Continued from our Retreat & Renew Daily Tip.

Melissa Wiliams, Freelance Writer | Co-Owner, Yoga Junction

We all want to maintain a youthful glow, but beyond the skincare we use (and choose wisely folks- it does matter!), these 7 habits might be causing you to age more than you truly are.

1. Smoking. Hopefully this one you can cross off your list, but if you’re still smoking and your health doesn’t cause you to stop. Smoking causes you to age your skin not only from ingested carcinogens but also from the repetitive puckering and wrinkling of the skin.

2. Not protecting your skin. I know a woman who runs daily but has the most impeccable skin. She uses awesome skincare ingredients and swears by sunscreen (she looks about 40 and is in her upper 50s). Sunscreen works folks. Make sure to cover everything that has contact with the sun- including your hands, neck, chest, shoulders, and of course face.

3. Sugar. Yikes. A study referenced by Prevention magazine shows that eating too much sugar can actually create molecules in the body that damage collagen and elastin- two proteins responsible for keeping your skin firm and elastic.

4. You’re stressed. Stress decreases your immunity, increases blood pressure and can possibly shrink your ability to learn! In addition, when we’re stressed we tend to frown and furrow, and to make matters worse, we turn to sugar to alleviate the stress. Double whammy!

5. You’re fat-phobic. Not eating enough fat can actually create problems for your brain, heart, bones, joints, and skin. Too little in your diet and more lines will appear and your skin will lose its natural glow.

6. You sleep on anything but your back. Side sleepers tend to have more wrinkles on their chin, cheeks and chest, while belly sleepers can have more wrinkles on their forehead. In this sleeping battle, back sleepers win out. However, sleeping on your back can also increase the likelihood of snoring, which can interfere with good quality sleep.

7. Skipping your shades. Sunscreen isn’t enough to protect your eyes and the skin around it. If you’re squinting you’re creating a pattern in the skin; one you probably don’t want to keep. In addition, not protecting your eyes increases the likelihood of skin cancer and cataracts.

**Seven Sins inspired by ChickRX.com, as well as Prevention.com

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