Diet and Nutrition
- Eat less (yes, this means you), particularly less sugars, simple carbohydrates, trans fats, and saturated fats.
- Eat more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.
- Vary your diet.
- If your medical condition requires a special diet, follow it .
Vitamins and Supplements
- If you’re a breastfed baby, take vitamin D; if you’re a bottle-fed baby, use formula with iron.
- If you’re over 50 years old, take calcium and vitamin D.
- If you’re pregnant (or thinking of becoming pregnant), take prenatal vitamins.
Substance Use
- Don’t smoke (and if you do, don’t smoke in bed).
- Drink alcohol only in moderation (if that’s hard for you, don’t drink at all).
- Don’t take any drugs that aren’t intended to treat a medical problem.
Exercise and Sleep
- Do 30 to 60 minutes of structured exercise (aerobic and resistance) that is appropriate for your age and medical condition (fun is good) at least 3 times per week.
- Walk more and take the stairs.
- Keep as regular a sleep schedule as possible.
Infections
- Wash your hands before eating and cooking.
- Store, prepare, and cook foods (particularly meats) appropriately.
- Drink only clean or treated water.
- Practice safe sex.
- Wash minor wounds with soap and water and keep covered.
- Use appropriate clothing and insect repellent when mosquito or tick exposure is likely.
- Don’t do intravenous drugs, and if you do, don’t share needles.
Injuries and General Safety
- Wear a seatbelt; if you’re a child, use a car seat.
- Wear a helmet while riding a bicycle or motorcycle and use other protective gear as appropriate for the activity (recreation or occupation).
- Store and handle firearms safely.
- Follow the accepted safety procedures for your job and recreational activities.
- Don’t operate vehicles or power equipment while intoxicated, overly sleepy, or distracted.
- Look before crossing or entering a road, changing lanes, or merging.
- Wear a life vest while boating, don’t dive into shallow water, and learn to swim.
- Have working smoke and carbon monoxide detectors in your home.
Mental Health
- Treat others as you would be treated.
- Accept responsibility for your actions; also take responsibility for someone or something besides yourself.
- Make and keep friends.
- Act nicer: Don’t speak ill to or about others.
- Practice mind-calming techniques (for example, meditation or prayer).
- Don’t sweat the small stuff and be sensible about what’s small.
- With adversity, change what you can, live with what you can’t, and try to know the difference.
- When you do something, do your best (but don’t expect more from yourself than your best).
- Do something useful for your family and community.
- Understand that you will die (yes, you) and you will experience pain and loss.
Health Care
- Brush your teeth at least twice a day.
- See a dentist regularly for cleaning and examination.
- See a health care practitioner regularly for age-appropriate and sex-appropriate screening (blood pressure, glucose, and lipid levels; Pap smears, mammograms, and colon cancer screening; prenatal screening) and vaccinations.
- Be cautious about sun exposure and wear suncreen.
- If something feels wrong physically or mentally, see appropriate practitioners: If you trust them, do what they advise; if you don’t trust them, or if what they say seems too good to be true or doesn’t make sense, don’t ignore the issue, get another opinion.