14 secrets to great health at every age

We all want to make sure we can continue to do the things we love (and keep up with the ones we love) as we age, and it all starts with taking care of our bodies right now. Aging well means growing better, not older! From the foods you should add to your diet to fight cancer and keep your brain sharp to exercises that will improve your health and keep your body strong, here are our top 11 tips for living your best life at every age.

1: Eat a Healthy Diet

Short-term diets hardly ever work. They’re only effective until you stop and then you normally gain the weight back again. To make a permanent change to your body, you need a lifestyle change that you can stick to, so let yourself have a treat every now and again if it keeps you sane! Eating a nutritional, balanced diet is key – just find what works for you.

A good place to start is to make sure you’re eating the good sorts of fats packed with Omega-3s. The oiler the fish the better, salmon, tuna and sardines are packed with these good fats. If fish isn’t to your taste, you can always take an Omega-3 supplement to boost your levels. Another rule to healthy eating is to lower your sugar and flour intake and up your vegetables instead. Including a daily supplement like magnesium into your diet is also an easy way to keep your immune system performing at its best.

2. Establish a Good Relationship With Your Doctor — and Know What to Do When It’s Not Working

Going to the doctor isn’t generally something many of us look forward to. A good relationship with your physician, however, is an important part of getting and staying healthy.

3. Avoid smoking.

Smoking reduces your vitality, including on a sexual level. Plus, tobacco leads to a phenomenon causing blood vessels to constrict everywhere in the body, including in the genitals. In men, this reduction in the blood flow can lead to difficulty in having or maintaining an erection. In women, this phenomenon also occurs in the genitals, which leads to a variety of problems, including a lubrication reduction.

4. Maintain a healthy weight.

Overweight or obese people are at a greater risk of hypertension, hypercholesterolemia and diabetes, medical conditions that may be detrimental to a good sexual health. Maintaining a healthy weight contributes to prevent diseases associated with erectile dysfunction and other sexual problems. Plus, feeling good in your own body can help you fully enjoy your own sexuality.

5: Get a Good Night’s Sleep

Sleep has a lot to answer for when it comes to your mental and physical wellbeing. While you sleep your brain recuperates and stores information, new cells are created to heal and repair your body and hormones are produced to regulate your weight. When you don’t get decent shut-eye, your body starts producing cortisol, wreaking havoc on your immunity and limiting your ability to heal.

It’s important that you allow yourself time to properly wind down before going to sleep – most people need at least an hour. During this time, avoid bright lights and electronic devices – your body is designed to sleep at night, so the less light the better. Magnesium is another great helper for those that have trouble sleeping. It’s called the chill mineral as it helps muscles relax, to give you that calm “sleepy” feeling and helps you unwind after a long day.

6: Manage Your Stress Levels

Humans are programmed with a ‘fight or flight’ response. When we are in danger (or stressed), our bodies produce cortisol and adrenalin to feed our muscles and brain, allowing us to think and act faster. While these hormones are useful in small amounts, they can be destructive in high doses, attacking your immune system in particular. To limit these hormones, managing your stress is essential. Go for a run, take a bath – find what works for you and do it regularly.

7. Reap the Many Benefits of Aqua Therapy

Aqua therapy is an increasingly popular form of treatment and rehabilitation for patients with a broad range of illnesses and injuries. Here are some of the many benefits to hitting the pool for treatment, recovery or just a great aquatic workout.

8. Limit your alcohol consumption.

It would be easy to think that alcohol consumption facilitates sexual encounters, but the truth of the matter is quite different. Research has revealed that consuming large quantities of alcohol can have a negative impact on men and women’s sexual capacities. It can, for example, reduce a man’s capacity to have and maintain an erection. High doses of alcohol can also reduce a woman’s capacity to become sexually aroused and have an orgasm.

9: Treat the Root of the Problem, Not the Symptom

When you encounter an issue with your body, it’s important to find out what’s causing it. Healthy people don’t just drink a lot of coffee when they’re feeling tired, they investigate the underlying cause and treat it. Perhaps they need more sleep; perhaps they are low in iron or B12. By only treating the symptom, you never really fix the issue at hand and often cause more problems in the process. Put your detective hat on and find out what’s going on – your body will thank you for it.

10. Do Exercises That Will Improve Your Balance and Health

Falls are the leading cause of injuries among adults 65 years and older, according to the Centers for Disease Control, but balance is an important skill, no matter your age.

Exercises That Will Improve Your Balance and Health

11: Keep Your pH Balanced

Your body is healthiest when its pH level is slightly more alkaline. When your body becomes too acidic, you can develop a condition called acidosis, which results in fatigue, rapid breathing, stomach problems and confusion. Eating lots of alkalising foods including avocado, dark leafy greens, coconut and cucumber while cutting back on sugar, meat and dairy will help to keep your pH in check.

12: Detox Regularly

Today’s environment has a lot more toxins and chemicals than it used to. When there are too many toxins in your body, you can start to experience digestive issues, fatigue, skin problems and muscle pain. Detoxing regularly is a great way to keep the nasties out of your body and your health in good condition.

13. Start Your Day Off Right With Yoga

As yoga’s popularity has continued to grow, so has the body of research confirming the far-reaching benefits of regular practice. Beginning your day with yoga is a gradual and energizing way to transition from restful sleep to your active day.

14. Monitor Your Risk for Breast Cancer

We asked breast cancer experts to explain some of the major risk factors for breast cancer and to suggest ways women can manage them to keep their risk as low as possible.