The so-called civilized world we live in makes it difficult to maintain youthful attributes and stay healthy. Fast food, pollution, low and non-nutrition processed edibles eaten as food, stress, medications, lack of adequate information and our own negligence contribute to health problems and signs of premature aging.

To get around it, you can do one of two things: just let it happen or be on the offensive with compensating measures.

The obvious thing to do is to be on the offensive. But how do you do that?

Let's talk about dehydration. Do you drink coffee or caffeine drinks such as colas or so-called energy drinks? If so, then you must compensate by drinking more water. Caffeine is dehydrating. For every can of caffeinated soda or cup of coffee ? at least an equal amount of water is in order. If you don't compensate, the dehydration shows up as gray, flaky dry skin.

Do you drink alcohol? It's dehydrating. That's one reason why after just a few drinks the night before, your face looks like the wrath of God in the morning. For every glass of wine or bottle of beer, you should consume an equal amount of water ? or more. The hard stuff is even more damaging. Yes, you will be running to the potty, but you will be compensating for the dehydration and you will feel better in the morning because you have eliminated a lot of the alcohol toxicity.

Alcohol also depletes B vitamins. How many drinkers take any kind of supplements? Nutrient deficiency may well contribute to alcoholism.

Overall, caffeine and alcohol are the least egregious health offenders. Most folks don't drink an excessive amount of coffee or alcohol on a daily basis.

There is something more damaging than daily caffeine and occasional alcohol. It's what most people use a lot of on a daily basis over a long period of time: prescription medications.

Medication induced nutrient loss is responsible for more health problems that anyone realizes. The pharmaceutical companies do not mention nutrient loss in advertising, although warnings may appear in literature no one reads. And chances are traditionally trained physicians and pharmacists aren't educated enough about nutrition to be aware.

For example, has your physician or pharmacist ever warned you that estrogen replacement depletes magnesium? Magnesium depletion causes muscle weakness, depression, dizziness, hypertension, and heart problems. That doesn't mean you should stop taking estrogen (if in fact you choose to replace estrogen) but you do need to make certain you are getting enough magnesium. A physician who practices integrative medicine will know enough to prescribe compensating nutrients.

Blood pressure medications such as Tenormin and Lopressor deplete CoQ10 which is absolutely vital to stabilize cellular membranes and give cells energy to function. Statin drugs that lower cholesterol deplete CoQ10 as well.

Diuretics ("water pills") may cause magnesium, potassium, and zinc depletion. Men with prostate problems already tend to have zinc deficiency and if it is not supplemented the prostate can enlarge.

Medications such as Tagamet and Pepcid cause depletion of vitamin B12 and folic acid. A deficiency of these two vitamins causes homocysteine levels to rise. High homocysteine causes irritation of blood vessel walls. When cholesterol flows throw them, it clings to the irritated walls and then you have clogged arteries. We can't live without cholesterol. It is vital for cell membrane integrity and hormone production among other things. But we can't live with cholesterol when it is clogging arteries as a result of high homocysteine.

You don't have to wait for your doctor to prescribe B12 and folic acid. You can buy B12, preferably in the form of methylcobalamin under-the-tongue tablets over the counter. Folic acid tablets are also available without a prescription .

If you want to learn more about how prescription medications deplete nutrients, read the Drug-Induced Nutrient Depletion Handbook by Ross Pelton, James B. Lavalle and Ernest B. Hawkins.

Don't suffer premature aging and loss of youthful attributes due to dietary indiscretion, neglect, or just not knowing. You can do a lot to help yourself. When you learn to compensate, or find a doctor who can help you avoid what you don't need, or help with what you do need, you will stay healthier and more youthful a lot longer.

The Anti-aging Law of Compensation is too important to ignore. Educate yourself, compensate, and take care of yourself! If you don't, who will?