Do you want to age gracefully? Most people dread the thought of aging and losing their youthful looks. Premature aging occurs when your outside appearance looks older than what it should be for your age and is demonstrated by signs including loss of skin firmness and elasticity.

The good news is that you can definitely do something about it because 90% of the visible signs of aging are caused by things that we can control. While there are certainly some effective certified organic anti-aging products out in the market, maintaining beautiful and youthful skin is not all about taking supplements and applying creams or lotions. You have to take control of your overall health because healthy skin is a reflection of your state of well being.

Here are some tips that will help you control five crucial anti-aging factors and make you look better and feel younger:

• Avoid Smoking! Aside from damaging your overall health, cigarette smoking is also one of the main causes of wrinkles, particularly around your mouth. If you want to stay wrinkle-free, throw away those sticks and quit smoking!

• Stay stress-free. Stress management plays a crucial role in preventing premature aging. Reduce your stress levels by going on vacation, listening to music, reading a good book, etc. Want to know more about reducing stress? Read Dr. Mercola’s Four Ways to Reduce Stress with One Simple Do-it-Yourself Acupressure Technique. (http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2006/06/17/four-ways-to-reduce-stress-with-one-simple-do-it-yourself-acupressure-technique.aspx).

• Proper Nutrition. Are you sure that what you are eating is good for you or do you still enjoy snacking on junk food? Eating natural foods such vegetables, fruits, and fish gives you more energy and helps make you feel and look younger. Remember, you are what you eat and what you eat is reflected on your skin.

• Don’t get too much sun. While the sun is vital to your health because it’s your main source of vitamin D, the sun’s rays can also damage your skin and accelerate the signs of aging – if you’re not careful. Make sure you get just enough sun and use sunscreen when necessary to protect your skin from excessive sunlight.

• Detoxify. Toxins are all around us – chemicals in our food and drink, pollution in the air that we breathe, drugs we take and even on the things that we regularly touch and get in contact with. Add a detox program to your lifestyle to help you reduce stress and flush out those toxins.