CEBU, Philippines - It is becoming the scare these days to grow old. Growing old is an immutable natural process. In time, the body just wears out and one grows old.

But what one should be wary about is to grow old too soon. This concern has made way for the emergence of multi-billion dollar industry churning out "anti-aging" products and technologies. Premature aging is not part of the natural aging process. It is usually the result of loose and reckless habits, and ignorance of possible harm these may bring.

Premature aging often results from prolonged or habitual or extreme sun exposure, or living with an unhealthy lifestyle. Unnatural aging is almost always due to poor habits. There are other reasons for the skin to age prematurely. Some people have medical conditions or are taking medications that age their skin.

There are some things that can be done to prevent the skin from aging prematurely. It's important, as well, to know what's not to be done. The website www.consumerhealthdigest.com cites certain points:

Eyes. One of the biggest mistakes many people make is to disrupt the delicate skin around their eyes. Rubbing and pulling the skin in this area can cause darkening and wrinkles.

Sleep. One should make sure to get enough sleep each night. The skin renews and repairs itself while one sleeps and so it is important that one takes the sleep the body needs.

Sleeping on one's side isn't good for the facial skin. It can break one's facial skin down, which eventually causes wrinkles.

Lips. Pursing the lips can cause lip wrinkles. People often purse their lips when drinking out of straws and when smoking. Speaking of smoking, the chemicals in tobacco cigarettes can also prematurely age the skin.

Unhealthy and Abusive Habits. Smokers and frequent sunbathers often suffer from premature aging. In fact, smoking and sun damage are the two biggest factors in premature aging. Smoking can also lead to lung cancer and excessive sun exposure to skin cancer. Although some medical conditions cause premature aging too, the majority of people who age sooner are making bad choices on a daily basis. For instance, drug users, heavy drinkers and smokers age at an accelerated rate.

If the skin is aging prematurely, there is good reason to believe that it may be something (or many things) that one is doing that could be causing it. The early signs are often overlooked, especially for those who feel they are still too young to worry about it. But the risks do not end by not worrying about it. More serious health issues can pop up.

There are signs that come out before the premature aging process gets out of hand. And, if the signs are attended to quickly, the downward cycle may be stopped. These signs include dry skin, salt cravings, irritability and midsection bulge. Again, it is very important to remember that not all skin conditions can be dismissed as "just age". There may be something more serious going on with the body.

To repeat, premature aging can be treated and stopped. An anti-aging therapy in combination with complementary medicine can help reverse the signs of aging. There may be need to check the body for antioxidant status, digestive analysis, immune system function, hormone status, circulation and other aging markers. After that, a qualified professional may formulate a comprehensive treatment program. Treatment may include nutritional therapies, digestive cofactors, enzyme enhancement, hormone replacement and lifestyle changes.

(FREEMAN)