Healthy Aging
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Eat Healthy
Choosing healthy foods is smart, no matter your age. Make healthy choices like fruits, veggies, whole grains, lean meats, and low-fat dairy products. Eating right helps prevent, delay, and manage heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and other chronic diseases. Losing even 5% to 7% of your body weight can help prevent or delay type 2 diabetes.
Get Regular Physical Activity
Regular physical activity can help you prevent, delay, and manage chronic diseases. It also lessens your risk of falling, improves balance and stamina, reduces arthritis pain and disability, and helps your brain stay healthy. Aim for moderate physical activity (like brisk walking or gardening) for at least 150 minutes a week.
Quit Smoking
Stopping smoking (or never starting) lowers the risk of serious health problems, such as heart disease, cancer, type 2 diabetes, and lung disease, as well as premature death—even for longtime smokers. Take the first step and call 1-800-QUIT-NOW for FREE support.
Get Regular Checkups
Visit your doctor for preventive services, not just when you’re sick. This can prevent disease or find it early, when treatment is more effective. These services can include screenings
for chronic conditions, like cancer, high blood pressure, prediabetes or type 2 diabetes, and dementia, as well as immunizations and counseling to quit smoking.
Know Your Family History
If you have a family history of a chronic disease, like cancer, heart disease, diabetes, or osteoporosis, you may be more likely to develop that disease yourself. Share your family health history with your doctor, who can help you take steps to prevent these conditions or catch them early.
Be Aware of Changes in Brain Health
Everyone’s brain changes as they age, but dementia is not a normal part of aging. Some studies show that controlling high blood pressure, getting regular physical activity, and quitting smoking may reduce the risk of dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. See your doctor if you have questions about memory or brain health.
- Page last reviewed: October 4, 2017
- Page last updated: October 4, 2017
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