Age healthfully starting now: age is not the enemy. Illness is.

The clock may tell us we're older, but the passage of time is not what ages us prematurely. Improper living, internal toxicity, nutritional deficiencies, mental anguish, fear, stress, and overuse of prescription drugs and antibiotics bring harmful and negative influences that cause our organs, tissues, and cells to age much more rapidly than they should.

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Science offers an amazing paradox. Life expectancy actually lengthens as you age. The average American child born in 1993 has a life expectancy of 75.4 years. But someone who is 85 years old right now can expect to live until he or she is 91.

Research also tells us that we are living only two thirds of our body's potential. Human life span is at least 20 to 30 years more than most of us will ever experience. Even though we're living longer today than 100 years ago, a large percentage of the elderly are burdened with a quality of life that's filled with pain, illness, chronic health conditions, chemicals, drugs, and medicine.

There are some very clear signs that indicate that we may be aging too fast--everything from brown spots on our hands, joint pain, and diminishing energy to sleeping disorders, failing eyesight, and poor circulation.

Why Me?

If you're suffering these and other traditional "old age" conditions, allow me to highlight some of the originators of these worrisome burdens. Then I'll tell you how to avoid them.

Causes of premature aging include:

* Exposure to environmental toxins and other poisons. Chemicals and toxins can come from a multitude of places: mercury in our teeth, chemicals inside our homes and offices, poisons in the air, polluted water, and "pesticide-enriched" foods.

* Constipation and poor digestion. Faulty digestion doesn't allow our food to be burned and then utilized as fuel. Instead, it turns toxic and begins damaging our cells, tissues, and organs. When these toxins are reabsorbed back into our bloodstream, our cells, tissues, and organs become even more toxic, which catapults the aging process.

* Poor diet. Unhealthy foods-fried, fast, junk, and other "dead" choices along with sugar--contain little to no life in them and offer no benefit to our cells.

* Stress and fear. Recent scientific studies show that all stressful emotions have a direct and immediate negative impact on every cell in our body.

* Lack of sleep. Without proper sleep, our tired bodies can't rejuvenate, which means our cells cannot rebuild.

* Lack of exercise. Exercise stimulates and oxygenates our entire body, including our cells. This is critical to combat premature aging.

* Sugar and alcohol. These destructive elements damage all of our cells, tissues, and organs while sacrificing our mood, mind, memory, and spirit.

* Drugs. Long-term use of harsh drugs and chemicals have the same effect--and in some cases, even worse--as sugar and alcohol.

* The sun. While the sun is important to life, overuse of its healing rays can age our bodies externally just as sugar and alcohol age us internally.

* Overeating and eating late at night. This common habit doesn't allow us to rest at night. Instead, we're having to process large quantities of food until the early hours of the morning.

Time to Fight Back

Like so many things in life, identifying what causes a problem and simply counteracting it brings about obvious solutions. Below is a list of quick, easy, and very effective "nature's way" steps you can take right now to combat the aging process.

* Keep your environment as free of toxins and poisons as humanly possible. Replace toxic cleaning supplies with natural cleansers. Use an air purifier. Choose organic foods whenever possible. Select clothes and bedding made from natural fabrics, not man-made.

* Keep your internal body dean with bowel movements two to three times daily to assure that toxins aren't reabsorbed into your bloodstream. I also recommend that everyone over the age of 45 take a good multi-digestive enzyme before each meal.

* Eat as much "live" foods (fresh fruits and vegetables) as possible. These are chock full of antiaging enzymes, cancer-fighting antioxidants, and other vital nutrients. Don't forget to drink plenty of pure, fresh water instead of milk or soda.

* Make time each day for meditation and prayer. Growing evidence suggests the antiaging properties of a strong faith in God.

* Sleep seven to nine hours every night. Fatigued during the day? A short nap works wonders to energize and rejuvenate your cells.

* Cardiovascular (heart-rate increasing) exercise brings antiaging results. Remember, one time a week is better than zero, and three times is better than one.

* Stop all tobacco, sugar, and alcohol use now! They kill the body, mind, and spirit!

* If you take drugs or medication, ask your doctor if he or she will help you gradually get off them. While in some cases that's impossible, such cases are few.

* Play in the sun intelligently. Early morning and late afternoon rays are the healthiest. Toast bread, not your body.

* Throughout my career, I've worked closely with many centurions and every one of them eats early in the day, uses small portions, and aren't emotional eaters.

* Take a good multi-antioxidant supplement every day.

Our golden years should be filled with fun, travel, and peace; a time when we can truly stop and smell the roses. Start preparing now to enjoy your later years free from prescriptions, problems, and pain.

Clients of Dr. Lindsey Duncan, N.D., C.N., have included many film, music, television, and political figures. For a limited time, Dr. Lindsey offers a free health evaluation for Vibrant Life readers at his Web site www.askdrlindsey.com. He can be reached at 888-3BE-WELL or [e-mail].