No one wants their body to age, weaken and to look old and wrinkled. That's why anti-aging products are so popular. There are many factors fighting against us to keep our youthful looking skin including, sun, wind, the foods we eat, or the lack of hydration our skin so desperately needs.

However, to stay young-looking doesn't require a trip to the drug store for the latest cream. There are four things that can greatly assist our bodies to fight aging: Good nutrition, drinking lots of water, adequate sleep and daily exercise.

Factors that Cause Aging

Genetics, gravity and environmental factors contribute to the formation of wrinkles and fine lines. External factors such as stress, UV rays, smoking, and pollution add tremendously to the aging process.

Yet there are a number of things that you can do to keep yourself healthy and active, and to eliminate or at least slow down many of the factors that contribute to aging. As the cells in your body die and are replaced, one of three things happens: The dead cell is replaced by a cell that is weaker than the first (causing aging), the dead cell is replaced by another cell that has the same strength, or the dead cell is replaced by a cell that is stronger, reversing the aging process.

How do you replace dying cells with stronger cells? By eating a nutritious diet, drinking plenty of water, and keeping active.

Anti-Aging Fruits and Vegetables

Fresh fruits and vegetables are natural anti-aging products. They are nutrient packed and provide most of the necessary nutrients required by your dull and dry skin to retain its radiance and firmness. They contain many of the essential vitamins and minerals that help maintain and repair the skin and cells.

Eat fresh fruits and vegetables as snacks, instead of over-processed manufactured "fast foods". Colorful fresh fruits and vegetables are some of your best sources of antioxidants.

Just as beta-carotene protects fruits and vegetables from sun damage, it can do the same for you. That's why the National Institutes of Health recommends eating nine daily servings of brightly colored fruits and vegetables - peaches, strawberries, broccoli, etc.

If you are serious about keeping your youthful appearance, eliminate sweets and other processed carbohydrates and add more whole grains and carotenoid-rich fruits and vegetables.

Supplements

The amount one needs of nutritional supplements, like vitamins and minerals, differs very much according to a person's health condition, work load and exposure to environmental stress. Antioxidants are one supplement that can help a great deal to help your body replace dying cells with healthy cells.

Herbs

Avoid adding salt to improve flavor; instead, use herbs and spices. Numerous clinical studies have shown and are still discovering the wide-ranging health benefits of many herbs.

Conclusion

It's been found that the people who live the longest live high up away from pollution, where the water is full of healthy minerals, and the food is free of synthetic chemicals. Most people cannot afford to leave everything and move to these high elevations, however.

For most, the best alternative to assist their system in fighting the aging process is to drink plenty of water, eat right, take supplements such as antioxidants and omega-3 (fish oil supplements are great for this), exercise daily, and get adequate sleep. These might not help as much as moving to the Andes Mountains, but they will go a long ways in keeping you younger inside and out.