There are many steps that we can take to insure the aging process is not something that overwhelms us. This is true whether we ourselves are the aging person of concern or whether that person is our loved ones. The tips delineated below will guide us through a few of the more critical of these steps.

To avoid wrinkles, stop frowning. It sounds strange, but it’s the truth. When you feel a frown coming, give yourself a pinch to remind yourself to smile instead. Stick with it, and you can train yourself away from wrinkle-inducing frowns.

Omega-3 fatty acids found in fish are being shown to be a great ally in the fight against aging. The fatty acids are amazing for the skin and will help keep it soft and moisturized longer. They are also showing promising benefits in their affects on the brain function as well. So go ahead and have more Salmon in your diet.

To help your mindset while aging, toss out any numbers that aren’t really important, specifically your weight, your height and most importantly your age. These numbers may be important for your doctor (and they should be), but for daily living they are just barriers to the many, many things that are possible for you to do.

If you want to age gracefully, then you should try to do something you like every day. By doing this, you will get fulfillment out of each and every day because you are doing something that you look forward to, which keeps you motivated to continue and keeps the enjoyment flowing.

For even healthier aging, eat more fish and less red meat. Red meat can muck up your arteries by sticking to the linings. Seafood has the exact opposite effect. Seafood not only does not stick as much to the arteries, it even helps prevent other things from sticking as well! As an additional supplement, consider taking omega-3 oil, the same oil found in seafood, every day.

As you age, watch your sugar intake. Sugars have been been found to be directly linked to the negative effects of aging, including a decreased lifespan! To increase your longevity, take sugar out of your diet and replace it with natural sweeteners. It can add years to your life.

Eat more nuts throughout the day. Nuts are a great food to help prevent aging. They have many healthy vitamins, minerals and fats, which will help balance your daily nutrition. Plus, they are an excellent way to stop your processed food cravings between meals, leading you to a much healthier lifestyle!

Make sure you’re having regular checkups with your doctor. As you’re getting older, more and more things can go wrong with your body. If you’re visiting your doctor regularly, they can spot small problems before they turn into big ones. They’ll also be able to recommend changes to your routine to keep you looking younger and living longer.

Each night, sleep a minimum of 7 to 9 hours. Insufficient sleep can lead to diseases from depression to heart disease, and has been linked to cancer. Exercise helps. Some doctors recommend melatonin (a hormone produced in humans by the pineal gland) or L-theanine, an amino acid found in tea. See an age management physician for healthy sleeping advice.

Eat healthy. You will want to focus on a balanced diet that includes many fruits and vegetables but one that is low in sugar and fat. Having a healthy diet helps you maintain not just your physical health, but your mental health, too, and it gives you the necessary fuel you require to help you through your day.

Don’t overeat! Overeating is one of the most common factors in shortening your life span. You don’t want to starve yourself, but you should be conscious of the amount of calories you’re taking in each day. Check with your doctor and find out the amount of calories you should be taking in based on your age, gender, and body type, and try to stick to that number.

Why not try some proven and well-received Chinese methods which can be either preventative or pro-active? Adding shiitake, maitake, morel and reishi mushrooms in your diet will help lower cholesterol, give you an energy boost, can help prevent high blood pressure and give your immune system overall protection. If the thought of mushrooms is distasteful to you, you can take them in supplement form.

As you age, start increasing your intake of raw fruits, seeds, grains, nuts and vegetables. Eat a well balanced diet and be sure to include raw broccoli, cauliflower, soybeans (edamame) and cabbage in your diet. Limit your red meat consumption and try to eat more fish. Raw foods will help your digestion and nutrient absorption.

Preparation is the key to successful aging. We can take those steps ourselves, but it is imperative that we do them in a timely manner. The hints above are a guide to light our way. They can prevent some of the confusion and the feeling of being completely overwhelmed that sometimes accompany this stage in life.

Staying Youthful Even As You Get Older was originally published on Spring