• Eat a diet low in fat, high in complex carbohydrates.
    The standard advice from the US government is to consume 5 fruits and vegetables and 3 servings of whole grains daily for vitamins and minerals and the other healthful micronutrients in plants. Drink five to eight 8-oz. glasses of water. Get no more than about 30-35 percent of daily calories from fat, with about 20 percent of that from unsaturated fat (e.g., 1 percent milk, olive and canola oil); 15 percent from protein; and the remaining calories from carbohydrates, with an emphasis on complex carbohydrates like oatmeal, whole wheat bread and wild rice.

  • Build endurance and strength with exercise.
    Regular aerobic exercise is a "must-do" for anyone committed to slowing the aging process, agree experts. Hundreds of studies show that exercise combats the loss of stamina, muscle strength, balance, and bone density that increases with age. The American Heart Association advises doing a single set of eight to 15 repetitions, using eight to 10 exercises, two to three times a week for a comprehensive strength-building program. If you are not a beginner, that's about a 10-minute routine.

  • Maximize Your Intake of Antioxidants.
    The evidence is "incontrovertible" and bears repeating, says Dr. Jeffrey Blumberg of Tufts University. Free radicals contribute to the onset of age-related diseases and antioxidants "neutralize" free radicals. Everyone should "take a combination of antioxidants" through diet and supplementation, he asserts. Blumberg advises eating dark-colored vegetables like tomatoes, carrots, squash, and spinach for carotenoids and blue and purple berries for flavonoids. Because foods contain many classes of antioxidants that work synergistically, they are the superior source of antioxidants, says Blumberg. But because we don't always eat as we should, Blumberg advocates taking daily supplements of the "classic" antioxidants: 200-250 mg of vitamin C; 100-400 IU of vitamin E; and a mixed carotenoid supplement of 6-10 mg. "I always tell people that taking antioxidants is 'like driving with a seatbelt,'" says Blumberg. They can protect you're life, but they are not "a license to drive recklessly."

  • Practice daily skin care and use moisturizers and sunscreen.
    The best way to avoid aging in the skin is to stay out of the sun. Always use sun screen of 15 SPF or higher. Skin care products formulated for anti-aging can exfoliate dead skin cells and infuse moisture and nutrients into the skin to improve skin texture and maintain a healthy glow.

  • Cutting-Edge Options for Aging Skin.
    Turn back the clock on aging skin. You have a wide spectrum of options that fall short of surgery to restore your youthful appearance, ranging from exfoliation to dermabrasion to laser resurfacing.

  • Don't smoke and Reduce Alchohol Intake Smoking causes premature wrinkling.
    Facial wrinkling increases with the amount of cigarettes and number of years a person has smoked. Smoking causes lines or wrinkles spreading from the upper or lower lips and crow's feet, lines on the cheeks and lower jaw, hollowness in the cheeks and a leathery texture and grayish tinge to skin. Smokers tend to get more respiratory infections and often have a chronic cough. Smoking endangers health by contributing to heart disease, circulatory problems and can cause emphysema and lung cancer and decreases life expectancy by about 5 to 8 years. Smoking also affects others around you by increasing their risk for cancer and respiratory disease.

  • Human Growth Hormone: The Ultimate Anti-Aging Therapy?
    Though controversial and only within the reach of those willing to shell out up to $300 a month, human growth hormone (HGH) is the "best treatment we currently have for preserving vitality until the end of your normal genetic lifespan," says LeConde, who at age 52 has been injecting himself daily with HGH for the past 5 years. The 30-gauge, one-quarter inch needle he adds, is a "very low obstacle" for his patients, most of whom are over age 50 and report reduced body fat, increased muscle tone, enhanced sexual performance, elevated mood and firmer skin from HGH treatments. HGH has been approved by the FDA to treat adult growth human deficiency but not as a routine anti-aging therapy. That will take tens of years because "everyone is a candidate for HGH," says LeConde. In the meantime, "those of us over 50 can't wait for the FDA to approve one of the safest, most effective interventions we have."

  • Sleep 8-9 hours per night
    Sleep allows our body to maintain and repair itself. Cell growth and repair takes place while we are asleep. Sleep slows the aging process by helping the body conserve energy and other resources that the immune system needs to fight infection. Getting enough sleep sharpens concentration, memory and physical performance.

  • Drink 6-8 glasses of pure, filtered water daily
    Drinking plenty of water is one of the most important anti-aging nutrients you can add to your body. It hydrates the skin, flushes out toxins and keeps the internal systems working properly.