It’s not just about living, it’s about living well. Some people can seem old in their forties, and others appear physically young in their eighties. Healthy living puts people into that second category. Many studies have shown that five areas have the greatest impact on longevity:

1. Healthy diet – one that consists of plenty of fruits and vegetables, nuts, whole grains and healthy fats, with low consumption of processed meats, added sugars and sugar-sweetened beverages, foods with high levels of sodium, saturated fat, or trans fats.
2. Healthy physical activity level – at least 30 minutes per day of moderate to vigorous activity.
3. Healthy body weight – having a normal BMI (18.5 and 21.9).
4. Abstaining from tobacco and recreational drug use.
5. Moderate alcohol intake – no more than one drink per day for women and two per day for men. One drink is equivalent to a regular 12 oz. beer, a 5 oz. glass of wine or 1.5 oz. of liquor.

A 2018 Harvard School of Public Health study found that people (men and women) who incorporated just one of these five areas into their lives lived two years longer than the average life expectancy. If their lifestyle included all five, women lived 14 years longer and men lived 12 years longer than people who didn’t meet any of these criteria.

No matter where we are on the “healthy lifestyle” spectrum, we can make small changes to any one of the five areas listed above to improve our health. Little changes that we can be consistent with will move us towards being our best healthy self. We’re never too old, and it’s never too late. Achieving and maintaining a healthy lifestyle doesn’t happen overnight, but with small, consistent behaviors, it happens.

And that brings me to the mental component. Mindset matters. In the words of Dale Carnegie, “Whether you think you can, or think you can’t, you’re right.” There is no special magic bestowed upon people who live healthy lives, which you do not also possess. Believe you can be healthy and keep the faith when it gets hard. Recognize no one lives a perfectly healthy lifestyle all of the time, so give yourself grace as you pursue your version of “Healthy Me.”

I plan to share science, tips, personal anecdotes and other info related to healthy living here on this blog. I’m aiming for a cadence of posting on Mondays and Thursdays, so look out for new posts then, or feel free to subscribe. I hope you have a great healthy end to your week!