There’s an old saying that goes, “Black don’t crack,” but let’s be honest, some people age worse than others. But on the other hand, there are a select few of people who seem to look even better as they age. One of them is actor Larenz Tate.
The Love Jones, Dead Presidents, and Menace II Society star seems to look better as he ages, even at age 47. So what’s his secret?
“I get the question all the time, ‘What’s your secret?’,” says Tate. “And I just tell them I have vampire in my blood. I’m not getting older. I’m going to stay just this way.”
But the real secret to his youthful look is how he lives. Larenz Tate is a self-proclaimed lover of life and one who enjoys being happy. From his family life to his finances, Larenz lives a simple life.
“I live below my means. If everybody’s going on vacation. I might not be able to do the Private Jet…I’ll get there! If they want to do the yacht boat thing, I’ll put some ON the yacht! I got 4 kids and it doesn’t make sense. I’ve seen highs and lows in my career financially. When people are out there ballin’ out of control…I know the real deal.”
The same thing applies to his marriage to his wife of nearly 12 years.
“We don’t go by other people’s standards. What works in our relationship and our household may not work in the next household. It’s what we create and what we do. We don’t get involved in anybody else’s business, we just do our thing.”
One major factor that keeps Tate looking young is love. Yes, LOVE.
What love will do to the body is miraculous. Did you know that being married–specifically to someone you absolutely love and cherish–tend to live longer. They have fewer strokes and heart attacks, have a lower chance of becoming depressed, are less likely to have advanced cancer at the time of diagnosis and more likely to survive cancer for a longer period of time. They even tend to survive a major operation more often.
Another major portion of Larenz’s backwards aging is water. That’s right: water.
Water helps keep skin looking good. Your skin contains plenty of water, and functions as a…
…protective barrier to prevent excess fluid loss.
“Dehydration makes your skin look more dry and wrinkled, which can be improved with proper hydration,” he says. “But once you are adequately hydrated, the kidneys take over and excrete excess fluids.”
You can also help “lock” moisture into your skin by using moisturizer, which creates a physical barrier to keep moisture in.
So the secret vampire juice: Live, laugh, love…and drink water!