Look and feel 10 years younger

Stay the weight you were at 18
Leanness matters for how to look younger, because fat cells produce hormones that raise the risk of type 2 diabetes. They also make sub-stances called cytokines that cause inflammation--stiffening the arteries and the heart and other organs. Carrying excess fat also raises the risk of some cancers. Add it up, and studies show that lean people younger than age 75 halve their chances of premature death, compared with people who are obese.

Take the dynamic duo of supplements
Daily intake of 800 mg of alpha-lipoic acid and 2,000 mg of acetyl-L-carnitine. In these amounts, the chemicals boost the energy output of mitochondria, which power our cells.Mitochondrial decay is one of the major factor in aging-it's been linked to diseases such as Alzheimer's and diabetes.

Skip a meal
This one move could have truly dramatic results for how to look younger.The hearts of the leaner human calorie-cutters appeared 10 to 15 years younger than those of regular eaters.Calorie restrictors improved their blood insulin levels and had fewer signs of damage to their DNA. Eating less food, scientists believe, may reduce tissue wear and tear from excess blood sugar, inflammation, or rogue molecules known as free radicals.Skip a meal a day. You don't need to try to cut calories;research suggests you'll naturally consume less that day. Or try fasting one day a week. Just drink plenty of water.

Get a pet
Pet ownership also protects against a major problem of aging: high blood pressure. In one standout study at State University of New York, Buffalo, stockbrokers with high blood pressure adopted a pet. When they were faced with mental stress, their BP increased less than half as much as in their counterparts without animal pals. But pick your pet with care. There is nothing stress-reducing about a dog that chews the baseboard to bits.

Get help for what hurts
Studies suggest that continuous pain may dampen the immune system--and evidence is clear that it can cause deep depression and push levels of the noxious stress hormone cortisol higher. Take chronic pain to your doctor and keep complaining until you have a treatment plan that works.

Take a hike
With age, blood vessel walls tend to stiffen up like old tires--the main reason two-thirds of people older than age 60 have high blood pressure. Exercise keeps vessels pliable. Mild exercise also reduces the risk of diabetes, certain cancers, depression, aging of the skin, maybe even dementia.

Fight fair
Nasty arguments between couples increase the risk of clogged arteries. In a recent University of Utah study, women's hearts suffered when they made or heard hostile comments; men's hearts reacted badly to domineering, controlling words.It's better to simply agree to disagree.

Stop and plant the roses
Gardening or being around plants bears fruit. In one study, blood pressure jumped in workers given a stressful task--but rose only a quarter as much if there were plants in the room. And patients who had a view of trees as they recovered from surgery left the hospital almost a day sooner than those with a view of a brick wall.

Lift some weights
Everyone knows cardio exercise is key to slowing the advance of time and how to look younger. More surprising: Strength-training is crucial, too. That's because after their mid-40s, people lose ¼ pound of muscle mass a year, gaining fat in its place.
More endurance, stronger bones, less risk of diabetes--and better sleep and thinking.