Experts Share 14 Anti-Aging Secrets That Could Add Years to Your Life

Cut back on added sugar

Sugar is a major dietary driver of premature aging, says plastic surgeon Anthony Youn, MD, an anti-aging expert and author of The Age Fix: A Leading Plastic Surgeon Reveals How to Really Look 10 Years Younger. “One study attributed 184,000 deaths each year to sugary drinks like soda pop and punch,” he says. “Not only do they increase your risk of [type 2] diabetes and being overweight, but the sugar in the drinks also can make you look older.”

Alongside added sugar, aim to moderate your intake of saturated fat, trans fats, syrups, and refined carbs, advises Michael Roizen, MD, Cleveland Clinic’s chief wellness officer and author of several books, including Real Age: Are You as Young as You Can Be? “By avoiding these five food categories, you can significantly lower your chances of disease and premature aging.” 

Eat the rainbow

Colorful fruits and vegetables are packed with anti-aging antioxidants—you can actually see these nutritious compounds in the pigments that give these foods their vibrant colors, Dr. Youn says. “Eat a wide array of colors to improve your health and slow down the aging process.”

This approach also aligns with what Stanford nutrition experts call “the best diet to prevent chronic illness”: the Mediterranean diet. Rich in colorful fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes, heart-healthy fats, and lean meat, it’s been consistently shown to support long-term health down to the cellular level. 

Go easy on red meat

The Mediterranean diet emphasizes lean protein sources, like poultry, fish, and legumes. While red meat does provide important nutrients, including iron, zinc, and vitamin B12, it’s also high in saturated fat. That’s why even moderate intake—about two servings of red meat per week—is associated with a greater risk of type 2 diabetes, according to 2023 research in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 

Stay on top of your dental health

Flossing daily helps decrease inflammation in your gums, Dr. Roizen says. “Inflammation is one of the greatest causes of aging; it’s linked to heart disease and stroke and impedes the immune system, which increases the risk of infection, cancer, and brain dysfunction,” he says. “Gum disease is one of the biggest causes of inflammation that we have, but we can prevent it by flossing and seeing a dentist twice a year.”

Move more throughout the day

Long stretches of sitting raise the risk for all sorts of diseases and conditions that can shorten lives, Dr. Roizen says. “Don’t sit for more than two hours in a row, and walk at least two minutes every two hours,” he says. Even short, regular movement breaks improve cardiovascular, metabolic, and cognitive health.

While you’re at it, a bit of playful movement can help build stronger bones. Dr. Roizen recommends jumping in place about 40 times to strengthen your spine and decrease your risk of fractures. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), more than 38,000 adults over age 65 die from falls each year, which means strong bones are an important anti-aging key to keep you healthy.

Quit smoking (and vaping)

Smoking tobacco is linked to a laundry list of diseases that will shorten your life, including cancer, heart disease, and stroke. It’s not just cigarettes, either: Vaping or spending time in hookah parlors is also dangerous, Dr. Roizen says. 

Know your health numbers

Preventive healthcare is one of the most powerful tools for long-term health. A 2023 paper in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health notes that tracking your key metrics helps reduce the risk of age-related illness by giving you time to make lifestyle changes, treat issues early, and take proactive control of your health. 

Even if you’re feeling well, make sure you know your:

• Daily calorie needs
• Waist size (circumference)
• Blood pressure
• Resting heart rate
• Triglyceride levels
• Blood sugar

Screening tests are another cornerstone of disease prevention, as they allow doctors to detect and catch problems early—when they’re easiest to treat. 

Most adults should have their blood pressure checked annually and cholesterol levels screened at least every five years, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Depending on your sex, age, and personal risk factors, you’ll also want to talk to your doctor about screenings for different cancers and conditions like diabetes and osteoporosis. 

Stay up-to-date on vaccines

According to the CDC, most U.S. adults have not received age-appropriate vaccinations, leaving them vulnerable to preventable diseases. Even if you’re first in line to get your annual flu shot, make sure you’re up-to-date on the main vaccinations doctors want you to know about. 

Check your vitamin D levels

Dr. Roizen recommends asking your doctor to check your vitamin D status and to consider taking a supplement if your levels are low. Vitamin D deficiency has been linked to a wide range of age-related diseases, many of which can shorten your lifespan, according to research published in Aging and Disease. And as we get older, our skin gets less efficient at producing vitamin D from sunlight, which raises the risk of deficiency. 

Manage daily stress

While it’s tough to eliminate stress from your life, shifting the way you react can reap some anti-aging benefits. That’s key because not coping well with stress can take its toll on health and longevity, Dr. Roizen says. 

“Learning how to manage stress with guided imagery, meditation, deep breathing, or another practice can add years to your life,” he says. One of his own tricks: placing a finger on his belly button to feel it moving in and out—confirmation he’s taking deep breaths—when he needs to combat the effects of stress.

Sleep like it’s medicine

Getting quality sleep is another way to reduce stress—and to lower your risk of developing chronic health conditions associated with stress, says Los Angeles sleep expert Michael J. Breus, PhD, a board-certified clinical psychologist and clinical sleep specialist.

Poor sleep, on the other hand, sets us up for a greater risk of obesity and other diseases that can shorten our lives.

Live with purpose

A growing body of research links a strong sense of meaning and purpose with a lower risk of chronic disease and early mortality. A 2021 study published in the American Journal of Health Promotion looked specifically at how purpose impacts health outcomes. 

Analyzing data from nearly 13,000 adults over age 50, the researchers found that those who feel a strong sense of purpose had a:

• 46% reduced risk of mortality
• 33% lower risk of sleep problems
• 22% lower likelihood of developing an unhealthy BMI

Stay positive

Look on the bright side: not all anti-aging secrets mean a trip to the doctor! Of 100,000 women in the Women’s Health Initiative study, those with an optimistic outlook on life were 14% less likely than pessimists to die during the study’s first eight years, according to research published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

Give back

Research shows that caring for others is strongly associated with longevity. A 2025 study published in Social Science & Medicine found that volunteering—even as little as one hour a week—can actually slow biological aging, especially in retired adults. This slower aging is linked with the delayed onset of age-related diseases, stronger cognitive and physical functioning, and a more resilient immune system. 

Even donating blood may be a life-lengthening form of giving back. A study published in Transfusion found that frequent blood donors live longer than those who don’t donate. 

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