The average life expectancy for a person in today’s modern age is 78.7 years. This was an unheard of number even a few decades ago, and this number is expected to increase by another few years in only a few more short decades. Since we’re living longer, we’re dealing with aging in ways we never have before. Read up on these tips dealing with aging.

Here’s a quick way to slow down the aging process; quit smoking. If you are a smoker you’ve heard it all your life, but it’s just as true now. Smoking is a huge contributor to how old your skin looks. Plus it also reduces your life span as well. It is never to late to quit, so talk with your doctor about steps to take to put out the butts for good.

Learn a new language, play Sudoku, travel the world! These are all things that can help you stay younger longer. Challenging yourself mentally has been shown to keep your brain younger. Audit some classes at the local college or just start up a book club with your friends. Keep your brain active and engaged!

Add vitamin D supplements to your diet to possibly helping slow aging. There is not a consensus yet on the research that shows it’s affect. However, vitamin D has other benefits like helping our immune systems, helping the absorption of calcium and others that you might as well add it in even if the jury is still out on the aging affects.

Many people attribute living to a ripe old age to having a good sense of humor! Life can get you down, but if you can laugh about it, you stand a good chance of living longer. Laughter is healthy. It increases oxygen intake and makes you feel happy!

Resveratrol is very effective at fighting aging. Researchers have found some promising connections between calorie restricted diets and anti-aging benefits. Resveratrol can be found in nuts and grapes and can also have an anti aging effect. You can find Resveratrol in Japanese knotweed’s (Fallopia japonica’s or Polygonum cuspidatum’s) roots that in supplements. Yet another source of this potent supplement is a shrub in South America that is referred to as Senna Quinquangulata.

Osteoporosis is an unwelcome part of aging. It is the loss of bone density. There are many ways you can prevent or at least slow this down. One important tip is to limit or eliminate caffeine consumption. Caffeine causes the body to excrete calcium, the exact opposite of the effect you want!

Make sure to get sun, but not too much. As you age, it’s important to find a balance when it comes to taking in direct sunlight. It’s important, as sunlight is a great way to get vitamin D into your system, but too much sun can have seriously effects on aging skin like sever burns and skin cancer. Manage your time in the sun, and when you are out in it, wear high SPF sunscreen.

For healthy aging, consider grazing over six smaller meals, instead of three big ones. Studies have shown that this helps your body absorb more nutrients, control its weight and decrease the potential for heartburn. In fact, some studies have shown that eating the same amount of calories in six smaller meals has led to considerable weight loss!

As you get older, it’s more important than ever to surround yourself with people that make you happy, lift you up and do not bring you down. This can be accomplished by having a nice family dinner where everyone is involved or sharing good times and good memories with your favorite people.

Keep a close friend or minister on speed dial so you can talk to them about anything at anytime. If you are able to find at least one person that you can tell anything, you are sure to relieve the burdens that you may carry if you do not let those thoughts out.

Take the time to stretch each day. If you can retain your flexibility, you are sure to stay mobile and more independent for many more years. Many muscle and skeletal problems come from poor flexibility and if you continue to do stretches each day, you are sure to have far less problems.

Start to exercise with weights. As you age, you start to lose your muscle density, so you have to make the most out of the muscle you have left. Get into a routine of weight-lifting a few times a week so that you can stay strong even as you go into your later years.

It might not be a picnic to grow old, but living a long life certainly beats any alternative you could throw out there. If you’re concerned at all about aging or just want to know a little bit more about the process, the tips in the article above should be able to help you out in numerous ways.

Tips for Growing Older! was originally published on Spring