If youre still alive, youre growing older every day.

You may not notice it, but you are.

When we make that great shift out of our teenage years into our twenties, most of the changes we encounter about growing older are good.

Whe we are in our twenties, growing older means a lot more freedom and a lot of adventure. Physically, we are at our peak of perfection.

In our thirties, we are starting to enjoy many of the benefits of growing older as we accumulate more wisdom and in most cases, continue to have a body and a brain thats still in great shape.

But there comes a time, perhaps in our fifth decade, or in our sixth, when growing older starts to have some negative effects we dont really like.

We may not be as physically fit as we used to be. We start to get sags and bags. We get aches and pains. We may be showing some forgetfulness.

Our beautiful perfection of youth is gone.

Why do we age?

Over the centuries, people have often wondered how it is that our bodies grow and develop from a tiny fertilized egg, to a newborn baby, to a young child, then a teenager and, finally, a young adult. A huge number of very complex changes within our bodies must happen perfectly in order to achieve this.

Once we grow into our adult perfection, why cant we just stay there? Why do we have to age?

And can we stop it?

Doctors and scientists used to take aging for granted. Scientists used to think that because aging was a natural process, there was no need to investigate it.

Now, as increasing numbers of baby boomers are turning fifty, anxious to hang on to some semblance of youth, more and more research is being devoted to the topic of aging.

Scientists are trying to find out how and why we age, and they are investigating possible ways to slow down the aging process, or perhaps even stop it altogether.

If new ways are found to extend physical and mental health for the aging population, the benefits to society will be enormous.

Although all of us want to live a long time, none of us wants to spend our final years in physical pain or suffering from mental decline.

Scientists have been able to identify some of the factors that influence the process of aging, and new knowledge is accumulating at a rapid rate. Dozens of theories to explain aging have been proposed, but it seems that aging is a very complex, and several processes are interlinked.

Here are some of the current theories about why we age:

Hayflick Limit Theory Two scentists in the 1960s noticed that many human cells would divide a limited number of times, then stop. If the cells were well fed, they divided faster. Body cells may have a built-in genetic program that tells them not to reproduce anymore.

Free Radical Theory – Free radicals are molecules or atoms that have an unpaired electron. In order to be electrically balanced, these molecules or atoms will grab an electron from a nearby atom, thereby creating another free radical, eventually resulting in a cascading chain of damage to cells and organs.

Free radical formation may not account for all the symptoms of aging, but it probably does play an important part in accelerating cellular damage. Free radicals are unavoidable. They are an inevitable consequence of living in a physical body. However, there are steps we can take to slow down free radical damage, such as avoiding pollutants, and eating a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables.

The Telomere Theory Telomeres are special types of chemicals that seem to have some ability to protect the chromosomes inside our cells. Every time our cells divide, the telemeres become shorter and less able to protect the chromosome. This may explain why the cells eventually become damaged and die. Scientists are currently trying to find out how to repair telomeres and stop the damage to the cells.

Glycation When proteins in your body react with excess blood sugar, the proteins become damaged. This process is known as glycation. These sugar-damaged proteins may contribute to the breakdown of many other systems in the body. People who have diabetes or problems with insulin resistance are particularly vulnerable to glycation damage because of abnormalities in their blood sugar levels.

If it turns out to be true that glycation plays a major part in causing the negative effects of aging, we may be able to slow it down by making sure we avoid excess blood sugar levels.

Here are some other factors that play a part in aging:

-We experience a steep decline in hormone production in our later years
-Our body becomes less efficient at detoxifying
-The DNA in our cells becomes damaged
-A life time of exposure to stress and environmental toxins in our air, food and water overwhelms our bodys repair systems.

These are some of the explanations for why we age, but its not a complete picture. At the present time, we dont yet know all the reasons for this process. And so far, there is no single magic bullet to stop it.

If scientists can learn how to slow down the process of aging, we will be able to spend many more happy years enjoying our lives while maintaining our peak of physical perfection.

And thats something to look forward to!

Despite what you may think, the unsightly signs of aging don’t play favorites. With every coming day your skin sheds more and more signs of aging. The older you become, the more your skin looses its radiance and firmness, and thus nears its approach towards fine lines and wrinkles. These are the horrible signs of aging.

One of the biggest fears amongst the human population is the loss of youth. Many individuals attempt to evade this natural phenomenon by utilizing the plethora of cosmetic products currently available. Signs of aging will appear despite any futile attempts to wage war with mother nature. However, one can do several things to delay the onset of aging skin by taking proper care of his/her skin.

Most of us are more than ready to spend massive amounts of money to keep ourselves looking young. Realizing the large interest in anti-aging products, thousands of companies have staked their claim in the cosmetics industry, making numerous anti-aging creams which satisfy the obsessions of everyday people, who believe their skin is developing new wrinkles by the day. These companies have large streams of cash flowing their way by the day. Many of the “miracle products” which these companies manufacture promise to completely eradicate signs of aging. Unfortunately, many consumers are left to find that the majority of these claims are false.

Knowing this, consumers should take care to conduct the proper amount of research before buying a specific anti-aging product. We recommend scouring the internet for any product reviews which you can get your hands on. Also, be sure to ask friends any family for any recommendations they may have.

Plant nutrients play a key role in anti aging. Fruit, vegetables, and plant extracts have an array of chemical constituents, called phytochemicals or phytonutrients, that are hugely beneficial to skin health and beauty.

In plants, phytochemicals confer characteristics like color, which can help the plant by providing an attractive beacon to passing bees to help in pollination. Or they offer a protective effect to the plant to prevent insects from harming it, or repel grazing animals. But they have often been found to have benefits for human health when analyzed in laboratories. It is these chemicals in plants that make fruit and vegetables so much more valuable than simply the macro nutrients like vitamin C.

Antioxidants are one class of phytonutrients, though there are many. Antioxidants work by supplying an extra oxygen molecule to those molecules that are missing one, called free radicals. If antioxidants don’t supply the missing oxygen molecule to free radicals, the free radicals will take an oxygen molecule from another compound in the body, making one that was previously healthy and intact itself a free radical. Free radicals are not ‘baddies’, simply unstable chemical molecules, but the effect they have on the body is negative, as they can damage cells. Free radicals are produced as a normal by product of the metabolic processes of our cells, as well as by our immune system as it counteracts the effects of pathogens and the environment.

The trick is to keep the balance in the body where there is enough of a supply of antioxidants to cope with the body’s production of free radicals.

Free radicals affect the skin in three main ways. They can alter the fatty layers in your cellular membranes. These fatty layers provide structure to the cell, and control which nutrients and other agents can pass in and out. They can alter the DNA within cells, which aside from the potential to develop into serious illnesses, can make your skin inclined to wrinkles and sagging before its natural biological time. Altered DNA creates a blueprint for collagen and elastin fibers that don’t function as healthy, normal ones would. And to compound matters, the skin’s pores need healthy collagen and elastin fibers to stay tight and small. So another undesired result is open, large pores.

Free radicals also lead to a process called the cross-linking of collagen fibers. This occurs in the skin’s dermis, as a result of collagen and elastin fibers becoming hard, thick, and then binding together. Cross-linked fibers create wrinkles, skin sag, and cause your regular expression lines to become etched in your face as a permanent fixture. With healthy collagen and elastin fibers these expression lines would simply disappear once you moved your facial muscles in a different way. And enzymes that metabolize collagen are encouraged by free radicals, which, given the importance of collagen in youthful looking skin, is best minimized.

Other phytonutrients in plants that are of importance to skin beauty are carotenoids and flavanoids. Flavanoids are great for the health of blood vessels. They strengthen the capillaries that supply important nutrients to the skin’s cells, as well as supporting cellular membranes. Healthy cell membranes regenerate quickly, and slow the aging process. Carotenoids also strengthen cell membranes. It seems carrots are not just good for eyesight! And flavanoids help reduce inflammation, as well as increasing levels of glutathione, which is an antioxidant.

Many baby boomers in retirement are becoming more and more concerned with their health needs. Aging has become a reality, so they must take steps to improve or maintain good health and slow the aging process.

According to a recent study by Herbal News Magazine, baby boomers born between 1948 and 1953 evaluated their general health more poorly than their elders, based on a similar study conducted in 1992. Perhaps this happened because the Baby Boom generation was generally less physically active than their elders had been, both at home and at work. Less physical activity and poor eating habits have led to many cases of diabetes, obesity, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure among baby boomers in retirement.

Fortunately, it’s not too late for baby boomers to become pro-active in their own physical well-being. These anti-aging and health tips can help.

Use Herbs to Supplement Diet

Herbs have been around since the earth’s beginnings and can often be found in seasoning and spices we use, plants, many organic foods, and herbal supplements. With the onslaught of pharmaceutical companies and modern medicine, herb use for anti-aging and good health dwindled for a while. But now, baby boomers are realizing the many benefits of holistic health and that herbs offer an affordable alternative to many prescription or over-the-counter drugs.

Some popular herbs for enhanced health and anti-aging include oregano, alfalfa, wheat germ, Echinacea root, fenugreek, arginine, witch hazel, cinnamon, cardamom, dill, peppermint, thyme, ginseng, ginger, rosemary, black pepper, green tea, cat’s claw, and many others. Ginger, for instance, is an antioxidant that helps cleanse the colon, stimulate circulation, and reduce spasms and cramps. It also helps reduce hot flashes and indigestion. Alfalfa detoxifies the body and works as a natural diuretic, hormonal balancer, and cholesterol reducer. Cinnamon enhances the metabolism to help with weight loss, and it is recommended for fungal infections, digestive problems, diabetes, yeast infection, and other ailments. The list of herbs available today goes on and on.

Baby boomers in retirement can see a holistic doctor or one that specializes in homeopathy to discover herbs or alternative medicines that will work best for them.

Natural Healing

Another way baby boomers can improve health and prolong the aging process is through natural methods and remedies for healing. The “ancients” often turned to natural remedies for healing because they didn’t have a doctor’s office or local hospital nearby. Today, many people turn to drugs, which only treat the symptoms, not the problem. Though some diseases and sicknesses do require pharmaceutical drugs, there are many conditions that could possibly be healed naturally. Natural healing is available for many ailments including colds and congestion, back or neck pain, stress and tension, headaches, circulatory problems, and others.

There are several natural healing methods. Acupuncture is a Chinese therapy in which fine needles are used to unblock energy in the body so the healing process can take place naturally. Chiropractic methods include re-aligning or adjusting skeletal systems in the body to help the body release blockages and heal itself. Cranial sacral is the process of adjusting or aligning the bones of the skull to help with headaches, chronic pain, joint syndrome, or injuries to the head or spine. Massaging is a natural healing method in which the hands are used to gently release stress and tension through motion and pressure on certain muscles. Other natural healing methods include Rolfing, Shiatsu, reflexology, and the healing touch.

Choose All-Natural Beauty Products over Chemically-Based Products

Chemically-based beauty products might work wonders at enhancing beauty for now, but long-term use can actually speed up the aging process. Some products that promise beauty might actually dry or damage the skin, damage hair, and cause pre-mature wrinkles. Luckily, there are many organic beauty products available in lotions, shampoos, make-up, bath oils, and soaps to help skin stay beautiful and to reduce signs of aging. These are made of natural ingredients instead of dangerous toxins that can be absorbed into the body through the skin.

Physical Activity, Healthy Eating, and Relaxation

Three other key factors to good health for baby boomers are physical activity, healthy eating, and relaxation. Baby boomers in retirement can still be active doing the things they love such as walking or jogging, riding a bike, gardening, traveling and sight-seeing. Also, they can eat healthier by choosing foods that are rich in vitamins and minerals. Finding a way to relax each day is also important for good health. A soothing bath in natural bath oil, reading a book, spending time outdoors on a swing… all these offer time to relax and clear the mind of the day’s stressful activities.

These methods have helped many people, but a doctor should be seen with any serious illness. Herbs and alternative medicines are not automatic cure-alls, but are meant to enhance health and help the body heal itself of minor illnesses.

Baby boomers in retirement don’t have to stand by and watch their health go downhill. The Internet is a great resource to get started and research different herbs and their health benefits. It’s time to take action with these natural health and antiaging tips!

The very first question most people have when exploring the realm of anti-aging skin care is, What skin rejuvenation products have been proven to be effective?

Accurate information regarding the multitude of anti-aging treatments flooding the marketplace is the best way to make informed decisions for developing your own skin rejuvenation regime which incorporates the anti-aging skin care techniques, strategies and treatments that best address your personal aging skin issues.

The basics of effective skin rejuvenation begin with the facts on anti-aging skin care treatments. There are several active ingredients that have been clinically proven to be effective skin rejuvenators. One of the most effective treatments is vitamin A derivatives such a retinol or retinyl palmitate.

The Retin A or Renova vitamin A treatments are the strongest although the most irritating treatments of the vitamin A options and are only available by prescription. If your skin needs major rejuvenation attention, ask your Doctor if you are a candidate for the prescription vitamin A treatment of Retin A or Renova.

If not, including one of the other retinol alternatives in your skin care routine is an excellent strategy. The concentration of over-the-counter retinol products can range up to 1%. The basic rule of thumb is, the higher the concentration, the stronger the treatment. Be forewarned though, read the directions carefully because the stronger retinol products can be quite irritating to the skin. Starting slow and gradually working your way up to higher concentrations will allow your skin to adjust to the treatments better. The vitamin A derivative, Retinyl Palmitate, is the less irritating of the Vitamin A options and is considered to have quite effective rejuvenating qualities.

The next most beneficial anti-aging skin rejuvenation treatment is a chemical exfoliant such as an alpha hydroxyl acid (AHA) or beta hydroxyl acid (BHA) product. The most popular of these acids is an AHA glycolic acid. Glycolic acid should be use in concentrations of 8% to 15% depending on your skins sensitivity. Start out with a lower concentration and gradually move up to a 10% then 15% concentration depending on your skins tolerance in order to avoid irritation.

The last consideration is including an antioxidant to contain the skin damaging free radicals as well as to encourage overall skin repair. Products containing Vitamin C Ester, Spin Trap, or CoQ10 are all good options to explore. Then, of course, there are other viable anti-aging treatments which can be incorporated into your regime depending on your particular skin rejuvenation needs which include DMAE, Kinerase or Kinetin, and GHK Copper Peptides. Learn more about Anti-Aging Skin Care at the Skin Care e-Learning and Resource Center.

Finally, the most critical and essential aspect to any successful skin rejuvenation regime is sunscreen, at least once a day, each and every day!

If youve ever tried to find a skin care product to deal with the skin care concerns of aging skin, youre probably as confused as the average person. There are so many products and ingredients that tout increase in this, decrease in that , revitalized this and revitalized that and on and on and on. Many empty promises or over-hyped formulations.

In order to understand what anti-aging skin care products are intended to do, you have to first understand about what the aging process is for skin. Aging skin has the condition where the structural proteins that bind and support the skin, collagen and elastin, lose their resiliency and cohesion, causing the skin to wrinkle and/or sag. The body’s ability to produce new collagen and elastin also diminishes with age while the cells in the various layers of our skin decline and thin, loosing the ability to adequately maintain moisture. Without proper hydration, the healing mechanisms of the skin cease to function, adversely affecting the skin’s ability to receive nutrients and repair itself. The result is rough, lose, wrinkled skin.

Of course, we all want to have the best skin possible at any age and are searching for solutions to maintain our skins youthfulness. In our quest and with the constant marketing and advancements in skin care, it can sometimes be difficult to find an affordable and effective solution for great skin care.
However, what you need to know is that it doesnt have to be that complex (as many of the product name suggest!). What you should consider is that what any skin care program should be is simple. Thats it, just simple. The results that we all want are simple: soft, smooth, clear, radiant, younger-looking skin.

Too much of the time now days, skin care marketers are trying to convenience consumers that they need formulations that no average consumer can understand, or day and night products, or formulations that highly successful, well-known personalities would use. If you think about it, how many products do you currently have in your storage that were purchased because of these marketing strategies?
With these types of advertising, there are so many re-touches and questionable representation of the product effectiveness because the personality also receives so many other types of services and procedures that impact the condition of skin that you really cannot know the true results that the highly marketed products will bring.
The positive side of the situation is that there are constant and ever evolving advances in skin care and we all have the option for our skin condition improving with age.

If you are looking for a skin care program, there are some guidelines you may want to consider when making your skin care choices:
Protect your skin while you are in the sun and extreme weather. Use properprotection.

Drink lots of water. Its so important for proper skin hydration and keeping your body clean from toxins and other chemicals that could cause adverse reactions in your skin.

You should know what you are using on your skin. If you cant pronounce the majority of the ingredients or there are more than 5 or 6 ingredients, then it may be too complex for what your skin actually needs. Skin care that uses these types of formulations are full of fillers, coloring, preservatives, and chemicals that are not beneficial for your skin and come with a high price where the consumer is paying for the filler more so than the active ingredients. These types of ingredients are only needed to fill up the bottle and make it appealing to smell or touch. Sometimes products will contain multiple active ingredients but in order to formulate these ingredients, it requires that other ingredients be added. You end up paying for something your skin cannot use. The cheaper ingredients are filling up the bottle. Try a similar approach to how you would choose your food (skin is live cells and needs nourishment). Watch the labels and choose products with skin healthy formulations where the active ingredients are 80% of the ingredients.

You should use a good and effective cleanser. This is the most important step in your skin care process. Many cleansing products do not leave your skin feeling smooth and deeply cleansed. Find a product that goes deep into the pores, provides light exfoliation and conditioning, and does not leave any residue. Applying moisturizers and treatments on top of skin that is not completely clean will just make the problem worse by clogging pores and showing a rough, uneven skin texture.

You should be able to adjust your program to meet your skins daily needs. If you cant adjust the use of the products to match what your skin needs on a particular day, are you really getting what you need? Your program should be able to hydrate, heal, and renew your skin. You should see this gradual improvement everyday and not have to wait 30 to 60 days for results. Its like watering a plant. A plant that needs water as a critical nutrient will respond immediately to the water being absorbed through its roots and perk up within a few hours. Watch your skin for a week or so and youll know how effective the program can ultimately be for your skin care needs.

You should be able to quickly go through your regime. It should not takemore than 5 minutes. A skin care program should include the steps to cleanse, exfoliate, treat and/or moisturize. You should be able to pick and choose what you need based on you skins current condition for that day.

You should not be able to feel the product on your skin. In order for skin care to really be effective, it must penetrate the skin cells. Product sitting on top of your skin is product that is not penetrating the skin layers. Products with fillers and other unnecessary, complex formulations will may not get deep or directly enough to provide the treatment and results you are looking for. You should not know that you are wearing your skin care.

You should feel comfortable with makeup optional skin. If your skin care is really working, your skin will improve and you will not want to put makeup on it if you dont have to. Most skin problems are correctable to a large degree. You should be able to go out feeling confident that your skin is at its best (with minimal makeup) no matter what your age is. Also, by using makeup less, you are giving your skin more time to repair and restore itself without the interruption of other product chemicals on your skin.

Karen Reiter is a certified, advanced skin care specialist who works with a number of skin care companies and has her own client based. She is recognized for her consistent service and skin care advice to improving skin conditions. Karen Reiter provides consultation for skin care rejuvenation. If you are looking for an effective natural skin care system that delivers what it promises, consider the Natural Treatments for Skin care Rejuvenation at Comforts of Home Spa on http://www.comfortsofhomespa.com. These products deliver fast, effective results for dramatically improved skin. It features some of the most intensive and pure formulations for hyaluronic acid, argireline, oxygen serum, glycolic acid, Vitamin C, squalene oil, and Vitamin E.

The aging of your skin may be inevitable. But why rush it? There are ways to slow down sagging and wrinkles. Using skin creams and treatments may already be a part of your daily grooming regimen. However, topical creams cannot be expected to work alone for full efficacy. The best way to start your anti-aging effort is on the inside.

First of all, are you drinking enough water? There are varying opinions about how much water an individual actually needs for good health, but the general consensus remains that you probably aren’t drinking enough. If you’re thirsty, your skin is thirsty too — which means dryness and wrinkles. Hydrate your skin by drinking water regularly.

Drink water . . . but avoid alcohol and soft drinks. The contents of these beverages — alcohol and caffeine — dehydrate skin, wreaking havoc on its structure. An acceptable alternative to water is green tea, which is low in caffeine (but enough for a pick-me-up). Green tea, as you probably already know, is loaded with antioxidants that destroy free radicals, which cause aging.

A multivitamin is always a good idea, but our bodies most easily absorb nutrients from food. Include plenty of fruits and vegetables in your diet. In addition to vitamins and minerals, you’re fortifying your body with more antioxidants. Blueberries are one of nature’s super foods, having one of the highest antioxidant values.

Exercise! Exercise helps keep us from aging by keeping weight down, working the heart, toning muscles, and getting the blood flowing (to the skin!). People who exercise look younger and feel younger. It’s a most beneficial habit to get into.

People who look younger than their age repeatedly reveal one vital secret: getting enough sleep. If you aren’t, find ways to work it in. Instead of sitting up in front of the television, turn it off at a reasonable time and take a book to bed. This quiet practice can lead to an easier time getting to sleep — sometimes the colors and movement of the television keep our brains working even after we’ve begun to relax.

You may feel that you don’t have the time to take care of your skin, but keep in mind: by the time you do have time, it will be too late. The time to protect your skin is now! Years later, you’ll be thanking yourself for it — and not only will you look younger, you’ll feel younger too.

A sad fact of life is that when a person feels vulnerable, they are ripe to be taken advantage of by those who want to turn a quick profit. This is true in many areas of life, from labor to writing. It is also true in the fight against aging.

Anti-aging is one of the latest crazes in health and beauty. No one over 30 seems to want to look their age anymore, and the result is an instant rush to any product that claims to battle the signs or effects of aging. Not all of these products are genuine, however, and there are many unscrupulous businesses and practitioners that see a chance to make a profit from those desperate to stop the aging process. There are some clues, though, to look for when determining if a product or service that claims to aid in the anti-aging battle is a scam or not.

Anti-aging scam artists will frequently pitch claims directly to the media, without supportive medical evidence. Real claims should also have an unbiased third party review. If the seller claims that their work is being represses by the scientific community, odds are it is a scam. The claimant certainly has dollar signs in front of them, just as they claim the scientific establishment does. Also look for hot buzzwords such as breakthrough or secret ingredient.

If a given advertisement is using a ton of testimonials or anecdotes, raise the red flag. Dont believe what you see on television or read on the internet. Unless you know the person giving the testimonial personally, do not give credence to the claim. Also, do not believe the claim that because it has been used by certain cultures for centuries it is therefore valid. The same could be said of slavery.

Watch out for any product that does not warn of side effects or that make claims that are simply too good to be true, because they most likely are. Anti-aging scams will also often use tiny print that a person watching cannot possibly read. Always beware of a stack of fine print.

These are some of the things to watch out for when considering an anti-aging treatment. If any of the above are taking place, proceed with caution before spending any money on the product. One more big scam is charging a smaller amount for a long period of time- youll still lose thousands for nothing, waiting for the effects to take place.

My mother always reminded her kids that people judge you by the company you keep. The admonition was meant primarily for my brother who tended to prefer the company of neighborhood rowdies the kids who ran around with their shirttail hanging out, their knickers not pulled up, their hair uncombed, and used inappropriate language like gosh and gee whiz. (Yes, yes, I know. But that was back in the Dark Ages.)

She was right people do judge you by people with whom you associate. But in our contemporary culture, few people are concerned about the judgment of others. However, if you are at midlife, and you want to retain youthful characteristics and vibrant good health, the company you keep is very important for a reason rarely discussed.

And that reason is this: We develop old thinking and behaviors from observation and emulation of old or older people we associate with most frequently. They could be family members, close friends, neighbors, or co-workers. And lets not forget the influence of archaic conventional wisdom and consensus thinking. Oldness is insidious and viral. You really have to watch what you allow into your head and adopt as your own.

Does someone in your family insist on being catered to not because of an infirmity but because Ive done for others all of my life, and now its time for others to do for me? Grandma did it, so you do it, too. We should do for our elders, but not when elders are perfectly capable of caring for themselves. Its unkind and unwise to encourage dependence. If entitlement or other “old age” behavior causes unhappiness in your family, it can stop with you.

Aside from family life, one of the best places to catch the oldness virus is in retirement communities or any living situation where you are in contact primarily with people your own age.

Retirement communities, for the most part, are beautiful. They are quiet, well maintained and many offer amenities that can keep you going nonstop: Trips, classes, social and sports events, state of the art exercise equipment, music, arts, crafts, tennis, swimming, theater — you name it. What more could you want if you are over 50?

What you should want, and must want, if you are determined to Put Old on Hold is regular association with people of ALL ages and circumstances. If you are at midlife (50-55), healthy, and choose to buy into a retirement community, think about the environment you will be in for a very long time.

In a new community that stresses active lifestyles, there will probably be many residents about your age. But what happens as time goes on? Assuming the community remains stable, there probably wont be too many younger people moving in over the years. You may consider that a bonus, but remember this: Over time, your closest friends and acquaintances will likely be those within the community, especially if your lifestyle becomes more settled. This is something to consider ahead of time.

The life span has increased by 27 years in the past century. Those bonus years represent a long time to live in a situation where predominant topics of conversation, eventually, will be about aches, pains, which neighbor is in the hospital or who died last week, and which widower is up for grabs, and what his favorite casserole is. The reality is this: If you are at midlife and you choose to segregate yourself in a seniors-only environment, the oldness virus will get you sooner than later.

Young people, as irritating as they often can be, can also be open, patient, kind, understanding and tolerant. For me, one of the joys of working is the opportunity to interact with young people. On more than one occasion, their presence has helped me lighten up on impatience and crankiness. You cannot pay for that kind of therapy!

Exposure to young people is essential if you want to broaden your worldview and stay current with what is happening beyond your world and circle of friends. You may not approve of what you see and hear but it does help you cope with reality something that older people often have a hard time dealing with.

Deliberately put yourself where younger people are. Take or teach classes at the local community college. Join organizations that do not segregate by age, i.e. seniors-only or boomers-only groups. Volunteer to mentor teens who could benefit from your wisdom and experience.

Indeed, if you have a choice, choose your friends, associates and living environment carefully as you age. They can and do affect how well you age and the quality of your life.

On one hand, we have cosmetic companies and plastic surgeons telling us that we need to buy creams, have ourselves injected with botox or collagen; get nips, tucks, and lifts; brave the possible dangers of hormone replacement therapy and pray for a miracle.

On the other hand, the natural health approach advocates awareness of diet and exercise, the value of antioxidants, a change in pace, and a healthy-mind-equals-healthy-body attitude.

If we followed every skin, exercise, and diet regime thats been recommended by countless experts wed never leave the house. That having been said, none of us want to die even a millisecond earlier than absolutely necessary and the benefits of longevity dont need to be spelled out.

So what do we do?

Anti-Aging — the Scientific Approach

Mankind has made an incredible medical discovery

We can make rats live longer!

Are you stunned? If youre a pest exterminator, youre probably overjoyed.

Seriously, though, a study on the longevity of rats — and how to increase it — has yielded interesting results.

Scientists from the University of Floridas Institute on Aging have discovered that a simple 8% reduction in calories and a moderate amount of exercise can slow down — and even reverse — the effects of aging in rats.

Its believed (and is well on the way to being proven) that cell death and aging-related damage to organs are caused by certain unstable molecules, cellular oxidation and inflammation.

A calorie controlled diet reduces the inflammation and therefore inhibits the death of cells.

For science, the biggest challenge is finding out why we age in the first place. Its now thought that aging may to some extent be caused by an aging cells inability to replicate, which is a phenomenon known as replicative senescence. As cells lose their ability to replicate (generally after between 60 and 90 replications), the bodys immune system is weakened, wounds are slower to heal, and wrinkles start to form.

Anti-aging medication — the sort that your doctor will prescribe — is very limited. The most well-known medical anti-aging remedy is hormone replacement therapy (HRT). While there are good arguments for and against HRT, the simple fact is that we dont really know enough about this treatment to categorically say thats effective, let alone safe.

Anti-Aging Cosmetics

While scientists are struggling to explain the aging process, cosmetic companies are going to all sorts of lengths to fight it. There are countless creams and serums, beauty regimes and wrinkle remedies on the market today.

Cosmetic remedies such as skin creams should probably not be labelled as anti-aging. While they may slow — and even sometimes reverse — the visible signs of aging, they dont contribute in any way to a persons longevity.

You may look better in your coffin, but, under the skin, your body will have deteriorated much the same way as that of someone who has never seen the inside of a beauty salon.

This is not to say that cosmetics have no place in the fight against aging. Theres nothing wrong with having beautiful skin well into your twilight years; it just needs to be recognised that any cosmetic regime must be combined with other anti-aging practices to be truly beneficial.

Living Longer Naturally — the Healthy Lifestyle Approach

You may have heard the expression that age is a state of mind. In many ways we can see this to be true. We all know people who should be in the peak of life but, due to circumstance or attitude, lead the life of someone much older.

Conversely, we also know elderly people that could give the average 40-year-old a run for their money. Why is this?

If you watch people that still seem to have boundless energy as they age, you will probably notice that those people are very active, and approach everything — even simple day to day things — with a positive attitude.

The more that you remind yourself of your age, the older you will feel. If you constantly focus on negatives then your health will be negatively impacted. Its simple common sense: we all know that laughing makes us feel better. Therefore its logical that spending much of our time in a dissatisfied or depressive state would have a negative impact on our health and wellbeing.

Really, it all comes back to healthy mind, healthy body. And it works both ways.

For example, its a scientific fact that plenty of daylight and sunshine helps to ward of depression. Exercise releases endorphins that make us feel good. Eating well gives us energy and bolsters our immune system.

One important factor of a healthy lifestyle, especially with regard to anti-aging, is the minimisation of stress. There are countless negative side effects of too much stress in our lives, so anything that you can do to alleviate stress is beneficial. Go for quiet walks, surround yourself with positive people, meditate, and make sure that you have some time to yourself occasionally.

Learn to say no – you cant be all things to all people.

Lastly, a diet consisting of lots of fresh fruits and veggies is invaluable. The body thrives on all things raw and vital. Grains and nuts are also full of necessary protein, and sprouts such as wheatgrass are the ultimate mineral supplement when juiced. Buy yourself a good cold press juicer, such as the Greenpower Kempo, and make your own fresh fruit juices.

Pure water is also important. Our bodies are 70% water so it makes sense to drink the purest water possible. Dehydration also has a negative impact on energy, so if youre tired you may want to try drinking lots of water.

The fact is that, at this stage, we arent really sure why the human body ages. Until we have a better grip on the process of aging we wont be able to combat it effectively.

Despite this, chances are that, if we lead a healthy lifestyle and occasionally indulge in anti-aging products such as cosmetics, we have a reasonable chance of aging gracefully.

Budda had the right idea when he said: Your body is precious. It is our vehicle for awakening. Treat it with care. So far, even science cant beat that advice.