My daughter Danielle got married this past Friday and everyone there told me what a beautiful bride she made.   

But I also got a very nice surprise compliment.

One of the guests brought his new girlfriend to the wedding.  I welcomed her to my home and told her I’m Danielle’s mother.

Well, apparently she said to her boyfriend (who later told me), “How is that Danielle’s mother?  She can’t be much over 40, is she?”

My friend, I’m still on Cloud 9 over that remark!

But in all seriousness, aging is something none of us can dodge.  Time marches on for everyone and there’s no escaping it.

However, the good news is you CAN slow it down!

Without resorting to expensive (and possibly dangerous) plastic surgery or expensive creams or treatments.

Here are 10 ways you can fight back at that nasty biological clock and look and feel younger than your years!

#1- Maintain a healthy Vitamin D level

Vitamin D is ESSENTIAL when it comes to supporting good health as you age. 

Vitamin D helps regulate your blood glucose and insulin level, protecting you against Type 2 diabetes; it protects against cardiovascular disease and cancer; it helps regulate your hormones; it supports healthy bones, teeth and gums; it boosts immune function and even helps with learning, memory and concentration!

Unfortunately, Vitamin D is a very common deficiency, especially in older adults because as we age, our skin becomes less effective at manufacturing Vitamin D from sunlight exposure.

But you can make sure you have health-supporting levels of this vital, youth preserving nutrient by supplementing with Optimum DK Formula with FruiteX-B. 

Optimum DK Formula gives you the power of not only Vitamin D3, but also Vitamin K and boron—an outstanding trio of crucial nutrients that work together to preserve strong bone, heart and immune health.

#2- Have some coffee (or tea)

Researchers from Stanford University’s School of Medicine examined studies involving the many diseases that occur from aging and inflammation. They also examined studies looking at caffeine from coffee and its impact in prolonging life.

What they found was the caffeine from coffee helps counteract the impact of certain inflammatory metabolites that contribute to aging.  Caffeinated tea varieties were also shown to have a similar effect.

But this is not a green light to down a pot of coffee every morning or single-handedly jack up Starbucks’ EPS, because coffee is also very acidic, so moderation is key.

Choose organic coffee when possible, use a stove-top percolator (trust me—they make the best coffee in the world), avoid adding sugar, and use real cream if desired.  Limit your consumption to 1-2 cups, then drink water throughout the day to counteract the acidity. 

#3- Make some broth

Bone broth diets have been very popular and it’s easy to see why—in addition to filling you up with very few calories (thus helping with weight loss) bone broth does have some impressive health benefits!

Bone broth helps to protect your joints, it supports strong gut health, it helps maintain healthy skin, it supports sound immune function and it boosts detoxification, helping your body rid itself of disease-causing toxins! 

There are a lot of great recipes out there for bone broth—here is one that I threw together based on my famous chicken soup recipe from my Great Taste No Pain health system:

Chicken Bone Broth

Carcass from a whole chicken (or turkey)
3 stalks celery, chopped
3 large carrots, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 medium onion, quartered
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar (be sure to get raw unfiltered vinegar that contains the “mother”)
1 handful fresh parsley
1 sprig fresh thyme
Salt, pepper and/or “Buck’s” seasoning to taste
Water to cover chicken bones

Place the chicken carcass into a 12-quart stock pot, and cover with water. Add the celery, carrots, garlic, onion, apple cider vinegar, parsley, thyme and seasonings. 

Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer partially covered for 5 hours. 

Strain and store in the refrigerator or freezer. 

#4- Supplement with Omega-3 essential fatty acids

Studies are showing that the Omega-3 essential fatty acids EPA and DHA can play a crucial role in slowing down the cellular action associated with the aging process.

So if you want to jump on the bandwagon to help preserve the youth of your cells, as well as help lower cholesterol and blood pressure, experience fewer joint aches and improve your memory (among other things), a top-notch fish oil supplement like VitalMega-3 can help ensure you get what you need. 

VitalMega-3 delivers an impressive 1,200 mg of Omega-3 EFAs in every 2-capsule dose, including 600 mg of EPA and 400 mg of DHA (which is in the 3:2 ratio recommended by experts). 

#5- Drink enough water

Most of us don’t even come close to drinking enough water.  Many people don’t drink any water unless they’re thirsty, and by then, they already may be dehydrated.

Or worse yet, when many people are thirsty, they drink soda instead!

Water is vital for healthy, younger-looking skin.  It provides natural moisture and carries needed nutrients to the skin, and it sweeps away waste products, both of which help keep your skin smooth and clear.

Aim to drink at least eight 8-oz. glasses of filtered water each day.

#6- Get regular exercise

Regular exercise is an anti-aging prize fighter.

It helps your body eliminate age-accelerating toxins, it increases your heart strength, helps improve digestion, promotes better sleep, helps lower blood pressure, helps you maintain a healthy bodyweight and by strengthening the muscles surrounding your joints, it can decrease the symptoms of arthritis!

Pick an activity that works for you, get your doctor’s OK and get going.

#7- Use Vitamin C cream

If you see little lines and wrinkles on your face, there’s no need to rush out to the department store cosmetics counter to get expensive creams and moisturizers. 

Because Vitamin C cream can do a much better job for a fraction of the price!

Look for creams that contain a 10 percent concentration of Vitamin C.  I use Avalon Organics, but there are many great ones out there.

#8- Quit the cigs

Nothing will age you faster than smoking. 

Smoking accelerates the aging process of your skin, contributing to wrinkles. 

It causes narrowing of the blood vessels in the outermost layers of your skin.  This impairs blood flow to the skin, robbing it of oxygen and important nutrients.

Smoking also damages collagen and elastin - the fibers that give your skin its strength and elasticity—and can cause your skin to sag prematurely.

#9- Have a nutritious diet rich in antioxidants and fiber

Your skin must get the nutrients and antioxidants it needs (like Vitamins A, C and E, as well as zinc and selenium) to look and stay healthy, plus fiber is important for helping to carry away skin-harming waste products.

Trust me, if you exist on mainly packaged foods, fast food, soda and coffee, you can practically count on a lousy complexion, poor skin tone, skin problems and looking far older than your years.

To encourage great health in your skin (and all your organs!), it’s crucial to eat nutritious real foods that give your body the nutrients, antioxidants and fiber it needs. 

#10- Consider bio-identical hormone replacement therapy

Unlike synthetic hormone replacement, bio-identical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) works to help naturally reestablish the way your body sends messages to your tissues and organs to keep them healthy…and helps keep you feeling younger!

BHRT is increasing in popularity, so finding an integrative practitioner that offers it is easier now than ever before. 

And if you’re in the New York/New Jersey/Connecticut tri-state area, Dr. John Salerno of the Salerno Center for Complementary Medicine in NYC and Fairfield, CT is the best there is.

Start fighting back against the aging process now, and enjoy the benefits for years to come!

To your health,

Sherry Brescia