Okay, I’ll admit it: we haven’t found the fountain of youth.
Staying healthy has a lot to do with your lifestyle decisions. If you maintain your body and mind in a healthy state, you could add years to your life and ensure you’ll be around for the future.
So, follow these 12 tips to keep yourself healthy and ready for the future.
- 1. Live an Active Lifestyle
- 2. Manage Stress
- 3. Stay Hydrated
- 4. Eat Whole Grains
- 5. Keep Clean
- 6. Stop Overeating
- 7. Be Proactive About Your Health
- 8. Sit Less, Move More
- 9. Protect Your Skin
- 10. Eat More Greens
- Final Word
Table of Contents
+1. Live an Active Lifestyle
If you stay active through exercise and working out, you’ll benefit both your physical and mental health. Physical activity strengthens your body, allows you to control your weight, and improves your balance and coordination.
Plus, the endorphins released during exercise help you relax and stay in a better mood, which cuts back on your overall stress.
And if you do live to be 100, regular exercise can keep your brain sharp. A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that regular exercise could help ward off dementia, which often plagues people in their old age.
2. Manage Stress
I know what you might be thinking:
Easier said than done!
But believe me, when you can identify and eliminate the elements of your life that cause you the most stress, you might live longer.
3. Stay Hydrated
I’ve talked extensively in the past about the health benefits of drinking water, and I’m not stopping anytime soon!
Drinking water daily can help you regulate your digestive system and your weight, keep your kidneys healthy, improve cognition and mood, strengthen your heart, and more.
4. Eat Whole Grains
Whole grains are high in nutrients, fiber, and carbs to keep your energy levels up and your calories under control.
5. Keep Clean
I know you’ve heard it since you were a kid, but some adults still ignore one of the easiest habits they can use to stay healthy: cleaning themselves regularly and thoroughly.
And I don’t just mean taking a shower every day. I’m talking about washing your hands – and not just before a meal.
6. Stop Overeating
It’s easy to eat everything in sight. It’s much harder to exercise self-control.
If you need to, count your calorie intake and macros.
Indulge intelligently, but not as a habit.
7. Be Proactive About Your Health
Don’t skip doctor’s appointments.
If you do, you’ll increase your chances of overlooking a developing health problem that you could have managed better from the start.
Have at least a yearly checkup. If your doctor recommends more visits, do what he or she says.
If you have a chronic condition, figure out with your doctor the best way to manage it and prevent it from getting any worse.
Figure out what health problems run in your family, and ask your doctor for specific screenings for those issues.
8. Sit Less, Move More
If you find yourself spending a lot of time every day sitting in front of the TV or computer, try to be more active. If you sit a lot at work, consider working at a standing desk.
9. Protect Your Skin
You may have heard it before, but you need to take this seriously: use sunscreen.
Skin cancer is the most common of all cancers. It affects more than 3.3 million Americans every year.
So, use broad-spectrum sunscreen that blocks both UVA and UVB rays with an SPF of 15 or higher.
10. Eat More Greens
There’s no doubt about it: green vegetables are nutrient powerhouses.
These leafy greens contain a wide range of carotenoids like lutein and zeaxanthin, which, along with a bunch of other useful nutrients, are quite good for you.
So eat your veggies, grown-ups.
Final Word
These tips are all part of a healthy lifestyle that everyone should aspire to. And while they might not ensure you live forever, they’ll definitely keep you around longer naturally than you would if you ignored them.
Remember that there are also many obvious things you can avoid entirely to keep yourself healthy. For instance, quitting smoking can add decades to your life.
