Beauty at Forty

There are very few women who keep on looking beautiful even after crossing the age of forty. These women have cultivated their beauty slowly and gradually through the years and they age gracefully and carry their years as lightly and gaily as flowers in a buttonhole. In later years a slim and trim figure adds as much to the look of youth as a youthful skin.

To keep your body slim, eat a well-balanced diet because after you cross forty. There is a marked decrease in the functional activity of the body. The process of digestion slows down, therefore the fat and the carbohydrate content of the diet should be reduced. Fried and highly spiced foods and junk foods should be reduced to the minimum. Over weight persons need to be all the more cautious of their calorie intake because they are more prone to old age diseases like diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, acidity than their slimmer sisters. Therefore, eat more of vegetables and fruits for they are rich in vitamins and minerals and drink at least 1 glass of milk per day and 12-15 glasses of water.

With the onset of age the hair becomes grey but do not pull these grey hair out. Every time you pull out a grey hair, you sow the seed for another few because root at the base of the hair folicale secretes an infectious serum which covers a tiny pinpoint of healthy hair surrounding the white hair and these in turn will go white within no time. If you feel that you must get rid of your grey hair then cut it close to the roots with the help of a sharp scissor. Alternatively you can bleach the offending hair. Just catch it in one hand, dip the cottonbud in the hydrogen mixture, apply on the hair. Let it remain on the hair for 15 minutes, than wash off, this bleached hair will become almost unnoticeable amongst your black tresses. Your neck is a great giveaway. The area can very soon become creepy, lined and wrinkled if you don't pay adequate attention to it. Every day give it the same care and attention you give your face. If you are cleaning, creaming or moisturizing your face continue doing so down your neck. Here is an exercise for maintaining a youthful neck line. Stand straight with chest high and neck tense. Bend head slowly to chest, pulling strongly. Raise your head slowly and repeat with head turned right and then to the left. Do this 10 times. It should be done with easy graceful movements otherwise you will get catch in your throat.

At this age the skin beneath your chin starts wrinkling. Keep your makeup as natural as possible. Use a moisturizer and if you like a little powder.

Go in for soft shades of lipstick and shadows and avoid heavy rimming of eyes with eye-liner. You can use a light coating of mascara over your lashes.

Your food should be light and moisturizing and containing lots of fresh vegetables and fruits. Go easy on fats, sugar, salt and highly spiced and fried foods and junk foods. If you are anemic eat foods rich in iron. Iron absorption is helped by eating foods rich in vitamin C. Calcium is very important for women. Before menopause a women needs 800 to 1000 mgs of calcium per day, but after menopause she needs 1400 mgs per day. The body stores calcium in the bones of the spine till the age of 25 and in the bones of arms and legs till the age of 35. After 35 the stock of calcium keeps on decreasing therefore the older women complain of backache or develop postural defects and even fall prey to fractured bones. You should take plenty of milk and calcium supplements daily.

If you are leading a sedentary life then you should do regular exercise to keep your body fit and healthy. You should walk at least for half an hour daily, and also do some stretching exercises because as you grow older you reduce in height. By the age of 70 you reduce about 2 inches. If you take regular care and attention of yourself you are going to be a healthy old woman, otherwise like many women you will be sick and bedridden.