Want to know the secret to staying young? Ask Doctor Cates. Why? She’s a walking billboard for anti-aging. Plus, she really knows what she’s talking about.

Dr. Trevor Cates, known as the Spa Doctor, was the first woman licensed as a naturopath in the state of California. Now practicing in beautiful Park City, Utah, Doctor Cates makes it her mission to help people on their road to wellness through her podcast, blog, articles, web site, television appearances, speaking engagements, and her actual brick-and-mortar practice.

In my talk with Dr. Cates, we dive into the fountain of youth! Everyone is getting older… it’s better than the alternative, right? But we don’t have to suffer through the symptoms of premature aging (wrinkles, fatigue, weight gain, chronic disease) when so much is actually in our own hands.Dr. Cates is about to give us some insight into ageing gracefully, including:Spotting the six signs of premature aging.Why genes don’t matter as much as you thought they did.What you’re buying that makes you age faster.21 Day Healthy Habits ChallengePlus, how to make a green smoothie kids love!

Dr. Trevor Holly Cates, affectionately called The Spa Doctor, was the first woman licensed as a naturopath in the state of California. Since then, she’s been blazing a trail in the world of natural, holistic health and wellness.A walking billboard for anti-aging, Dr. Cates looks like she’s in her twenties! She obviously practices what she preaches… which falls decidedly into the “lifestyle” group of anti-aging proponents as opposed to the group that goes for surgery and synthetic fixes.What does aging look like? We can’t stop aging, but we can prevent early aging. Watch for these six signs of early aging:FATIGUE: You may start to feel yourself getting tired more often.FOCUS: It might feel harder to stay focused.PHYSIQUE: It’s harder to stay in shape—as you lose muscle and gain fat.ACHES AND PAINS: You’ll start to feel ‘em.SKIN CHANGES: You may start to notice wrinkles, fine lines, and discoloration.CHRONIC DISEASE: Your risk for diabetes, osteoporosis, and heart disease is elevated.

“We are all getting older, but the goal is to age gracefully.”You can see the way people live their lives on their faces as in their bodies. What are some of the things we can change to help us age gracefully?

LIFESTYLE CHANGESLimiting sun exposure goes a long way toward helping you look younger. Some sun is good for your daily dose of Vitamin D and to help you feel good and be active, just be smart about it. Protect your skin by wearing a hat, covering up, and avoiding going out at peak sun hours.

Stop smoking and avoid second-hand smoke. Cigarettes are an environmental toxin that causes wrinkled, leathery skin on top of a host of other health issues including lung cancer.

Avoid environmental toxins found in the air you breathe, the food you buy, and your personal care and cleaning products.

With toxins in our lotions, shampoos, perfumes, makeup as well as in our tile cleaner, dish soap, and more… it’s a bit overwhelming. But the key is to start small.

TIPS FOR LIMITING YOUR EXPOSURE TO TOXINSIf the air quality is poor, you can move. Honestly, people don’t often think of that as an option but it can change the quality of your life. However, you can also focus on things you have more control over, such as changing the air quality inside your home by:Reducing or eliminating the use of toxic pesticides and cleaning products.Changing your air filter once a month.

Eliminate toxins on your skin by choosing your personal care products carefully. Makeup, perfume, aftershave, lotion, shampoo, and other body products are often highly toxic. A good rule of thumb is, “If you can’t eat it, don’t put it on your skin.” What you may not realize is that it absorbs through your skin right into your bloodstream.

Switch to organic produce and foods that are high in antioxidants. Eliminating the chemicals and genetically engineered foods will help keep your body strong, and the antioxidant foods will help reverse the oxidation process.

21 DAY HEALTHY HABITS CHALLENGEMany people know that they have bad habits, but they don’t know how to break them. A simple ten minutes a day can make a huge impact. Understanding why healthy habits are important is a huge part of the shift.

The 21 Day Healthy Habits Challenge is a series of short, simple videos designed to help you start incorporating healthy habits into your daily life just a few minutes at a time. The videos cover things like simple nutrition, how to get a better night’s sleep, and even how to upgrade your self-esteem!

By starting with the basics, you don’t get overwhelmed, which is easy to do. You can get the first three videos for free on the web site.

What separates someone who’s throwing kettle balls at the age of 80 from someone in a nursing home at that age?

We like to blame genetics… and genetics certainly do play a role in how we age. However, we are finding that we can change our genetic expression through our lifestyle choices. Whether or not we make those changes has a lot to do with motivation. People who are depressed or have a low self-esteem aren’t going to take care of themselves.

I went back to school and got a degree in spiritual psychology because I wanted to dig into this deeper issue: Why people are resistant to change.What kind of emotional issues do you have?Can’t give up comfort foods? Why? What’s the worst thing that will happen?Are you dwelling on traumatic experiences or reliving the past? Don’t dwell on it.As yourself, “How can I be the best I can be?”

The effect of small changes over a long period of time is tremendous.

HOW DO SHORT-TERM EXTREMES EFFECT LONG-TERM HEALTH?If you load up on a supplement, over-exercise, or restrict your calories to the point of starvation, you’re going to do more damage and age quicker because you’re not getting the right kind of balance.

“A healthy lifestyle can’t be done in spurts. The biggest impact is going to be your lifelong habits.”

Most conventional medicine is about preventing people from dying prematurely. What we really want is to live every day symptom free, disease free, and feel great, look great, and be ready to charge!

What is Dr. Cates doing every day to stay looking and feeling young?I start every morning with a healthy green smoothie full of greens, a bit of fruit, coconut milk, and a healthy protein powder. I can get so much more done and have so much more energy than if I were to start the day with a pastry.I exercise every day. Whether it’s skiing, hiking, trail running, or biking, I have more energy and feel better when I get exercise.I love what I do. As a naturopathic physician, I’m always trying to find the underlying cause of a person’s health problem. One patient came to me with insomnia. After doing a lot of digging, the only obstacle I could see was that she hated her job. At the end of her visit, I told her that she needed a new job! She didn’t come back. When I ran into her later, she told me that her life had transformed: She quit her job and got a new one. Her insomnia was no more.

I can’t stress enough how important it is to love what you do. I love what I do. I do the podcast, I blog, I see patients. I love it.

Let’s talk about your kids! How do you manage the reality of the world your kids are growing up in?

Consistency and education. It’s important to talk to your kids about their choices and to be consistent. Don’t take them to a fast food restaurant one day and expect them not to want it the next. It’s also important to be a good role model.

I grew up on an organic farm and my parents were such great role models. My dad, every evening he would chop up carrots and apples and fresh fruits and veggies and those were our snacks.

Where do you stand on grains?

I stick mainly to gluten free grains. One of my kids is sensitive to gluten, she’s seven years old and great at avoiding it. She has her gluten free treats when the other kids have their treats at school or birthday parties.With kids it can be really challenging. But if you can start a garden or take them shopping and let them help cook, kids want to eat what they help prepare.

Is there a trick to getting greens into kids’ smoothies?Start early. The earlier you start, the quicker they get used to it. If you’re starting green smoothies with an older child, add in some frozen berries or fruit. You can also put it in a cup that they can’t see through, so they can’t see that it’s green or brown. Once they taste that it’s good, they’ll be okay.

It’s not necessary to add honey if you’re using fruit, it’s generally sweet enough. The thing you want to avoid is sugar. If you give a child a smoothie with orange juice, banana, and frozen fruit you’re just going to be loading them up with natural sugars and they’ll still be flying around the house with a sugar buzz. Skip the juice and use unsweetened coconut or almond milk.

What’s in the works for Dr. Cates right now?THE PODCAST: THE SPA DR. SECRETS TO SMART, SEXY & STRONGMy message is that you don’t have to be a rocket scientist, a prom star, or an Olympic athlete to be smart, sexy and strong. I want to help everyone at every age. I’m interviewing leading health experts, celebrities, and role models. I ask them, “How do you do it?” And the answers are incredible.I’m also giving lifestyle and health tips, and so much more. You can sign up for podcast notifications on the web site at www.drtrevorcates.com.

21 DAY HEALTHY HABITS CHALLENGEThe first three days of the challenge are absolutely free. This is a series of short video clips explaining the challenge for the day. The videos cover such things as toxins, sleep tricks, smart workouts, and all kinds of things to help people transform their lives.