Time marches forward and will never work in reverse for anyone. Like it or not, aging is a natural part of living and something that we all must get used to if we're to be lucky enough to lead a full and long life. To better handle what comes with aging, here are some great tips you can use.

Keeping your cholesterol under control is important for aging well. A build up of cholesterol can raise your risk of stroke or heart attack. Eating a diet low in animal fats and high in fiber can help keep your cholesterol level under control by increasing your HDL (good) cholesterol and reducing your LDL (bad) cholesterol.

Your home is your refuge. Fill it with the things that you love. If you love to be around your family, fill it with them. If they cannot be around as often as you would like, fill it with the things that remind you of them. If animals make you happy, adopt a pet that you can love.

You must maintain a healthy body weight into your golden years. If you are overweight there are obvious health risks that you face but there are equally dangerous risks involved with being underweight. Talk with your doctor to learn what your ideal weight is and strive to reach that weight.

If you want to live longer, take safety precautions! If you're in a car, wear a seat-belt. If you're riding a bike, wear a helmet. Don't take stupid risks that could end up costing you your life. Simple precautions like these can easily extend your life and keep you healthy for the rest of it.

Do protect your skin against wrinkles and cancer by wearing proper sunblock but don't over do it to the extent that you deprive yourself of much needed vitamin D! As much harm as too much sun can do, too little of it can also hurt you so find a suitable SPF that will prevent damage without completely prohibiting your intake of highly beneficial sunlight!

Have a great time getting older! Age has its privileges and you should focus on them rather than worrying about lost youth. Look for the enjoyable things in each day, and make the most from whatever life throws at you.

Melatonin can helps you do more than get a good night's rest when you are sleeping. This powerful and natural hormone does a great job as an antioxidant. The natural supply of melatonin diminishes as the body ages and adding a supplement to your diet can improve sleep as well as give your immune system a vital boost.

Stay close to your family and friends. They are the people who will take care of you as you get older, but more than that: they are the ones that love you. Cultivate and nurture those relationships as you age so that you get even closer as time goes on.

To stave off memory problems, try incorporating exercise into your day. Exercise will decrease the chance of getting dementia in older adults by 60% percent. Child Resistant packaging increases the flow of oxygen to the brain, which in turn strengthens the brain's neurons that are related to memory and learning. So, exercising the body is also exercising the mind.

Working on your self image during aging is vital. Self image is important as western cultures often place a great deal of emphasis on young people and you need to keep your self- esteem while aging. Just because media and popular culture is obsessed with youth, it does not mean you do not matter!

The most prevalent cause of hearing loss is aging. Hearing loss is also insidious. It happens so gradually that a person may be hard of hearing without realizing it. If you have not had your hearing tested, you should have a hearing checkup at least by the age of 50.

No one really knows how to age. It's something that we will learn as we go. However, using tips like the ones you've just read in the article above, you can make the aging process as simple as possible by knowing what to expect and how to handle problems as they arise.