SISTER ACT
Mum, 64, says she and her daughter, 34, are mistaken for SISTERS – but insists she’s had no cosmetic surgery
A MUM, 64, says she and her 34-year-old daughter are often mistaken for sisters, thanks to her youthful looks.
Angela Paul - who's originally from Bradford but now lives in California - insists that she's had no plastic surgery, instead crediting a healthy lifestyle for her wrinkle-free complexion.
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Angela says it was being diagnosed with lupus in her twenties that encouraged her to pursue a healthier lifestyle.
She relied on meditation, exercising, nutrition and focusing on her mental health - and even claims that she managed to ease her symptoms without medication.
Now in her mid-sixties, Angela said she's often mistaken for her daughter's sister.
She's also regularly approached by men half her age who want to date her.
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Angela says: "There really is no big secret to ageing gracefully at 64. Genetics help, but more than that lifestyle is a big predictor on how well one ages.
"For me, ageing well has been a lifelong undertaking. I started practising self-care when I was a young model through nutrition, exercise, meditation and mindset.
"The younger one starts taking care of oneself the greater the payoffs later on in life."
On her diagnosis, she continues: "In my early twenties I felt full of life, with confidence and energy, but in my late twenties I was diagnosed with lupus that fortunately I was able to treat without medication.
"It was, however, a wake-up call to significantly pull back on my high-paced life.
"It was after this diagnosis that my meditation practice and disciplined self-care became the foundation of how I live my life."
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Angela also credits genetics for her looks, adding: "My mum had beautiful skin and thick hair which runs in the family, so I had good genetics early on.
"Growing up in England with a lot of rain I didn't have much exposure to sun which was a blessing really.
"I never smoked or drank much in my teens and twenties so that helped, and I was always big on getting adequate sleep. To me sleep is my number one health and beauty aid.
"Also, as a model I knew all about the benefits of skincare; staying out of the sun and the best and most effective beauty products to use.
"I love to exercise so that's been an integral part of my self-care, but I do believe my journey to healthy ageing has been significantly enhanced by my long-time meditation practice."
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She continues: "I think that we have to take care of ourselves from the inside first and foremost beyond the outer superficial means.
"I haven't eaten any kind of meat or poultry in 38 years but do love fish and sushi.
"I eat organic as much as possible and prefer several small meals a day as it's easier on the digestion.
"I eat an avocado a day, drink fresh ginger with hot lemon first thing in the morning and limit myself to one coffee a day before noon.
"I don't drink much alcohol but when I do, I prefer a little vodka than wine as it is cleaner and has less sugar. This maintenance has been my lifestyle for decades.
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"I don't believe in extremes, but I do know what works best for my overall health and wellness from a lifetime of consistent dedication that’s always been more about feeling good rather than just focusing on looking good.
"Looking my best then becomes a by-product of years of self-care and self-love.
"I've always loved to dance, but about five years ago I started taking Zumba dance classes four to five times a week.
"I absolutely love it and it makes me feel radiantly alive, youthful and sexy.
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"People often comment that my daughter and I look more like sisters than mother and daughter. On Instagram men are often over the top with compliments.
"But as I know that's all superficial and not particularly 'real' I just don't let myself get attached to flattery or judgement which is also part of being a public person on social media.
"Unfortunately, most of the judgement comes from other women which I find sad and a bit disconcerting even though on some level I get it.
"People react to my age usually with astonishment or with the subtle/not so subtle suggestion that I must have had a lot of cosmetic surgery done or must be anorexic - both of which is untrue.
"If people ask, I readily share my lifestyle choices and it does take commitment and dedication that some people just don't want to do. They want the end results but are not willing to do the work it takes."
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Angela - who's also a writer and has written two books based around the beauty of ageing - says she's actually against the concept of cosmetic and plastic surgery and has deliberately avoided it at all costs.
"I'm personally against cosmetic surgery for a few significant reasons," she explains.
"One: I want to look like myself naturally as best I can. Two: I try to avoid surgery of any kind as much as possible.
"Three: Vanity for me includes not having people wonder what I've done to myself if the surgery turns out strange and clearly like I've had some major work done.
"Four: There are many non-invasive and natural products and procedures that can help with ageing. For example, I do facial yoga every day to tighten the jowls and chin.
"Five: I feel that encouraging women - especially young women - to age naturally is part of the message I espouse and strive to live by.
"Apart from caesarean surgery the only cosmetic procedure I've done was to get braces on my teeth in my thirties."
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Angela adds: "It's also not about looking like anyone else, including me or any celebrity of the moment, or being thinner.
"It's about being the healthiest version of you that you can be.
"In popular culture and social media women are inundated with messages on how they should look so I really believe that it's important to stop comparing ourselves to anyone, and for me that has included not comparing myself to myself at a younger age."
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