Half of the grains you eat each day should be whole grains. You should have about 2-1/2 cups of vegetables and 2 cups of fruit each day. Including a variety of both fruits and vegetables gives you the widest range of key vitamins and minerals. Meat and poultry should be lean or low fat. Fish, nuts, and seeds are great protein choices. Don't forget dairy products and other foods rich in calcium. These are important for bone health. Read food nutrition labels to help you choose foods that are low in salt.

Any of these programs will keep you fit. The first 2 examples are programs of moderate-intensity exercise; the third is an example of vigorous exercise. Choose activities that you enjoy so that you will stick with them. A well-designed fitness program contains aerobic exercise, flexibility exercises, and strength training. You can split up your exercise time into chunks. For instance, try exercising 10 minutes a day. For instance, try exercising 3 times a day for 10 minutes. Check with your healthcare provider before starting a fitness program, especially if you haven't been active.

To lose weight, you must burn more calories than you consume. You can do this by cutting back on the number of calories you eat, by increasing your exercise time or intensity, or both. You can reduce your calories by eating smaller portions and by switching from high-calorie foods to lower-calorie foods. Read the Nutrition Facts labels to help you make the healthiest choices at the supermarket. Keep in mind that foods marketed as fat-free often contain extra sugar. And they often offer no savings on calories. Serve meals on smaller plates so that you won't be tempted to overdo it.

Ongoing lack of adequate sleep can lead to health problems. These include diabetes, heart disease, and obesity. Too little sleep can also put you at risk for accidents. You might fall asleep at the wheel, for instance.

A relaxation response is a state of deep rest that can lower your heart rate and blood pressure. You can develop this response through quiet meditation, repetitive activities such as running or knitting, playing a musical instrument, or progressive muscle relaxation.

Smoking involves both physical and mental addiction. Because of this, a combination of smoking cessation methods often works best. You need something to break your physical dependence on nicotine. And you need emotional support to help you cope with the mental need that smoking creates. No matter how long you have smoked, or how many times you have tried to quit, it is possible to quit. Your health will start to improve almost right away. Your risk for cancer and other tobacco-related diseases will begin to fall. Keep in mind that e-cigarettes and vaping can't help you quit smoking.

Studies have found that people who learn new things or challenge themselves by trying different activities seem to ward off memory problems as they age. Your challenges can be as simple as taking a different route to work. Or switching items around on your desk. These things your mind to focus instead of going on autopilot. You can also sign up for a class or study a new topic on your own. Eating a nutritious diet and getting regular physical activity are 2 other important ways to maintain brain health.

Getting regular checkups and age-appropriate health screenings are important to help prevent disease. Adults age 40 and older and people at high risk for high blood pressure need to get their blood pressure checked every year. Adults who are 18 to 39 and who aren't at high risk for high blood pressure can be screened every 3 to 5 years. Normal blood pressure is less than 120/80. Readings above that mean elevated or high blood pressure, depending on how high the numbers are. High blood pressure is diagnosed when multiple, separate readings show blood pressure above 130/80 mmHg. Talk with your healthcare provider if you have questions or concerns about your blood pressure readings. They may advise you to have your blood pressure checked more often.