What you do now will have an impact as you get older... so in other words, Eat well, Exercise, get enough Sleep, don't Smoke and drink in Moderation. These guys have suggestions for the children in your life, but we all need to be aware of what we do and how we treat our bodies.  

 

Eat Well. No secret there, a healthy diet full of grains, vegetables and a little meat is the key. Do away with too much meat and stay away from saturated fats. Remember the  food pyramid  from school? Use it! But if you have a food allergy, make sure others, including medical professionals, know about it.    Mediband has specific bracelets for allergies that will help keep you safe.

 

Exercise. Well, again, no secret. The overall thinking suggests about 20 minutes a day is what you need to attain and remain fit. Not marathon running, or climbing Everest, just moderate fitness for the common folk.   Follow these suggestions  for a good, all round program that doesn't need hundreds of dollars worth of equipment. Walking with your partner is fun and keeps the relationship healthy too.

 

Get enough sleep. This is really important because a lack of sleep leads to anxiety, weight gain and general bad health. The American Psychological Association sees it as a major problem, suggesting that up to 40% of us have a problem with sleep. We need around 8 hours a night and the tricks to get there are meditation, no action-based tv programs half an hour beforehand, no sugar half an hour beforehand (ie no chocolate) and set up a sleep pattern by going to bed at the same time every night and waking up at the same time each morning.

Don't Smoke. In terms of 'things that will give you heart disease', there is genetics and smoking... and blue sky between the rest of those lifestyle factors. A cigarette contains at least 69 nasty chemicals that will cause cancer (things like arsenic, benzene and formaldehyde.  It harms almost every single organ in your body, causes about 440,000 premature deaths in the US alone and a high risk activity for pregnant women. It also stinks, makes your breath smell and your teeth yellow.

Drink in moderation. The French diet includes alcohol daily and somehow they muddle through. It appears we can drink one or two standard drinks a day and suffer no ill effects. In fact some studies show a glass of red wine a day protects the heart while others suggest increased longevity for drinkers vs non-drinkers. Either way, stick to the standard drink recommendation and you'll be fine. Binge-drinking makes you feel terrible the next day, is never a good look and costs you too much in apologies to every one around you.