would like to be taken a little more seriously.

My secret that I look younger than I am? As you could read above, this initially has nothing to do with something that I can influence myself. That is because it is in the genes. My parents also look young, so I have little influence on that. But… I do pay attention to my lifestyle and my diet. I use make up very limited (always have done) and when I do use it it is organic make up (well, I actually only use eye pencil). I never really put anything on my face. I wash my face every night with warm and then cold water. I don't like sweets, so sugar intake is limited. That also applies to fast food, which I am not a fan of (nor have I ever been).

I have to confess one thing:I have had quite a lot of gray hair for a number of years. They weren't that noticeable at first, but they are now. However, last year I had my hair dyed in a balayage model, so that the gray is not immediately visible (except at the roots).

Unfortunately, there are things that could be better:I don't sleep enough and often I also sleep badly. In addition, I experience quite a lot of stress, especially since we remigrated. Everything in this country has to be rushed and fast. There is no such thing as a relaxed and laid-back lifestyle here. Everyone just keeps running. These are things that influence my appearance, although it is not the case that I suddenly look 10 years older as a result.

How about you? Are you always estimated on age or younger or older?