JACKIE SILVER: I'm Jackie Silver with the beginner's guide to aging gracefully. Getting older maybe beyond our control, but we age is not. There are so many small steps you can take that add up to big results when it comes to staying youthful. You've probably heard the most important ones many times, but they've bare repeating. If you're a smoker, the time to quit is now. Researchers who have studied the aging effects of smoking determine that inhaling a pack of cigarettes a day for 40 years translated to over seven years of extra aging. If you're a sun worshipper, cutting down your time in direct sunlight to 50 minutes a day, will keep your vitamin D level where it should be without the aging effects of too much sun. According to British researchers, there is mounting evidence that vitamin D could play a vital role in helping prevent disease, with the sun helping to keep natural levels up more effectively than diet. By the way, nowhere in the medical books does it say you must have your face, neck, chest and hand in the sun. Keep those areas covered, because they're the first to show your age. Exercise is another way to combat premature aging. Over half of American adults do not get the recommended amount of daily physical activity, which is at least 30 minutes a day, five days a week or more. Exercise can help you lose weight and keep it off. It can also strengthen your heart and lungs, relieve stress increase muscle tone, bolster your immune system, benefit your posture, help you sleep better and more. Studies prove that chronic stress ages you. Learn how to handle stress to prevent premature aging and finally, portion control is vital to aging gracefully. Here's the easiest plan you're ever heard of. Supersize your veggies, medium size your fruits and half size everything else. Remember, the top tips for aging gracefully are don't smoke, get moderate sun exposure, exercise, keep your stress level low, and supersize your veggies.
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