Exercise, eat well, get enough sleep. You've heard it from your doctor, the surgeon general, your mom, and maybe even your kids, but you just don't have time to live by the book. You can't even keep track of the latest guidelines, let alone follow them. WebMD is here to help.
Guidelines for Healthy Living
WebMD compiled this easy reference guide based on input from leaders in nutrition, dentistry, dermatology, mental health, and physical fitness. The guide outlines positive actions for improving and maintaining overall health. (It goes without saying that smokers should quit.)
| Guidelines | |
| Nutrition |
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| Oral Hygiene |
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| Skin Care | |
| Mental Health |
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| Physical Fitness |
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Those are the guidelines. But don't fall into the trap of an all-or-nothing approach. You may have more success if you add one healthy habit at a time. Read on for specific suggestions in each category.
To get the most out of your diet, American Dietetic Association spokesman Dave Grotto, RD, says the key is to focus on the "creme de la creme" of each food group. "I advise a United Nations approach to eating vegetables," Grotto tells WebMD. "You want the greatest variety and intensity of color." For example, sweet potatoes, squash, and deep ruby-red tomatoes. The same goes for fruits. Look for berries, cherries, and pomegranates. Buy them dried or frozen when they're out of season.
As for grains, Grotto says the most nutritious are those "that have the word 'whole' in the first ingredient." See the chart below for more examples of foods that give you the biggest bang for your bite.
| Examples of Optimum Foods in Each Group | |
| Grains | Whole grains with 3+ grams of fiber per serving |
| Vegetables | The more intense the color, the better (tomatoes, spinach, sweet potatoes, squash) |
| Fruits | The more intense the color, the better (berries, cherries, pomegranates) |
| Meats/Proteins | Foods rich in omega-3 fats (fish, wild game) Lean meats Plant-based proteins (tofu, beans, legumes) |
| Fats | Nuts, seeds, olive oil |
Oral Hygiene
Cleaning your teeth by brushing alone is like trying to "vacuum the whole house without attachments," says American Dental Association spokesman Richard Price, DDS. "You need something to get between the crevices."
That means flossing. "What you're doing with the floss is physically removing the plaque that the toothbrush can't reach," Price tells WebMD. "If you find it difficult, try a Teflon type that slips between the teeth easily. If it breaks and shreds, there's something rough between the teeth," a sign that it's time to see your dentist.
If you only have time to do one thing for your skin, what should it be? "Sunscreen, sunscreen, sunscreen," answers dermatologist Robin Ashinoff, MD. "Year-round sunscreen. It is the one thing that will protect your skin. I recommend a minimum of SPF 30."
If you have time for more than sunscreen, try a topical retinoid to reduce acne and the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, and age spots. Ashinoff, who is the director of Dermatologic Mohs and Laser Surgery at Hackensack University Medical Center, tells WebMD, "Retinoids increase collagen, promote skin turnover, even out skin tone and have anticancer effects." She recommends prescription-strength retinoids but says over-the-counter formulas can also be effective.
Mental Health
"The mind is the original use-it-or-lose-it organ," says Kenneth R. Pelletier, PhD, a clinical professor of medicine at the University of Arizona School of Medicine, and chairman of the American Health Association. "If we challenge ourselves mentally, we do not lose mental functioning as rapidly as we once thought." Mental exercise can include daily reading, learning a second language, or taking up a creative hobby, such as painting or playing a musical instrument. "Anything that is novel and stimulating induces the mind to stay vital, young, and flexible," Pelletier tells WebMD.
Learning to manage stress is another vital component to mental health. Pelletier, who is co-author of Stress Free for Good: Ten Scientifically Proven Life Skills for Health and Happiness, recommends learning one or more stress management techniques, such as abdominal breathing or meditation, during a noncrisis period. "This is a mental fitness. It takes practice and discipline. The human nervous system is enormously more complex than a piano, so you need lessons." The time you invest will not only strengthen your mental resilience but offer physical benefits as well. Pelletier points to studies that have shown people who practice basic relaxation techniques are less susceptible to infection.
"When people see [a recommendation of] 30 minutes of exercise on most days of the week, they say 'no way' and don't do anything," says Walter R. Thompson, PhD, author of the ACSM Fitness Book. But even smaller amounts of physical activity have benefits, so anything you can do is better than nothing.
Thompson says the first step is to figure out which activities you enjoy. "What do you like to do? If you don't like it, you're not going to do it." For example, if you enjoy walking but loathe the idea of lifting weights, don't sign up for a strength-training class. Focus instead on walking whenever possible. Take the stairs instead of the elevator and make time for a quick walk during your lunch break. Conversely, if you enjoy strength training but not aerobic exercise, you can still get a cardiovascular workout by doing many repetitions with lighter weights.
That sounds good, you think, if only there were 25 hours in a day. But take a close look at your schedule and you'll probably find pockets of time where you could be more physically active. "People who think they are too busy should analyze their day," Thompson tells WebMD. "Everybody can find time, with no exception."
