Your knees have become creaky. You huff and puff climbing the stairs. How could this have happened? Facing the changes as we age is a challenge. We want to stay healthy and active. Here are some tips that will help you to make your senior years some of the best of your life.

Whiten your teeth to take some serious years off of your age. Years of drinking coffee and wine and smoking can do a serious number of the appearance of our teeth. Shave off some years by having your teeth professionally whitened. The difference it makes will astound you.

Eating legumes like beans and lentils are a yummy and easy way to stay looking young. Beans are an amazingly rich source of minerals that will keep your skin looking its best. These minerals help your skin hydrate which in turn keeps you looking young for years to come.

Laugh often and live long. Laughter is very good for you. It keeps your spirits high and keeps the blood flowing. It will increase positive hormones in your body that will help to eliminate some of the toxins in your blood stream. Laugh until you have to gasp for breath.

Try to quit smoking or reduce the number of cigarettes that you smoke each day. Smoking is one of the leading causes of preventable death. However, it is never too late to stop smoking, and as soon as you quit, your risk of having a heart attack decreases. By quitting you could also save yourself a lot of money.

When aging, there is nothing more important than your personal health. If you feel good, consider what you have been doing and find ways to continue the momentum. If you feel mediocre, look for ways you can personally improve your health. If you feel sick, seek help and do so right away.

One of the first things to start going when you age is your eyesight. As you age, it begins to rapidly deteriorate. Make sure that as you age you have frequent visits to the ophthalmologist, in order to track your eyes' degradation, and have glasses or contacts prescribed in order to make it less drastic.

Keep your friendships alive, and the aging process will be one of enjoyment. By working at these friendships, you are providing yourself with fuel, which gives you energy and provides you with love. Remember, that you are never too old to begin new friendships. Your new friend could be sitting at the next table to you in the coffee shop.

If you are still smoking, quit now! Smoking is never good for you, but it is even more important to quit as you age. Smoking breaks down your skin's collagen leading to premature wrinkles. Smoking is also directly linked to increased risks of cardiac problems and cancers, and the risks only multiply with age. Quit now, no matter what your age, to help your body have a healthy aging process.

These tips give you a place to start. Now it is up to you to apply them. Choose the ones that suit you best and follow through with the exercise and care that will keep you healthy. Explore things you have always been interested in but didn't have time to master. Your later years give you the great gift of time.