20 Years Younger

There are four main fronts on which you can vigorously fight back against the effects of aging: exercise, nutrition, skin care, and restorative sleep.

If you translated the telomere length into years, the obese women's cells were nine years older than the lean women's.

Excess body fat is thought to cause oxidative stress and is known to promote inflammation of the kind that's been linked to age-related diseases.

Besides its deleterious effect on life span, smoking promotes aging in just about every way imaginable.

Smoking creates free radicals and that it's associated with the development of many age-related diseases, including some that you might not even think would be related: osteoporosis, diabetes and the eye disease macular degeneration.

Persistent stress can cause depression and anxiety; it can kill brain cells and damage the hippocampus, the area in charge of memory and learning.

People with high stress levels have shorter telomeres, which is indicative of whole-body aging.

Exercise keeps age-related diseases at bay and reduces the likelihood of middle-age spread.

You can tell when someone is fit because he or she is able not only to get through the day comfortably and safely, but also to participate in many activities at a higher level and without injury.

When you start any cardiovascular exercise program, it’s important to check with your doctor, especially if you have any serious medical conditions, such as high blood pressure, heart problems, lung disease, diabetes, or an orthopedic problem.

Cycling is fun, and as long as you challenge yourself, it will give you a good cardiovascular workout.

At each meal, make sure half of your plate is covered with vegetables and/or fruit.

For as many meals as possible, the starch on your plate should be either a whole grain (such as whole wheat bread or brown rice), potatoes, sweet potatoes, or legumes (like black beans, pinto beans, or lentils). When you opt for potatoes, make sure they’re not fried.