We all have those friends who never seem to age--or, if we're lucky, we may even be one of those friends who never seem to age! Yet age we must. The name of the game, though, is to stay healthy enough to enjoy our sunset years and all of the security we have worked so hard to build. Recently, Inc. published 5 anti-aging secrets of people who have maintained their health and stayed active.

1.  A Mediterranean Diet We're all told to eat healthy, but that means different things to different people. A study of 1,300 Europeans across 5 countries concluded that a Mediterranean diet loaded with fruits, veggies, whole grains, legumes, olive oil, fish and poultry led to reduced levels of C reactive protein, which ages us. Another study showed it reduced brain atrophy by half.
2. Exercise Look, you knew it would be on the list. Interval training is said to reverse the aging process, causing changes at the cellular level. AND--the older people in the study experienced even more pronounced results.
3. Relationships Sure, it seems the curmudgeons live forever, but not without health problems. Those who lead long, healthy, happy lives have close personal relationships.   
4. Meditation has been shown to protect both the brain and body from the negative effects of aging, and promotes memory, reduces stress, and generates empathy.
5. Optimism In one of our previous articles, a retiree insisted that resolute good cheer is a conscious choice. It may not be an easy one at times, but it is a conscious one, and those who make that choice and look at aging as no big deal gain anti-aging benefits.