How to stay and look young - Supermodel Elle Macpherson adopting the Chinese approach

Ever wonder why Asians such as Chinese, Japanese or Koreans generally look younger than Caucasians of the same age? My wife, aged 30+, still gets asked for a proof of ID every time she enters the casino. So what are the anti-aging secrets behind Asians?

1. Diet
• Chinese cook pork bone broth together with different herbs to obtain nutritional constituents that promote strength and health of their blood and bones. Pork bone broth contains hyaluronic acid, collagen, glycin, elastin proteins and other health benefits. The pork's bone marrow is rich with collagen, which is responsible for the skin's strength, providing structure and firmness to body tissues which helps reducing fine lines, wrinkles and sagging. Chinese kids have always been told by their parents to suck the marrow out of long bones to promote healthier bone growth.
• Asians prefer to steam, stir-fry and boil food rather than deep-fry or BBQ.
• Drinking herbal tea or green tea instead of coffee as green tea contains the highest concentration of powerful antioxidants called polyphenols.
2. Intake of anti-aging Herbs and rejuvenating food
• Herbs like Ginseng have active ingredients that directly/indirectly suppress aging. Pearl powder, birds' nest, mushrooms and soy beans also play an important role in the secrets to Chinese' longevity and flawless skin.
3. Wellbeing awareness
   • The Chinese invented acupuncture more than 5,000 years ago and discovered how stimulating specific points in the body to restore the flow of healing energy (Qi) to help bring the body into balance. The balance is necessary to improve your health by increasing your immunity, heal cellular damage and reproduction and remove stress.
   • Practicing Tai Chi can also promote health where the slow body movements focus on balance, breathing and harmony.
4. The Sun - Most premature aging is caused by sun exposure, without protection from the sun’s rays, just a few minutes of exposure each day over the years can cause noticeable changes to the skin. As Caucasians have fairer skin compared to Asians, they develop more signs of photoaging (aging caused by exposure to the sun’s rays) than those with dark skin. Therefore it is important to wear sunscreen before going outdoors.
5. Skincare vs Cosmetics
• Asians are very conscious about how they look, the way they take care of their skin and the procedures they do to maintain their beauty. Although most skincare products are invented in the USA and Europe, the way Asians use them may be quite different from Caucasians. Asians start using skincare products at a very early age, where parents start putting light moisturisers on their babies to protect their skin from dryness. Children are taught to use suitable skincare products as they grow up, promoting natural beauty. However, Caucasians start using cosmetics as early as primary school age, and often do not clean their skin properly after makeup and therefore unaware of the underlying damages. When dead skin cells build up and fine lines appear, they then rely heavily on makeup to cover up and sometimes it might be too late for anti-aging products to take effect.
6. Repetitive facial expression may cause lines and wrinkles to be etched on the skin. These lines and wrinkles, which are often observed in aging skin, may be more visible as a person grows older and his or her skin decreases elasticity.

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Elle Macpherson reveals how she still looks great

Still looking absolutely fabulous ... Elle Macpherson reveals how she keeps in shape.


Source: Daily Telegraph
Date: February 22, 2010

ELLE Macpherson, the supermodel known as The Body, reveals what keeps her in such great shape.

"I have a very holistic perspective on health. I choose to look after my body from a Chinese medicine perspective, which promotes and maintains wellness rather than treats illness," she told The News of the World newspaper in the UK.

"I have acupuncture regularly and I see a Chinese doctor who treats most common ailments with herbs.

"Maintenance is a concept for me across the board. For example, every six months I go to my doctor to have ultrasound checks on my breasts, ovaries and uterus."

Elle, now 46, talked about how caring for her body has changed since the heydays of her modelling career when she appeared a record five times in Sports Illustrated's swimwear magazine and in every issue of Elle magazine for six successive years.

"These days I practise wellness over fitness. I feel I've discovered the things that are really important to maintaining health as I've got older because my body has become more sensitive," she said.

"Number one is sleep. Often when I don't sleep enough I notice a difference in the way I respond to everyday circumstances. Five hours sleep as opposed to eight makes a huge difference to my well being. Sleep can also be a great detox for the body, giving it time to regenerate so it can function more efficiently on every level."

Macpherson, who now lives in London and is hosting and producing Britain's Next Top Model, alongside the launch of her latest Intimates lingerie, reveals drinking water is essential to her.

"I have six 500ml bottles that I refill every day. I put them on the kitchen table or on my desk and I count them down towards the end of the day. It's a good trick because every time I walk past them I can pick up a bottle and drink it as I walk around. I make sure those bottles are gone by the time I go to bed."

Elle also revealed her diet.

"Diet is very important to me and particularly for my children, as I have seen that low blood sugar levels can affect their moods along with excess sugar, salt, preservatives and food colourings.

"From a nutritional perspective, organic food is really important. I can't stress enough the importance of eating non-processed food where possible. I try to buy Fairtrade and local fruit and vegetable produce that's in season."

Exercise, obviously, is vital for Elle but it has changed .over the years.

"When I was younger and had more time on my hands, I would run six miles or go to the gym every day. It didn't take a lot for me to stay in shape because genetically speaking I was born with good architecture. As I've aged, I've realised that continuous strenuous exercise isn't necessarily the best thing for my body. Strength and flexibility are really important so I choose to do different things.

"When I'm in London, I'll do Pilates or yoga and I'll work with my trainer.

"I'm gentler on my body than I used to be. It's not that easy because I don't have the same physique as I did when I was 20 and there's a temptation to do what used to work for me when I was younger. I've now realised that a more gentle, consistent, self-loving approach is more beneficial. As well as yoga and Pilates, I choose sports I love. I go water-skiing every morning when I'm in warmer climates, and I go skiing when I can in winter. I love to hike, surf and paddleboard. I do sport I really enjoy."