Everyone knows the adage "you're as young as you feel." But that doesn't make the widening disconnect between what you see in the mirror and how you "feel" any easier to take.


We buy boatloads of beauty products and religiously attend yoga classes in an effort to look younger than our years. We try to turn back the clock by eating anti-aging foods[1] and applying sunscreen daily.[2] Ever heard of a vampire facelift?[3] Many people have tried that, too.


No doubt there are lots of tricks out there designed to make us appear younger. That's why we asked our Facebook fans for their ideas -- and we received an avalanche of responses. Take a look at some of our favorites below, and be sure to tell is your own anti-aging secrets in the comments.


1) "Have sex as often as possible," said Sanna McIvor.


2) "Hang out with people older than me!" said Susan Foster Beste.


3) "Eat really well, enjoy the outdoors with my doggies, spend time with people I love, live, take care of my skin/hair," said Carmen Quall.


walking dogs


4) "Stay active... if you just keep moving people can't guess your age:-)" said Barbara Perry.


5) "Solid honey from the jar from a local grower on my face every three nights," said Renate Lazzaretto.


6) "Drink Water!" said Mildred Van Ness.


drinking water


7) "Relax a clenched jaw," said X-ray Iris.


8) "Stand up straight," said Fran Edens.


9) "Think positive thoughts and use Mary Kay... I'M SERIOUS," said Iona Warmack.


10) "Zumba," said Maria Regina Encarnação.


zumba


11) "Laugh often, love deeply, and praise God for every day above ground," said Lorna Ann.


12) "Sleep. Smile. Practice good posture," said Ana Maria Sierra.


13) "Maintaining slimness with a plant-based diet and light exercise," said Wendy Holmgren.


kale


14) "Act it!" said Debra Rose.


15) "Retinol at night, sunscreen every day. Exercise a few days per week," said Marci Myers.


16) "Drink water, no kidding," said Joanne Ivins.


17) "Take the mirrors off the wall," said Eric A. Mann.


18) "Healthy diet, good sleeping habits, exercise, and stay in LOVE," said Nancy Garcia Alvarado.


sleeping


19) "Lipstick and a smile," said Denice Loritsch.



Earlier on HuffPost50:




Loading Slideshow...



  • 1. Make Bad Dietary Choices


    Over the years, there's been a lot of debate related to diet and longevity. But most experts agree that a <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jay-williams-phd/best-diets_b_2268460.html" target="_blank">diet low in sugar and refined carbohydrates is best</a>. And some studies show that eating a traditional <a href="http://journals.cambridge.org/download.php?file=%2FBJN%2FBJN84_S2%2FS0007114500002701a.pdf&code=a4a2995aa69a094808c095f29250a990" target="_blank">Mediterranean diet</a> can add years to your life.




  • 2. Never Check Your Cholesterol


    Just like high blood pressure, <a href="http://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/guide/heart-disease-lower-cholesterol-risk" target="_blank">high cholesterol can also increase your risk of heart disease</a> and stroke. Therefore it's a good idea to have your cholesterol checked to see whether you need to undergo certain lifestyle changes or even possibly take some kind of cholesterol-lowering medication. For more information about cholesterol and saturated fats, go <a href="http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/fats-full-story/" target="_blank">here.</a> Eating certain foods, such as beans, which are rich in fiber and antioxidants, can help lower cholesterol.




  • 3. Mix Alcohol And Prescription Or Illicit Drugs


    <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ann-brenoff/whitney-houston-prescription-drugs_b_1280439.html" target="_hplink">Even drinking wine with dinner and then taking prescription sleep aides can be a lethal combination</a>. A U.S. Department of Health and Human Services study found 5.8 percent of people age 50 to 59 used illicit drugs in 2010, up from 2.7 percent in 2002.




  • 4. Never Check For Diabetes


    The number of Americans with <a href="http://www.diabetes.org/" target="_hplink">Type 2 diabetes</a> is expected to rise from 30 million today to 46 million by 2030, when one of every four boomers -- 14 million -- will be living with this chronic disease, according to the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. <br /> <br />Untreated diabetes can lead to blindness, amputations and clogged arteries that can cause heart attacks and strokes. The test to determine whether you are diabetic is a simple blood test; you should remind your doctor to include it in your annual physical.




  • 5. Pack On The Pounds


    More than one out of every three boomers -- more than 21 million -- will be considered obese by 2030. Already, we are the demographic with the highest and fastest-growing rate of obesity. As we age, our metabolism slows down and we burn fewer calories -- if we don't alter our eating and exercise patterns, weight gain is inevitable. Obesity can lead to high blood pressure, heart disease, and a host of other life-threatening ailments. <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ann-brenoff/the-dieting-10-percent-club-losing-weight-after-50_b_1440729.html" target="_hplink">Losing just 10 percent of your body weight</a> has health benefits, so consider that as a goal.




  • 6. Ignore The Signs Of A Heart Attack


    No chest pain doesn't mean no heart attack. <a href="http://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/features/her-guide-to-a-heart-attack" target="_hplink">Women having heart attacks</a> frequently report experiencing a feeling of indigestion and extreme fatigue, while some men say they feel a fullness or a squeezing pain in the center of the chest, which may spread to the neck, shoulder or jaw. When a diabetic has a heart attack, the pain is often displaced to other areas such as the lower back.




  • 7. Get Little Sleep


    Try as you might, you just can't stay asleep, right? You pass out before "60 Minutes" is over, but then wake up around midnight and count sheep until the alarm goes off. If that sounds like you, you aren't alone. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that <a href="http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5842a2.htm" target="_hplink">boomers report not getting enough sleep between one and 13 nights each month</a>. Is it life-threatening? In itself, no. But as soon as you slip behind the wheel bleary-eyed, you are putting yourself and others at risk. Your reflexes are slower, you pay less attention and you could become one of the more than 100,000 Americans who fall asleep at the wheel and crash each year. And the <a href="http://drowsydriving.org/about/facts-and-stats/" target="_hplink">National Highway Traffic Safety Administration</a> says that's a conservative estimate, by the way. Driver fatigue results in an estimated 1,550 deaths, 71,000 injuries and $12.5 billion in monetary losses.




  • 8. Avoid Exercise


    AARP says the minimum you need to stay healthy are muscle-strengthening exercises twice a week, plus 2.5 hours a week of moderate activity like walking or 75 minutes a week of a more intense activity like jogging. Exercise is also good for your memory: Just one year of <a href="http://www.aarp.org/health/brain-health/info-02-2011/keep_your_memory_strong_by_walking.html" target="_hplink">walking three times a week can increase the size of the hippocampus</a>, the part of the brain that's key to memory.




  • 9. Carry The World's Burdens On Your Shoulders


    We're talking about stress with a capital S. Boomers are the sandwich generation, caught in the middle of caring for our parents and our children. We were deeply affected by the recession and <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ann-brenoff/midlife-crisis-depression-is-ok-the-new-good_b_1470958.html" target="_hplink">boomers have the highest rates of depression</a> by age demographic. Unless we unload, we are going to implode.




  • 10. Carry A Beer Belly And A Caboose


    It isn't just our extra weight; it's where we carry it. An excess of visceral fat causes our abdomens to protrude excessively. We call it a "pot belly" or "beer belly" or if the visceral fat is on our hips and buttocks, we say we are "apple shaped." Cute names aside, scientists now say that body fat, instead of body weight, is the key to evaluating obesity. And guess what? It's all bad.




  • 11. Continue To Smoke


    <a href="http://www.gallup.com/poll/128183/smoking-age-baby-boomer-bulge.aspx" target="_hplink">Gallup found that baby boomers between the ages of 44 and 54 reported higher levels of smoking</a> than those immediately younger or those who are older. Hard to imagine that they haven't gotten the word yet about the risks cigarettes carry.




  • 12. Drink Too Much


    "Alcohol does all kinds of things in the body, and we're not fully aware of all its effects,"<a href="http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/alcohol-abuse/features/12-health-risks-of-chronic-heavy-drinking" target="_hplink"> James C. Garbutt, MD, professor of psychiatry at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine told WebMD</a>. "It's a pretty complicated little molecule." Among the risks of drinking too much: Higher risk of cancer, heart disease, cirrhosis of the liver, dementia, depression and high blood pressure. Drink in moderation: <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/07/red-wine-benefits-anti-aging-tips_n_1475079.html" target="_hplink">Red wine, in particular, has been found to increase longevity</a>. The Mayo Clinic <a href="http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/red-wine/hb00089" target="_hplink">defines moderation as "an average of two drinks a day for men and one drink a day for women</a>."