What you can do in your 40s to reach your 80s in good health

Hiking in Mission Gorge File photo by Chris Stone Times of San Diego It s never too late to improve your wellness At every age especially as you reach middle age there are strategies you can take to help ensure you live a long and healthy life However there isn t a single silver bullet to guarantee longevity and quality of life Rather than focusing on trends diets or quick-fixes I recommend learning about the pillars of lifestyle medicine Then choose one area that you are motivated to focus on ideally with an accountability partner The pillars of lifestyle medicine are Quality nutrition Restorative sleep Physical activity Managing stress Building meaningful relationships Avoiding risky substances and habits When people seek to change and optimize their fitness I unfailingly recommend building slowly And remember each individual has their own starting point Overcoming obstacles Unfortunately a person s mindset is often the biggest barrier to better physical condition We tend to have too much self-judgment and black-and-white thinking believing we re defined by our past or genetics or that we must change everything at once Setting micro-goals such as deep breathing before sleep standing on one foot while brushing your teeth adding a piece of fruit for an afternoon snack drinking a cup of water before meals and going for a - to -minute walk what I call an exercise snack can make a meaningful difference over time Nutrition also plays a critical role In fact the World Vitality Organization has determined that poor nutrition is the leading cause of premature death worldwide Adding legumes beans peas lentils etc and more fruits to your meals can make more of a difference than what we take off our plate And having a lower volume of processed food and sugar sweetened beverages is more helpful than aiming for zero volume An ounce of prevention Preventive medical coaching and self-care are the keys to adding years to our lives and more importantly life to our years Talk with your primary care provider about specific recommendations and routine screenings based on your requirements and readiness And to enhance the discussion bring a copy of your questions and concerns to your next visit Additionally I dependably encourage my patients to check out Sharp s Lifestyle Medicine webpage for comprehensive recommendations based on the American College of Lifestyle Medicine pillars There is a link for the virtual Be Well for Life -week classes that Sharp Rees Stealy offers which are based on the pillars of lifestyle medicine I also can t stress enough the value of social connection According to Dr Robert Waldinger the Harvard psychiatrist who leads the longest running evaluation of human maturation in the U S meaningful relationships and engaging in daily sessions that align with our values are the most of fundamental predictors of longevity more so than family history smoking BMI or health diagnoses In other words improved mental and emotional medical correlates with better physical physical condition Dr Teresa Hardisty is a lifestyle medicine physician and pediatrician with Sharp Rees-Stealy Medicinal Group