But simple lifestyle choices and fresh routines can help to avoid or reduce some of the most common ageing related symptoms including: joint pain, poor gut and digestive health, wrinkles and thinning hair. Hazel Walker, e-commerce development manager at collagen supplement brand, So Body Co, shares their top tips to combat the signs of ageing: 1 Stay hydrated An easy addition to make to your daily routine, drinking at least one litre of water a day has so many different health benefits to help keep you looking and - crucially - feeling your best. Drinking water and keeping yourself hydrated can help to stabilise blood pressure, boosts physical and mental health, keeps skin looking healthy and radiant and is even proven to boost your mood – all of which can help you to maintain a happier and healthier lifestyle. Staying hydrated can also help maintain a healthy digestive system, which as you age, can bring new problems. Try to avoid drinking liquids with caffeine too often, such as tea and coffee, as these are known to dehydrate and can cause issues to your digestive health. 2 Maintain a healthy diet and weight As you age, it’s important to eat foods which are providing you with healthy nutrients and vitamins to keep you feeling your best and avoid diet-related health conditions such as high cholesterol and diabetes. Try to avoid foods with saturated fats, added sugar and sodium, and make sure you’re incorporating enough fruit and vegetables into your diet. Additionally, making sure you’re getting enough protein is important as this helps to maintain muscle strength, and also eat foods enriched with healthy fats as this will reduce blood pressure and keep your heart healthy. A good, nutritious diet will help to keep you energised, control your weight, and ultimately leave you feeling much healthier in the long run. By controlling your weight and eating well, this will also help to keep your digestive system feeling healthy and reduce the impact on your joints and limbs. 3 Be active and exercise regularly Exercise has so many fantastic benefits, in particular helping with digestion, improving joint mobility, building muscle strength, as well as improving blood circulation. Whether you like to walk, swim or cycle, there are so many exercises available to keep your body moving and beat some of the physical signs of ageing which can occur. Exercise also helps to improve gut and digestion health as it helps you to control your weight and maintain a healthier lifestyle. To help keep your joints moving, try functional fitness movements such as squatting or lunges as these are exercises which can be adapted to everyday life. Lifting weights is also great for helping to build strength and can be adjusted to suit your fitness ability. 4 Introduce a collagen supplement into your routine Collagen is an essential protein in the body which provides muscle, bone and ligament strength, contributes to healthier joints, is the building block for connective tissues, and keeps skin looking youthful and vibrant. However, as we age, the amount of collagen our body naturally produces decreases over time. Collagen has so many different health benefits, including maintaining healthy hair, skin, nails, organs and muscles. And the benefits don’t stop there as it helps to combat the overall ageing process – both internal and external. 5 Use SPF Protecting your skin from UV rays it crucial in reducing the signs of ageing. Wearing sun cream or SPF-containing skin products is one of the best and easiest ways to protect the appearance of your skin and keep it looking healthy. Not only does it help to prevent sunburn, skin cancer and reduce the signs of premature ageing, but it also helps to reduce wrinkles, prevent skin discolouration and dark spots. Make sure your daily facial moisturiser has at least SPF 30 in it to keep your skin protected throughout the day. It’s important not to only wear an SPF product when it’s sunny outside and instead be using it daily. sobody.co