After water, tea, or officially Camellia sinensis, is the most consumed beverage in the world. The most popular types of teas include black tea, oolong tea, green tea and white tea, all of which come from the same plant, but are processed differently. Tea is known for its ancient history and calming effect, but does it also keep us looking and feeling younger?

Tea leaves have over 700 chemicals in them, and many of these chemicals help humans fight of everything from cancer to intestinal disease. Studies have been performed testing the benefits of tea, and for instance, one study found that tea aids in the prevention high blood pressure, coronary disease, and reduces the chance of late stage diabetes. Also, tea possesses many types of anti-oxidants, which are anti-carcinogenic, anti-mutagenic and anti-tumoric.

However, the benefits of tea are still being debated. Some studies show that the over consumption of tea can cause an increase in long term coronary disease, in addition to many studies that have been done on caffeine, which is present in tea leaves, and its long term effects. Also, many studies that showed tea reduces the chance of cancer were done on animals, and humans have completely different tolerances for various chemicals and our bodies process things like tea much differently.

The question remains: is tea the key? Tea, when used in moderation, can be a great addition to an already healthy diet, however, you should not rely on tea to entirely cure cancer or prevent serious diseases.

Not everyone in the world is born with the same life expectancy; in fact there is a range of 83 years, in Andorra, and 40 years in Swaziland, Africa. Andorra is the longest living country, but longest living region is Okinawa, an island just south of Japan. In Okinawa, for every 100,000 people, almost 35 people are over 100! That is four times higher than both the U.S.A and the U.K.

So why do people in certain regions live longer than others? Many people attribute Okinawa’s longevity to its resident’s diet. They consume more soy and tofu than any other region, and they have a motto of only eating until they are 80% full, which keeps there bodies healthy and significantly reduces the chance of heart disease. As opposed to Americans, Okinawa’s residents only consume about 1,200 calories a day.

On the other side of the spectrum, countries’ whose residents never even make it “over the hill,” often are dealing with extreme conditions. For instance in Swaziland where the life expectancy is the shortest, the percentage of people who have AIDS is also the highest. Close to 50% of the population has AIDS or HIV. Also, life expectancy is correlated with GDP, and so many poorer countries have significantly smaller life expectancies.

Unfortunately you cannot simply move to Okinawa to live longer, since it is more about life-style than geographic location. If you are looking to stay young feeling and live a long life, other cultures may have the answer.

Products like Hydroxycut have given people who want to lose weight new hope. Instead of simply suppressing your appetite or increasing your energy, Hydroxycut claimed to increase your body’s fat burning rate and to help you get rid of the fat in the hard to get places like your hips and thighs. However, as most people have now heard, it can cause liver disease and other harmful effects, and a class action lawsuit has been filed.

It is scary to think that a product that had hardly any clinical trials and contained enormous amounts of caffeine could actually be sold to the public. Looking back, Hydroxycut seemed too good to be true, and of course it was. But as you are looking to stay young and not age too quickly, how can you be sure a product actually works and will not kill you in the long run?

Everyone wants to try the “new thing,” but that may hurt your health more than it helps it. To be safe, you shouldn’t use any drug or supplement that claims to do everything imaginable. That seems like common sense, but in actuality, many people are too trusting when it comes to weight loss ads and “real” testimonials, in addition to the fact that some people will try anything. Also, wait at least a year before trying a new product. Hopefully at that point you will be able to know it isn’t going to kill you.

Trying a product like Hydroxycut can be rewarding, but it is also a huge risk. Any product that feels like a shortcut around what is natural is probably going to do more damage than help when it comes to your anti-aging or weight loss goals. Don’t pin all your hopes on one product, use a balanced diet and live an active life.

Staying young is not easy to do alone, and many studies suggest that having a companion later in life will help you live a longer and more active life. Now, for people who have lost a loved one, or have grown alone over time, be it through divorce or something else, finding a new companion can be essential. Finding a new companion will be joyful and rewarding, in addition to helping you stay young.

Most likely, people understand that having a companion is great, but the hard part is finding one. You do not simply meet people worthwhile at work or at the store, and no one wants to go to the dance club once you are older than about 40. Luckily, the rise of the Internet has made this process a lot easier.

There are plenty of websites that offer match making services, and at first glance, you may think this is kind of creepy or unappealing, or only weird people are on these sights, but that isn’t true. Many people who are in your same situation, i.e. they became too busy to meet anyone or they lost someone and have simply never met anyone since, are on these websites. It is a convenient way to meet people who are in your same situation.

It doesn’t hurt to try, and besides, if online match making doesn’t work, you can always buy a dog! Taking a risk to stay young and find companionship is something you should absolutely do. Online match making is becoming more and more popular, so you might as well jump on the trend and meet someone special.

Anti-aging may be more than herbs, creams, or exercise. Recently, more and more people are turning towards anti-aging psychology. According to the Ageless Lifestyles Institute, anti-aging requires you to learn “life enhancing attitudes, beliefs, and coping skills that foster youthfulness and health.” In addition, according to the Ageless Lifestyles Institute only 30% of your aging is predetermined by your genetic code, and the rest is your decisions and attitude.

So can you “think” yourself younger? Many people prefer these sorts of attitude adjustments as opposed to filling your body with countless chemicals. Often, people say mind over matter, and to a degree positive psychology works when you are looking to perform better on sports or other tests, but you cannot use your mind to heal a broken bone, or in our case, get a wrinkle out of our forehead. Your attitude can change your outward personality, and smiling may make other people like you more, but I am not sure it is truly anti-aging.

However, your attitudes and believes can change your outward appearance and act as an anti-aging agent if by changing your attitude you reduce stress, which is a large factor in aging. So, indirectly you can “think” yourself younger if your thoughts lead to less stress, but you will never become younger by simply thinking about becoming younger. Thinking positive and anti-aging is not causation, rather thinking positively is correlated with anti-aging because it reduces stress and helps you live a more active life.

The legend of the fountain of youth was that anyone who drank its waters would instantly become young again. Many explorers spent decades going up and down the Florida coast, looking for this legendary spring. No one ever found it obviously, but with our modern technology we have found some pretty exciting alternative.

The real fountain of youth is anti-aging science. Science is making huge discoveries every year that keep us feeling and looking younger. Everyday creams and lotions that can remove wrinkles and age marks are being perfected, the power of poison is being harnessed, and more and more benefits of anti-oxidants are being announced everyday.

First, lotions and creams are becoming excellent alternatives to expensive plastic surgery. They are able to fortify anti-aging lotions with vitamins and minerals that actually lift your skin. Many anti-aging creams also can help remove dead cells and dirt that can make you appear older. Anti-wrinkle creams are also using newly discovered amino acids to remove lines and crows feet. These products used to be tossed aside as a waste of money, but with new technology and scientific breakthroughs, they actually do work.

The next break through is Botox. It became FDA approved in 2002, and is just beginning to peak in popularity. What few people know is that Botox comes from the bacterium Clostridium botulinum, which causes botulism. This is the most deadly neurotoxin known to mankind. Even a minute dose can kill you, but people still inject it into their faces. Without sciencific break-throughs in microbiology, we would not be able to harness this poison’s potential to heal line and wrinkles. It is now the number one cosmetic procedure performed in all of America.

We are just beginning to understand how important anti-oxidants are. We know they prevent damage to our cells by absorbing free radicals, but we don’t know just how great the long term benefits are quite yet. These particles have been claimed to prevent cancer, enhance the immune system, prevent muscular degeneration, and add years to your life. Foods are now being engineered to be very rich in anti-oxidants. Fruits and some vegetables contain anti-oxidants naturally. We are only beginning to understand the potential upside for anti-oxidants.

The legendary fountain of youth would be nice, but for now we will have to settle for the scientifically created fountains. Every year new technology is being used to prevent the physical appearance of aging, as well as add years to our lives. It remains to be seen as to what our full capabilities will be in the fight against aging.

Playing video games and getting exercise generally do not go in the same sentence. Those who play video games are generally seen as couch potatoes or drains on society. They are assumed to be overweight, have acne filled faces, and survive mostly on hot pockets.

Now, a lot of “gamers” (as they are referred to) seem to fit that stereotype, but a new generation has been born. You can no longer assume that since someone is a gamer, they are overweight and do not interact with society. A new class of games and systems have been developed to keep individuals in shape and entertained.

Many believe that this revolution or paradigm shift started with the Nintendo Wii. The Wii has moved exercise through entertainment forward, but it was not the first mover. It started in an indirect way through dancing arcade games. Most people have heard of Dance, Dance, Revolution. It was the first popular game in which the player actually got exercise while playing. It was more of an after thought than the games primary purpose, but it got people thinking.

Nintendo Wii was the first system that was designed to have a fitness element to it. Games such as Wii fitness tracked players’ stats and measured their body weight and body mass index. Practically every game for the Wii requires players to stand up and move. It may not be intense exercise, but at least you won’t be sitting on the couch eating Cheetos.

The Wii isn’t merely for children either. It has games that encourage people of all ages to participate. The way the controls are set up helps anyone with no experience playing video games get started and accustomed quickly. Adults and children alike can get exercise through entertainment now.

The future of exercise through entertainment is bright, too. Every major video game console company is designing some sort of virtual reality aspect and motion control to increase the physical activity of playing video games. Many times it isn’t the primary purpose of the console, but the incremental increase in energy expenditure can do wonders for young children and adults.

The sun is the most important part of our solar system. You cannot spend too much time in its light, otherwise you will put yourself at risk for skin cancer. However, you do need to spend a minimum amount in it as well. Most people have heard of seasonal affective disorder, which is depression caused by too little exposure to sun, but few people understand just how severe it can be, and how it can still affect people during the summer.

Bright light has been shown to positively affect the mood of anyone who is suffering from depression or any other mood disorder. During the winter months, people often become irritable, depressive, put on weight, and avoid social scenes more often. This is caused by a reduction in UVB rays.

So as the summer months approach and the daylight get longer and longer, most people who are affected by seasonal affective disorder suffer much less, as well as people who are suffering from other mood disorders. In fact, there are many less reported cases of depression in the summer months than there are in the winter months.

In addition, people who have never experienced any sort of psychological problems or mood disorders on average report being happier during the summer months as well. People often report higher levels of motivation, happiness, and energy during the summer when they are being exposed to prolonged sunlight.

However, the exact reason why people are happier in the summer remains to be seen. Many studies point to the fact that a person’s sleep-wake cycle is thrown off during the winter months. People report a longer time lying in bed and being tired, but also report less time sleeping and having very poor quality sleep. During the summer, it is easier for many people to wake up in the morning because of the rising sun, whereas in the winter, it can remain dark for a few hours after you have been up.

Overall, the summer months seem to make people happier because of the extended time in the sunlight. As more research is done on this correlation, hopefully we will be able to use our knowledge to help those who suffer in the winter, and help those who wish to be equally happy in the summer and the winter.