MAINTAINING a healthy body will keep any diseases and illnesses at bay as you age. You may use several solutions to keep your aging parts always in good condition.

* Heart. Always take good care of your heart. The artery walls thicken and stiffen over the years that result in high blood pressure and plaque buildup. Simplify life and try to follow the Mediterranean diet, eat vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans, fish and poultry, dairy and olive oil. You may drink wine in moderation and a little of red meat (for energy). This will keep your blood pressure and cholesterol at low level.

* Skin. You look blooming and skin pinkish in your twenties. It’s because of the collagen produced by the skin and shed dead skin cells quickly. Aside from good genes to keep you from looking young, lycopene and beta carotene may help you fight free radicals. Eat sweet potatoes, carrots, cantaloupe and leafy greens and lycopene-rich tomatoes. Also include watermelon in your diet.

* Muscle mass. When you reach 40, your metabolism slows down. During your prime years, your muscle burns up to 10 times more calories per pound than fat. But as you age, muscle metabolism decreases. Even if you maintain the same level of exercise and calorie intake, you tend to accumulate fat. Regular exercise can help offset reduced muscle metabolism and help you stay lean. Choose nutrient-dense and lower-calorie foods.

* Brain. The frontal lobe of the brain shrinks  per decade. But a study in Neurology showed that people who ate two or more daily servings of vegetables, especially leafy greens, had the mental focus of people five years their junior.

* Eyes. Higher intakes of vitamins C and E, beta carotene and zinc as well as lutein and zeaxanthin, the antioxidants in yellow and green vegetables and egg yolks, and omega-3 fats will reduce risk for AMD (age-related macular degeneration).

* Bones. As you progress, the cells that build bone become less active. It is more aggravating to women during menopause, estrogen decrease quickly. Calcium and vitamin D is very important as you age. But a new research found that vitamin K- essential to the proteins that rebuild bone and abundant in leafy greens - also helps reduce age-related bone loss.