Age Appearance

[Sophist]

Howdy, Silvery.

I'm personally hedging my bets for those of us auties who look considerably younger than our actually ages, that it has something to do with a difference in how we handle oxidative stress and our skin just doesn't age as quickly as Average Joe/Josephine.

[ruth]

Was not really sure what Oxidative Stress is, so googled and got this. Makes a whole lot of sense. I think I will be getting some suppliments to combat OS. And I think I will give up sugar.

Illnesses Associated With Oxidative Stress

GI Tract: Diabetes, pancreatitis, liver damage, and leaky gut syndrome
Brain and Nervous System: Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, hypertension and multiple sclerosis
Heart & Blood Vessels: Atherosclerosis, coronary thrombosis.
Lungs: Asthma, emphysema, chronic pulmonary disease.
Eyes: Cataracts, retinopathy, macular degeneration.
Joints: Rheumatoid arthritis
Kidneys: Glomerulonephritis
Skin: "Age spots," vitiligo, wrinkles.
Body in General: Accelerated aging, cancer, autoimmune diseases, inflammatory states, AIDS and lupus.

[Sophist]

Was not really sure what Oxidative Stress is, so googled and got this. Makes a whole lot of sense. I think I will be getting some suppliments to combat OS. And I think I will give up sugar.

Illnesses Associated With Oxidative Stress

GI Tract: Diabetes, pancreatitis, liver damage, and leaky gut syndrome
Brain and Nervous System: Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, hypertension and multiple sclerosis
Heart & Blood Vessels: Atherosclerosis, coronary thrombosis.
Lungs: Asthma, emphysema, chronic pulmonary disease.
Eyes: Cataracts, retinopathy, macular degeneration.
Joints: Rheumatoid arthritis
Kidneys: Glomerulonephritis
Skin: "Age spots," vitiligo, wrinkles.
Body in General: Accelerated aging, cancer, autoimmune diseases, inflammatory states, AIDS and lupus.

Don't give up carbohydrates; just choose your carbs wisely. I.e., keep simple carbs (sugars) to a minimum except in the natural forms, like fruits or vegetables. And when it comes to complex carbs, if there is a choice, choose unrefined forms of complex carbs like whole wheat or brown rice as opposed to refined forms like white bread, white rice, etc.

Wheat, for instance, can be an excellent source of nutrition with regards to important proteins and fiber. But when the wheat is refined, both the bran (protective shell to the embryo which is a good source of fiber) and the wheat germ (the embryo, good source of protein) are removed, leaving just the starch. Same for rice. In refined forms, basically what is left is the starch-- the plant's form of glucose.

Don't starve your diet of carbs. True, you may lose some weight, but this is largely because your body has to turn to its fat stores in order to fuel the muscles rather than using the glucose available in the blood or the glycogen (large chains of glucose) the muscles store. However, in order to turn stored fat (glycogen stored in fat cells) into usable glucose for the muscle cells, it must first be turned into something called ketones. And ketones, as a fuel source, turn the blood acidic-- which needless to say, though I'll say it, isn't good for the body.

It's a necessary component of fat loss (turning stored fat into ketones so the muscles can utilize it), however, ideally that's kept to a minimum.

This is the same reason why, if you find an earlier thread we had within the last year that talked about a ketonic diet for severe epilepsy, that this type of diet can cause many health problems despite relieving the epilepsy.

Conclusion: Keep carbohydrates in your diet; just choose the right ones that provide maximum nutrition while supporting pancreatic (insulin/blood sugar) health. And if you're worried about oxidative stress, just make sure you're getting your antioxidants. And keep stress as low as possible; enjoy life.

[Noctivagus]

May I add to the Hello's to Silvery

I've always been mistaken for somebody younger than my true age... However I have a couple of streaks of white in my hair now... so folk are only about 5 years out now - lol

I'm personally hedging my bets for those of us auties who look considerably younger than our actually ages, that it has something to do with a difference in how we handle oxidative stress and our skin just doesn't age as quickly as Average Joe/Josephine.

I always thought it may be to do with our lack of facial expressions. We simply do not cause so many creases

[Sophist]

May I add to the Hello's to Silvery

I've always been mistaken for somebody younger than my true age... However I have a couple of streaks of white in my hair now... so folk are only about 5 years out now - lol

I'm personally hedging my bets for those of us auties who look considerably younger than our actually ages, that it has something to do with a difference in how we handle oxidative stress and our skin just doesn't age as quickly as Average Joe/Josephine.

I always thought it may be to do with our lack of facial expressions. We simply do not cause so many creases

I don't think the use of muscles should affect the elasticity of skin. If that were the case, we use our limb muscles to a greater extent than our faces, and clearly our arms and legs don't wrinkle quite at the fast rate that our faces do. Which may also be due to the fact we wear clothing but rarely cover our faces, so they are exposed to things like ultraviolet rays much more than other parts of our bodies. --Which once again, brings one back to the idea of oxidative stress, since ultraviolet, amongst other things, does cause greater oxidative stress.

[SomethingElse]

My mum asked me to get her a lottery ticket when I was walking Louie, so I did... The guy printed the ticket, then said, "Where's mummy? At home?" I was a bit confused by him saying 'mummy' and asking where she was (she was quite obviously not in the shop, so I can't see it being at all worth asking about her?). I just said, "Yeah," anyway. Then he said, "Is this mummy's ticket?" "Yeah."

So... I'm wondering whether he thought I was underage, but didn't want to refuse to sell me a ticket so was ensuring the ticket was for an adult?

You only have to be 16 to play the lottery, though?

[Sophist]

My mum asked me to get her a lottery ticket when I was walking Louie, so I did... The guy printed the ticket, then said, "Where's mummy? At home?" I was a bit confused by him saying 'mummy' and asking where she was (she was quite obviously not in the shop, so I can't see it being at all worth asking about her?). I just said, "Yeah," anyway. Then he said, "Is this mummy's ticket?" "Yeah."

So... I'm wondering whether he thought I was underage, but didn't want to refuse to sell me a ticket so was ensuring the ticket was for an adult?

You only have to be 16 to play the lottery, though?

Sounds like he thought you were underage. It's only been in the last two years that I haven't been carded for lottery tickets (18 yo here).

[SomethingElse]

Yeah, I think that must be it. Now I wish I had just said, "Mate, I didn't actually ever say 'mummy' (or 'daddy' for that matter) when I was little, let alone now AT THE AGE OF 21!"

[Sophist]

[rocketturtle]

Up until I hit puberty, I was always mistaken for being older than my age-- although a great deal of that was probably just that I was definitely taller and larger.

But once puberty hit, that started reverting, and now that I'm 27 most people who don't know me think I'm about 18. One woman even told me I looked 16! Apparently, most people think that's a compliment.

I usually retort that The Doogie Houser Effect is NEVER a good thing.

that is similar to me as well. i am 30 and i still get carded to buy lottery tickets.

i'm starting to get a few gray hairs so maybe that will help

[Sophist]

Up until I hit puberty, I was always mistaken for being older than my age-- although a great deal of that was probably just that I was definitely taller and larger.

But once puberty hit, that started reverting, and now that I'm 27 most people who don't know me think I'm about 18. One woman even told me I looked 16! Apparently, most people think that's a compliment.

I usually retort that The Doogie Houser Effect is NEVER a good thing.

that is similar to me as well. i am 30 and i still get carded to buy lottery tickets.

i'm starting to get a few gray hairs so maybe that will help

I hope I don't have to go gray before people will start thinking I'm closer to my actual age, heh. I'm starting to develop a hypothesis though: we don't actually look young, everybody else just looks extremely old!

Good to see you again, rocketturtle.

[loborojo]

I've looked younger in my teenage years and always acted immaturely, until a certain age in my late twenties I became so serious, too talkative...the stress I endured the last 4 years have made me catch up with my peers and yes the grey hairs and more wrinkles have an effect on me, but once I am with children I become one with them again and wished I had become less serious...yes looking like a sixteen year old is aplus for me, I hate when my friend tells me how grey hairs give men a certain eminence, I don't give a hoot about eminence or respectability for sporting grey hairs!!

[goddessoflubbock]

The checker lady at a particular restaurant always gives me the senior citizen discount. I've consoled myself by thinking she's done it out of feeling bad for my physical situation plus my kids are usually fighting by the checkout... LOL But it's 50% off so I'm not complaining.

My husband's aunt used to be quite heavy, and she recently lost an enormous amount of it using "alli". Not a method I'd use personally. Anyway, another relative sent some before and after pics and while she surely looks better for having lost the weight (and feels better I'm sure!) she's aged 15 years in 2! The fat that drained from her face was propping up all those wrinkles......oh it is bad....I'm not really one to worry about looks but it is a marked difference.

DH has a babyface and has always passed for much younger than his age. Recently however, he's started to develop some grey hair and the cute girls he looks at don't look back so much anymore!!!! LOL

[teejay]

I am mistaken for being much younger, I'm nearly 26, I look more like 18-19. Since I am a second year university student and taken a year off study, people would assume I am around 20, if I do not tell them how old I was.

Also I had a 16 year old girl I met on the #wrongplanet chatroom living in Queensland who was/is attracted to me.

[Danie]

I apologize for reviving an old topic, but this one interests me.

Like Sophist, when I was younger (before I hit puberty) I looked a lot older than I was. When I was 12 people said I looked 16. But now that I am an adult (I'm 21) people say I look 15!! I was at a Christian Baptist church of my grandfathers (I cant say no to him), and one woman said "what grade you in?" and I replied "freshman", you know... as in freshman in college. And she says, "oh I just loved High School! Just wait until youre a senior!". I didnt say anything. I just nodded. As well, especially when I cut my hair really short (which I always end up doing), I look like a little boy. At that same church when I was leaving (different time), a man said "young man!! hold that door for those ladies!!!". I was upset as well as humiliated.