Time offers so many good things to enjoy in life, but it is also a constant reminder of that you cannot stay youthful forever. Every woman alive would do anything to stay young forever, but unless you go on an expedition to find the fountain of youth, there is not much you can do to prevent your body's aging process.

Although aging is a natural and beautiful part of life, there are some things you can change right now in order to prevent premature aging and help your skin maintain that young, healthy glow.

Here are seven ways you are giving yourself premature wrinkles:

1. Washing your face

Clearing your face of dirt and dead skin is essential to reducing your risk of wrinkles and acne. But exfoliating too often or simply scrubbing your face down with cleansers multiple times a day can actually have the opposite effect on your complexion. When you wash your face too much, you can rob your skin of hydration. Try washing with a gentle cleanser twice a day, morning and night, and follow with a good moisturizer to keep your skin hydrated.

2. Chewing gum

When you are constantly chewing and blowing bubbles with your gum, you are stretching out your facial muscles, which can cause wrinkles in the future. Try a few mints instead of chewing pack of gum after every meal.

3. Your sleep position

If you sleep on your side and your face is most often pressed against your pillowcase, that friction can cause sleep lines. You can try finding a more comfortable position on your back to avoid premature lines.

4. Drinking soda

Along with putting you at risk for diabetes and heart disease, drinking your favorite soda every day is also causing your body to age a lot faster than it should. According to a study in the American Journal of Public Health, 5,300 subjects between the ages of 20 to 65 who drank a daily 20-ouce serving of soda for three years looked 4.6 years older than those who didn't. That is almost equivalent to the amount of premature aging smoking causes over time.

5. Applying makeup

Pulling or tugging on your eyelids to apply eyeliner or your brow bone to apply mascara is not helping your appearance as much as you might think. Stretching your skin in any unnatural way can lead to premature age lines and wrinkles, especially if you pull on the same area of skin daily. Be mindful when you are applying and removing your makeup each day.

6. Fat-free diet

If you are on a strict diet with little to no fat intake, you might not be doing your body as much of a favor as you think. Your body needs healthy fats, such as omega-3 fatty acids found in nuts and fish. Without the necessary fats, your skin will not be able to keep its firm and healthy look. Be sure to incorporate at least some fat in your diet if you don't want to speed up the aging process.

7. Using soap

Soap may keep you clean, but it's only doing just that. Your skin has a delicate pH balance that acts as a barrier against toxins and pollutants. When you use certain kinds of soap, such as most bar soaps, it can interrupt your skin's natural pH balance, which can strip your skin of oils, widen pores and accentuate wrinkles. Try using a gentle cleanser with a neutral pH balance to keep your skin hydrated and protected from harm.