It's a complex process that affects every cell and organ and bodily function.

When we age our blood vessels lose flexibility which causes hardening of the arteries, also known as arteriosclerosis. We have reduced nutrient absorption due to declining production of digestive enzymes and we also have a smaller breathing capacity which reduces the amount of oxygen we take in.

But why do we age? Why do some people age faster or slower and in different ways than others?

Can research and knowledge of aging and longevity be used to fight the diseases and disabilities associated with old age?

Can we, as humans, improve our odds of being healthy, active, and independent and do it later into life. Can we actually increase our life span and slow the aging process.

1. Diseases and Disabilities

Aging increases our susceptibility to disease and increases the severity of the illnesses we contract as we approach our later years. Reaching age 65 means that you have an 88% chance of having at least one chronic health condition.

Many of our everyday behaviors are damaging to our health including: Tobacco use, Sedentary lifestyle, and Poor eating habits.

These lead us down the path to the nation's leading chronic diseases:

- Arthritis

- Alzheimers

- Cardiovascular disease

- Cancer

- Diabetes

- High blood pressure

- Osteoporosis.

2. How we age - the Mechanisms of Aging

Not everything is known about how and why we age. Some believe we have a programmed timetable that determines our lifespan. Others believe it's just the wear and tear of time and our environment attacking our bodies.

Cellular research has come up with the following hypotheses of aging:

a. DNA Damage/Repair

DNA is a set of instructions that our cells use to function They are as critical to a cell as our brain is to us. Every day there are up to a million assaults on our bodies at the cellular level that can damage the DNA. These include

Oxidative damage Genetic mistakes or typos during DNA replication Ultraviolet radiation Exposures to toxins

As the mutations and errors accumulate in the DNA it can cause the cell to malfunction, age, and ultimately die.

b. Genetic Regulators of Aging

Genetic Regulators are responsible for interpreting the genetic code - reading the instructions. They can impact a multitude of metabolic processes that can cause dysfunction and aging within the cell. The Regulators control the balance within the cell. They control energy production and cell repair and ultimately cell lifespan.

c. Mitochondrial Functioning

Mitochondria are the "powerplants" of the cell. They take the carbohydrates, fats and proteins and transform them into energy. But they can also produce toxic free radicals during the process. This can damage cell membranes and DNA. As the free radicals accumulate they can contribute to the development of diseases we associate with age such as cancer, arthritis, Alzheimer's and heart disease.

d. Advanced Glycation End Products (AGE)

As we age, some of the molecules at the cellular level, such as proteins and DNA, cross link with each other. These cross links can be very damaging and they are directly linked to the damaging effects of aging. If the cross links are created when glucose reacts with proteins (glycation) they form permanent disabling cross links that has been shown to contribute to cellular aging. These links are called Advanced Glycation End Products or AGE.

e. Hormone Production

The neuroendocrine system combines the brain, the nervous system and the endocrine system and their ability to produce hormones. With age hormone production declines which can result in the loss of muscle mass, elevations in blood pressure, impaired sugar metabolism, and sleep abnormalities.

So what can we do about it!

3. The Science of Anti-Aging

Scientists have been at work looking for ways to battle the many mechanisms of aging. Here are some of the things that they have come up with.

a. DNA Damage/Repair

Studies have shown that reducing the amount of DNA damage and increasing the cells ability to repair any damage that does occur greatly increases a cells lifespan. Natural nutrients - known as phytonutrients - found in berries, grapes, tea and olive oil have powerful health supporting properties. One of these phytonutrients, resveratrol, can actually modify DNA damage.

b. Genetic Regulators of Aging

Plant polyphenols have been shown to induce genetic regulators of cellular energy including metabolism and longevity. This in turn positively impacts the cellular aging process. A landmark laboratory study conducted in 2006 by Dr. David Sinclair at Harvard Medical School showed that resveratrol positively impacted the harmful effects of a high fat diet on the heart and liver, insulin resistance, and blood-sugar levels. Resveratrol even counteracted the mitochondrial decline seen with cellular aging.

c. Mitochondrial Functioning

Laboratory studies have shown that certain polyphenols help increase production of the Mitochondria within the cell. Increasing these "power plants" gives the cell more energy. Once again, resveratrol was shown to give multiple positive effects through the promotion of mitochondrial health.

d. AGE Accumulation

Once again, recent studies have shown how phytonutrients and polyphenols can limit the formation of the damaging cross links formed within the cell. Resveratrol was once again shown to help by reducing the formation of advanced glycation end products (AGE), thus improving cell health and increasing cell longevity.

e. Healthy Anti-Aging Lifestyle Tips

Now that we know some of the causes of aging and some of the things that can slow it down, it's time to put it into a formula that we the average person can accomplish.

Simple lifestyle changes along with the addition of some important vitamins and supplements can help us prevent chronic disease and increase our longevity.

Anti-aging is possible.

- Eat a Balanced Diet

- Maintain a Healthy Weight

- Exercise Regularly

- Quit Smoking

- Reduce Stress

- Get plenty of sleep

- Increase your intake of Vitamin B (to reduce stress and support healthy DNA replication), Vitamins C and E (needed for their antioxidant properties which helps slow cellular aging), and Calcium (for healthy bones)

- Add natural bioactive compounds such as Resveratrol for its many anti-aging effects.