You can’t turn back the clock, but you can slow down the aging processes often associated with getting older. Many of the physical phenomena that occur with time, such as the loss of bone density, muscle mass and muscle strength, are largely preventable.

The following steps can help you live a longer, healthier life:

• Lift weights. To avoid the loss of muscle mass, a classic sign of aging, you must strength train. Check with your doctor before starting any exercise program.
• Quit smoking. Smoking increases your risk of heart disease and many types of cancer.
• Fill up on fruits and vegetables. Eating five to nine servings of fruits and vegetables a day helps neutralize free radicals, which are unstable oxygen molecules that can damage cell DNA, leading to disease.
• Prevent weight gain. Extra pounds are associated with the onset of type 2 diabetes, and untreated diabetes can lead to heart disease, stroke and kidney failure.
• Walk. Walking is one of the easiest ways to keep your heart in shape.
• Keep mentally active. Participating in a variety of activities will help prevent mental decline. You’ll improve the connections between nerve cells in the brain that relay messages.
• Reduce stress. Stress is a hormonal chain of events that can expedite the aging process. To manage stress, do relaxing activities that you enjoy.
• Don’t skimp on sleep. Not sleeping enough impairs your ability to cope with stress. Try to get a solid eight hours of sleep each night.
• Don't drink to excess. Women should have no more than one drink per day; men no more than two. If you have more than that, you increase your risk of liver problems and breast cancer — and the risk gets greater as you age.
• Exercise regularly. Talk with your doctor about how much exercise is right for you.
• Eat a low-fat diet. It’s one of the best ways to avoid weight gain and heart disease.