Before I left Tampa last year, I met a woman who seemed to have found the secret to aging backwards. Here’s Jackie Silver at age 25 and then at age 50.

Radiant, wrinkle-free skin, a slim, healthy figure and with a smile for everyone, Jackie is a middle-aged woman who looks decades younger. So it was no surprise when I found out she’s got a business that’s all about staying young and healthy. On top of it, she’s made a huge life change this year–without missing a beat.

So, I had to know: how does she stay so young?

“Aging backwards is not a magic pill or potion or lotion—we wish it were,” she said. “It’s a way of life using lots of little secrets and shortcuts that add up to big results.”

Jackie’s website, www.agingbackwards.com is chock-full of her tips and tricks to turning back the clock—without surgery. It’s a refreshing point of view. But that doesn’t mean she’s against it.

“I think everyone should do whatever they want to look and feel their best,” she said. “My advice is to start with the most natural method first and go from there. I highly recommend Cynthia Rowland’s Facial Magic facial exercise program. It’s completely natural, easy and best of all, it works.”

What would she say to those of us who have not paid as much attention to aging as we should and find ourselves paying the consequences in mid-life?

“I love that question,” Jackie said, “because it’s never too late—or too early—to start paying attention to aging. Oh and by the way, never point out those ‘aging flaws’ to anyone!”

While the lines and wrinkles that come with age lend character to our faces, I suspect the truth is we’d rather not have them. Jackie says the #1 question she’s asked is “What can I do about wrinkles?”

“My top three tips for wrinkles are don’t smoke, don’t over-tan your face, neck, chest and hands and use Cynthia Rowland’s facial exercises,” she said.

“Start with baby steps,” she said. “Experts say it takes 21 days to form a new habit or break an old one. If you incorporate just a few little changes into your daily routine, you can reap big rewards.”

For simple first steps, Jackie recommends these:

1. Try my Aging Backwards Easiest Eating Plan. Super-size your veggies and half-size everything else. Easy.

2. Exercise is the fountain of youth. If you have trouble getting motivated, here’s a tip: put on your cutest workout outfit and shoes and tell yourself you’re just going to play along. Five minutes into the workout, you usually find your second wind and then you’re going full tilt. You’ll feel so fantastic afterwards!

3.They call it beauty rest for a reason. Seven to eight hours of sleep a night is what experts recommend. If you have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep, look into melatonin, available at health food stores and drug stores. Some health care practitioners recommend doses up to 5 mg, but Dr. Rubin Naiman, author, teacher and sleep expert, told me personally that “less is more” when it comes to melatonin. I take less than 1 mg. Check with your doctor before using it—children and pregnant women should not use melatonin unless advised by a doctor. Also, take it just before you’re ready to go to sleep and the “do not operate heavy machinery” cautions apply.

4.Your hands, neck and ear lobes show age. Yes, ear lobes! Don’t forget to apply skin care products to those areas as well as your face.

5.Studies show that people who volunteer regularly are the healthiest and live longest. If you don’t know where to volunteer, check out VolunteerMatch.org, type in your zip code and the site provides a list of organizations in your area that are looking for help.

“Men can do the same things,” Jackie told me, “and get quicker results with exercise because they have more muscle than women. Men should not be afraid to apply skin care products before bed and after shaving.”

Jackie recently made a huge life change, moving from Tampa, Fla. To New York City. Why?

“I became an ‘empty nester,’ so I decided to go where the heart of the beauty business is: New York City. If you can make it there, you can make it anywhere, right? “ she laughed.

Her advice to women contemplating a major life change and feeling blocked by fear is this:

“There’s always fear of the unknown, so I use this little saying to psych myself up: ’90 percent of everything I worry about never happens.’ You’d be surprised at how reassuring it is to tell yourself that—and to believe it.

One of my favorite ways to combat fear—and many other challenges, is through Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) or tapping. I found out about it at www.eftuniverse.com, where I learned that scientific studies have shown that EFT can quickly reduce the emotional impact of memories and incidents that trigger emotional upset. Once the upset is reduced or even removed, our bodies rebalance and heal more quickly. There’s a free downloadable manual at the website.”

What I like about Jackie’s approach is that it’s realistic and tilted toward the natural. When was the last time you saw an anti-aging expert recommend five ancient Tibetan rites for aging backwards? Watch her, below.

Thanks, Jackie, for your great advice and inspirational life! Glad to count you among my friends.