We’re all looking for the fountain of youth, but little do we realize, that we have the ability to slow down the effects of time on our bodies simply by taking care of ourselves. Here are some tips to help keep you looking and feeling young.

-Cut out sugar and starches! Insulin, which is secreted into the bloodstream in response to ingesting sugar and starches (in the form of white flour products, white rice, and white potatoes), has a big effect on aging the body. Although we need insulin to live, we ideally shouldn’t be secreting much of it. By controlling our insulin levels through reducing the amount of sugar and starch we eat, we can help our bodies stay young and healthy in MANY different ways.

-Eat plenty of foods high in antioxidants. This includes various types of berries such as blueberries and goji berries, dark chocolate (85% and higher), cherries, spinach, and apples.

-Get in moderate amounts of exercise. While not exercising enough can definitely accelerate your aging, exercising too much can do the same. Most people are far from danger of doing this though, so just think about doing your best to move around a bit each day, and try to get in some vigorous exercise 2-3 days a week.

-GET YOUR SLEEP! This may be the most under-rated way of staying young. I’m not talking about getting in beauty naps either. It really does make a difference if you get in your sleep at night instead of getting naps during the day. Believe it or not, the time that you fall asleep makes a big difference too. Try to fall asleep by at least 10:00-10:30 pm, and see if you can wake up on your own without an alarm clock. Then you’ll know you got in enough sleep for your needs that night.