A healthy lifestyle comes down to the choices you make. To age well you need to live well. While genes play a big part in the internal aging process - external aging is largely down to you.

You probably know off by heart many of the causes of external aging.  They include: cigarette smoking, excess alcohol, sun damage, poor nutrition, air pollution, weight gain, lack of exercise and stress. All of these are unhealthy lifestyle choices - they damage your looks and your health and make you age ahead of your time.

But it doesn't have to be this way. You can choose a healthy lifestyle to help you look and feel younger than your age for as long as possible.

Aging well is a virtuous circle - the more positive choices you make - the better you look and feel and the more motivated you are to continue making the right choices.

Start now by dipping into some of the great articles in this section

No doubt about it -aging gracefully is one of life's major challenges. But you don't have to feel depressed or overwhelmed by the prospect of getting older. The really good news is that you can choose a healthy lifestyle, re-kindle your positive zest for life and end up looking younger in the process.