Forget anti-aging creams, plastic surgery, and time machines. The only thing you need to live like you're 10 years younger is exercise.

Studies show that the most physically active folks show signs of being as much as 10 years younger on a cellular level. How can this be? Well, exercise keeps telomeres long and healthy. Telomeres are the caps on your DNA in all of your cells. Over time, they shorten, stop regenerating, and eventually die. Shortened telomeres cause us to age, and they also leave chromosomes vulnerable to damage, which can lead to diseases such as cancer. Exercise and you'll keep these buggers fit for a young life.

Pretty basic stuff. Exercise = healthy telomeres = younger cells = younger you. Got the formula? Good.

Here, more tips on how to keep your telomeres alive and well.

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How old are you? How old is your body? The answers to these questions should be the same, but a great many factors can contribute to a noticeable disparity. Women's Health magazine points to the significant role fitness level plays in determining your body's age.

In terms of genetics, people who exercise regularly are 10 years younger than inactive people of the same chronological age. Researchers from King's College in London found that in twins, those who exercised had the longest telomeres -- genetic markers that shorten with age, oxidative stress, and inflammation. And, because exercise has been linked to a reduction in stress and inflammation, researchers posit that it therefore affects telomere length.

For other methods of finding out your "Real Age," visit (where else?) RealAge.com and complete their online physical assessment.

A new study suggests that following the CDC guidelines for exercise can help shave 10 years off your biological age. Getting at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity at least five days per week or getting at least 20 minutes of vigorous-intensity physical activity at least three days a week is plenty to turn back the clock.

The details of this study were published in a recent issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine. Researchers and examined close to 2,400 adult British twins who completed surveys about their physical activity, smoking, and health history.and also provided blood samples. The researchers then used the blood samples to measure the length of telomeres (chromosome tips) on the participants' white blood cells. Because telomeres shorten a bit each time a cell divides, this makes them a possible marker of aging.

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