Want proof that healthy living doesn’t have to be hard? If can’t live without tea, drink water over soda, and never met a bean dip you didn’t like, you’re already doing wonders for your long-term health.

The (very) good news about defying age: It’s the small stuff you do that has the biggest impact. In fact, experts are now finding that everything from your choice of friends to your willingness to embrace new challenges affects your longevity and how healthy and youthful you feel every day. The downside is that seemingly harmless habits and personality traits could be inadvertently aging you. Here are five to watch out for:

Eating healthfully, sticking with a smart skin care program, doing a daily set of crunches are all good habits that help you defy your age. But if you’re not careful, a few missteps could nullify all your hard work. Here are eight mistakes that even savvy women make—and the simple fixes that take off years:

A well-balanced, nutrient-rich diet goes a long way toward keeping skin supple and glowing, but the body delivers only a certain percentage of vitamins to your skin, no matter how much you ingest, Besides, there’s simply no way to send the nutrients in the salad you just ate straight to your crow’s feet. Instead, apply vitamins topically to deliver maximum anti-aging benefits--everything from improving texture and tone to fading under-eye circles. Here are five to try—and the best products to find them in.

You know a healthy food when you see it—no one ever mistook a head of lettuce for a candy bar. But these 10 claim serious good-for-you, age-defying bragging rights, plus many are probably on your weekly shopping list right now. Stock up and know that you’re reducing your risk of cancer, heart disease, even wrinkles!

1. Apples

One of the healthiest fruits you should be eating is one you probably already are—especially right now: The apple. The Iowa Women’s Health Study, which has been investigating the health habits of 34,000 women for nearly 20 years, named apples as one of only three foods (along with pears and red wine) that are most effective at reducing the risk of death from heart disease among postmenopausal women. Other massive studies have found the fruit to lower risk of lung cancer and type-2 diabetes—and even help women lose weight. The only things that could make an apple unhealthy is mixing it with sugar, flour, and butter and stuffing it into a mile-high pie. Instead, have one as an afternoon snack with a tablespoon of peanut butter, or add slices to sandwiches or salads.