Anti aging doesn't have to mean turning to cosmetic surgery or chemicals.

If you really want to look younger and keep healthy, here's my all time best top ten anti aging tips:

1. Quit Smoking

One of the most important anti aging tips of all. If you smoke stop. It's as simple as that. You may not be able to completely reverse the damage smoking has done to your skin but you will stop the damage getting worse. With the right anti aging skin care, proper nutrition and a good multi vitamin skin supplement - you should begin to look younger and healthier than you have for years.

So, do your skin a favor and quit smoking now. Kick start your cessation program with nicotine replacement therapy - you're more like to succeed with help than cold turkey.

If you do choose to continue smoking be prepared for the consequences. Smoking accelerates skin aging by encouraging the destruction of collagen. Reduced levels of collagen are one of the primary reasons your skin ages so a smoker's skin ages much faster. The tell-tale signs are dull, greyish, dry skin, increased wrinkling around the eyes and the puckering wrinkles from drawing on cigarettes - "smoker's face"

Is it really what you want for your skin?

2. Protect Your Skin From The Sun

Sun damage is the number one enemy of younger looking skin.

Getting a sun tan leads to photoaging, a process that produces deep wrinkles in leathery textured skin and will cause premature age spots.

Use a moisturizer combined with a broad spectrum sunscreen like Skinceuticals Daily Sun Defense or Philosophy When Hope is Not Enough Cream SPF 20. Have sunscreen always with you in so you never get caught out - try MD Skincare Powerful Sunscreen Packettes - great to slip in your purse. And - if you want a tan - fake it.

3. Eat an antioxidant rich diet

Antioxidants are a group of vitamins, minerals and carotenoids that work against the damage caused by free radicals that weaken the skin's
structure. For maximum anti aging protection eat fresh vegetables, fruit and whole grains. For younger looking skin make sure you get plenty of vitamins C and vitamin E. These two wonder vitamins work together to restore collagen in your skin. You also need plenty of omega 3 essential fatty acids - an antioxidant must have. Omega 3's maintain the structure and fluidity of cells and help moisturize the skin from within - an essential part of your anti aging diet.

4. Take a supplement for younger looking skin

Boost your antioxidant intake with a daily supplement. Go for one with the highest levels of the key vitamins and minerals for younger looking skin and all round health. To get anti aging skin protection from the inside try Imedeen's Time Perfection Capsules or for more mature skin (50+) go for the Prime Renewal range.

5. Add green tea to your day

Drinking green tea is an anti aging tip you may not have considered. Green tea is an amazing antiaging powerhouse - recent research findings show that taking sufficient green tea during the day can protect you from all forms of cancer, build your resistance to heart disease and dementia and contribute to your body's ability to burn fat - especially abdominal fat - resulting in weight loss even where there is no change in your daily diet. To get the wonderful anti aging effects of green tea in concentrated form take a high strength green tea powder .

6. Moisturize and exfoliate

A great anti aging moisturizer, when applied properly, will provide continous hydration - essential for mature skin - and protection from further free radical damage. Choose the best anti aging moisturizer you can afford. Make sure it has high levels of proven effective ingredients like peptides that work to reverse the aging process and reduce wrinkles.

You have to exfoliate for younger looking skin. Without exfoliation anti aging skin creams can't work their magic on the skin. Follow a regular skin care routine and exfoliate twice a week at least to ensure that fresh, live skin is soaking up moisture.

7. Exercise more

An excellent anti aging tip - exercise will give your more energy, build muscle mass, increase blood flow to your skin, help prevent high blood pressure, reduce anxiety, strengthen bones and raise your metabolic rate so you lose more weight more quickly.

With all these anti aging benefits - exercise doesn't have to be a chore. Go for exercise that gives you a cardio workout as well as developing core strength and fighting abdominal fat. So if you haven't already - put exercise at the heart of your anti aging routine.

8. Moderate your alcohol intake

We all know that drinking too much can lead to serious health problems. What is less talked about is the aging effect of alcohol on the skin. Alcohol is bad for your skin as it is has an inflammatory and dehydrating action which accelerates the aging process. Excess alcohol blocks the absorption of key nutrients you need for antioxidant protection.

You should make sure you drink alcohol only in moderation - drink red wine for its flavonoids and pack your diet with foods that provide a constant supply of protective antioxidants.

9. Stress less

When you're under stress your body releases stress hormones which - over a period of time - surpress the immune system and accelerate the aging process. As a result of prolonged stress - the cells in your body - including your skin cells - are unable to regenerate properly and become more susceptible to the aging process. The result is premature lines and wrinkles. Stress really does get etched on your face.

So anti aging tip number nine is to learn to recognize stress and manage it effectively.

10. Drink more water

You need to hydrate your skin from within - skin cells need water just like every part of your body including your brain. Without sufficient water your skin will dehydrate and essential anti aging nutrients cannot be delivered to your system. You should aim to drink around 2 liters every day just to replace the water you lose through sweating and urination. If you want to look good for longer you need to make sure water is an essential part of your anti-aging routine.

So - that's it - ten great anti aging tips to help you look younger and feel great - all you need to do is follow them!

Related articles:

• All about anti aging
• Anti aging - how skin changes by decade
• Anti aging treatments - 10 tips for choosing the best clinic
• Why celebrities smoke - the 'Sunset Boulevard' syndrome
• Drinking water - do you need 8 glasses a day?

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