As we grow older, it's inevitable that we'll slowly lose that glow of youth. You don't have to feel helpless against the battle of aging and those wrinkles that are sure to come. There's natural ways to stay on the right path for reducing wrinkles early. Here's the seven natural steps you can take right now in the fight against wrinkles.

1. Stay away from smoking. The specifics are still up for debate, but many studies show that cigarette smoke actually ages the skin by releasing an emzyme that's harmful to the skin's natural components. Collagen and elastin, two vital components of healthy skin, can become broken down by years of smoking. Studies on twins has been done that showed considerable breakdown of the twin that smoked compared to his/her sibling. The smoking twin's skin became thinner and had more wrinkles.

2. Get some sleep. Studies indicate that lack of sleep produces excess cortisol, a natural growing hormone that breaks down skin cells. Six to eight hours a night should help keep those wrinkles away in the future.

3. Avoid sun exposure. Sun worshipers beware. The sun is definitely the number one cause of producing wrinkles as you age. Studies on identical twins have shown that the twin with fewer wrinkles was exposed to less sun throughout their life. You may look young and vibrant now with your tan, sacrificing leathery or wrinkled skin in the future.

4. Protect your skin with sunscreen. It will not only protect you from deadly skin cancer, but help you avoid wrinkles as you age.

5. Stop squinting. Protect your eyes and your skin by wearing UV approved sunglasses. Squinting forms those grooves under the skin surface that eventually turn into wrinkles.

6. Consume more fruits and vegetables. Antioxidants are a key in keeping healthy and beautiful skin. By eating more vegetables and fruits, you're feeding your most precious organ in the body; the skin.

7. Eat more salmon. Salmon along with other cold water fish is an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids, which are known to be an awesome source for nourishing the skin. Fatty acids help plump up your skin for a more youthful look.

Eating right, protecting your skin from the sun, avoiding smoking, and getting enough sleep are excellent ways to help fight the battle against wrinkles. Be good to yourself and your skin.

Today, just about any case of acne can be taken care of.  The key to successful treatment of acne lies in preventing new acne lesions, and removing ones that are already there.  Just remember, it takes time, and what works for one person may not work for you.  First though, you have to determine how severe your acne is, and then you can decide if you're able to take care of it on your own, or seek the professional help of a dermatologist.

New acne treating products have been developed in the past few years to include treatments for many different skin types.  Less irritating topical retinoids have also been developed, which has dramatically changed the landscape of acne treatment.  As little as 10 years ago, using topical retinoids would often leave unwanted side effects, such as red skin, peeling, and stinging.  Whiteheads, blackheads, and those nasty red, inflamed acne lesions can now be treated with a reduction in scarring.

Professionals in the care of acne treatment have also learned to combine treatments that work.  Attacking acne by using two methods at once dramatically helps clear up the problem.  Oral antibiotics such as doxycycline, combined with topical retinoids often helps patients skin clear faster and with longer-lasting results.

The introduction of oral acne medications significantly changed how acne affects women.  Oral contraceptives are commonly used, and are well tolerated by many women now for the use of eliminating acne.

Acne treatment has definitely changed in the last 10 years.  Over-the-counter treatments have significantly improved, and many people are finding success with them.  With so many effective acne therapies out there now, it's rare you'll find someone with an untreatable diagnosis.  Consult the help of a dermatologist if your case of acne is severe.  You'll find they can help.

Forget those lotions, potions, and skin creams that promise to keep your skin looking natural and beautiful.  My mother is in her 60s and still has beautiful looking skin.  And she did it by following these lifelong practices.

Number one: Drink more water! See I told you this was going to be easy.  Yet, because it's so simple, it's often a forgotten necessity.  Water hydrates skin cells and gets rid of waste products that can lead to clogged pores. Your skin wonn't look as vibrant as it should.  Here's a tip!  You wouldn't water your plants, or give your pets extremely cold ice water would you?  No you wouldn't.  So don't do this to yourself.  Periodically, a cold glass of water is what the body needs to cool off, but drinking warm or room temperature water, can actually keep the body's natural flow of energy stabilized.  Imagine how your plants would feel if you watered them with chilly, cold, ice water.

Number two: Eat more fiber, less sugar, and good fats! Statistics show that people only eat about a third of the recommended daily dose of fiber.  Here's a few ways to get more fiber in your diet.  Choose to eat whole grains instead of refined.  Use brown rice instead of white, or mix them both together.  Eat an apple a day.  There is wisdom in the phrase," an apple a day keeps the doctor away".  Consume more beans and legumes.  Add your favorite beans to your next meal.  Snack on nuts instead of sugary treats.  Keep some seeds, or nuts handy, for when you feel that hunger urge coming on.  Add flax seeds to your diet.  Sprinkle them on salads, and rice dishes, or other favorite meals.

It's no wonder that diabetes is becoming a disease of epidemic proportions with so much sugar being consumed by people.  Over time, excess sugar in our system leads to the unwanted process of glycation.  This is when glucose molecules damage protein molecules by sticking to them.  The new molecules formed are called advanced glycation end products.  These molecules slowly destroy collagen in the skin.  Plus you get fat if you eat too much sugar. Your body stores this fat for later use.  Unfortunately, it's never used, because of poor eating habits.  That brings us to her next area of recommendation; eating good fats.

You cannot live without fatty acids.  Your skin, your heart, the ability to fight off inflammation, acme, and eczema, are derived from eating foods that contain proper fatty acids.  Cool water fish such as sardines and salmon are too great sources of essential fatty acids.  Flax seed oil can also be used to keep your skin and body in tip top shape.  And if you don't care for any of those type of foods, consider trying fish oil supplements.

Number three: Exercise more! Exercise increases circulation, and as my reflexologist used to say," Circulation is life". If you've got a desk job, take an invigorating walk during a break.  Incorporate stretching into your daily routine.  Hit the gym if you haven't been in months, or get started by becoming active in your favorite sport.  You can even include walking or riding a bike.

While these steps seem simple and common sense, it's amazing how often they are just brushed aside.  It's a lifelong choice, which will keep your body and skin, looking and feeling healthy and natural.

Every year, over 50,000 people in the United States develop melanoma skin cancer.  This is the most serious form of skin cancer, and if not diagnosed and treated properly, it can lead to fatal consequences.

In the past 30 years, the cases of melanoma in the United States has increased at an alarming rate.  It's estimated that those people developing melanoma skin cancer has doubled in that time period!

Melanoma begins when melanocytes become malignant.  Melanocytes produce melanin, which is the pigment that gives your skin its natural color.  Doctors aren't sure why melanoma forms, but they do have some advice for those that may be in a higher risk category for receiving this disease.

Those individuals who have a family history of melanoma are at a higher risk for receiving it.  If you have two or more relatives with this form of cancer, you'll want to have yourself checked by a doctor on a regular basis.

A weakened immune system also places an individual at a higher risk.  Those receiving organ transplants, or having an autoimmune deficiency disorder should continue to have regular checkups.

Having a high number of moles on your body also increases your risk for melanoma.

People with fair skin and freckles that burn easy, are also at risk.

Severe sunburns and prolonged exposure to the sun's ultraviolet rays will also lead you to a higher risk category for obtaining melanoma.  Ultraviolet radiation from the sun causes  skin damage that may lead to melanoma skin cancer.  The increased use of tanning salons and tanning beds, is probably the reason for such a dramatic increase of melanoma within the past few years.

You can lessen your chances of receiving this deadly disease by limiting your exposure to the sun.  Help protect your skin by using high sun protection factor sunscreens, and avoiding artificial sources like sunlamps and tanning booths.

Clinical trials are being conducted throughout the country to help those who receive melanoma.  Consciously managing your own skin protection will reduce your risk of obtaining melanoma skin cancer.

Did you know that your skin is your body's largest organ?  The skin is such a vital organ, yet we hardly ever think of it as such.  It's  working 24 hours a day to protect us from infection, shield us from hot objects and the sun.  The skin also regulates our body temperature, hydrates us externally by storing water, and feeds us by storing fat.  It's a pretty remarkable system!

The skin is made up of two main layers.  The outer layer is the epidermis, and the inner layer is the dermis.

The epidermis consists of squamous cells.  They look similar to fish scales when viewed under a microscope.  Round shaped basal cells lie just underneath the squamous cells in the epidermis.

The dermis provides a home for certain blood vessels known as lymph vessels.  The dermis also contains hair follicles in the glands.  When you run or work out, those glands provide sweat, which helps regulate your body's temperature.  It's your built-in cooling system.  Another gland produces sebum, which is an oily substance, and keep your skin from drying out.  Tiny openings in the skin called pores, release sweat and sebum.

A third layer of your skin is the subcutaneous tissue.  This contains fat and connective tissue, and is home to larger blood vessels and nerves.  One of its primary purposes is regulating the temperature of the skin itself.  Everyone's subcutaneous tissue layer is different.  This may explain why some people get colder or hotter than others.  A thicker subcutaneous tissue layer would help a person stay warmer in the winter.

Without our skin layer, humans would be in big trouble.  It makes sense to protect it as much as possible, and treat it right throughout the years.

As you get older, eventually you'll get age spots.  Right?  Actually, no.

Contrary to some beliefs, those little unsightly brown patches that show up on our hands, chest and arms, have little to do with actually getting older.  Age spots form after years of prolonged sun exposure.

Generally, age spots will start showing up around the age of 30, but others won't see them until their 40s or even 50s.  It's all dependent on how much sun exposure you receive over the years, and how careful you are at protecting your skin.  Some women in their 90s, have no age spots at all.  They've stayed inside, used appropriate sunscreens, or covered up during a sunny days.

We can't all live like that though.  So what's the best way to slow the process of them occurring?  Well, that's very easy.  Use a broad spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of 50 or above.  And don't forget to make sure that its water resistance, if you're going to get wet at all.  That's it!

Now if you've already got age spots, and would like to get rid of them, you can consider starting with a fade cream.  A fade cream is simply an anti-aging topical skin treatment that contains a lightening agent.  Often they include hydroquinone, an active ingredient allowed in anti-aging skin treatments in America.  Unfortunately, if you're in Europe, hydroquinone is not approved.  Retinol based topicals can be used, which will fade the spots over time.

Fade creams can take up to six months before sunspots become noticeably lessened.  It's unlikely that they will totally disappear, but should fade over time.

For removing severe age spots quicker, you may consider a chemical peel.  Using a fade cream first would help the process, but there's no quick fix.  Years in the sun, and the damage it causes, is a difficult thing to eliminate overnight.

Lasers have been used for effective treatment of sunspots also.  Outer layers of skin containing age spots, are removed by laser resurfacing.  This method isn't cheap though.

The main message about age spots is clear.  Protect yourself when you're out in the sun.  We all love to look bronze in the summer.  But remember, to keep that youthful look as long as possible, you have to protect your precious skin.