Living a long, healthy life is something most of us desire. We may gradually lose the capacity to do all we did in our youth as we age, but there is still something to be said for being willing to take a step back from the world and simply enjoy the ride. It seems like every year there are new healthy habits to cultivate and old ones that needed to be discarded because some new research says it is a bad idea. Wine lovers in particular know the pain of this particular problem. Fortunately, cultivating healthy habits that lead to a longer life doesn’t necessarily mean you’re following the constant trend on what you “absolutely must do” to survive even the summer. Doctors know that it is actually relatively simple. All you need to do is take care of yourself properly to help ensure that your body has what it needs to do its job and the energy to do it.

Eat Well
As ever, your health comes back to your diet. You don’t need to worry too terribly much until you hit your 30s as long as you’re not eating an overwhelming amount of junk food. Your 30s are a time of change for the body though as the metabolism slows and other aspects on your health shift slightly. That’s the time to start cultivating new habits if you haven’t been taking care of yourself already. You can change your habits at any point in your life, but not having to work off the results of bad habits is always preferable. Eating well generally involves ensuring that you take the time to eat a balanced diet. Get enough greens and incorporate enough meat to give your body what it needs without giving it an excess of anything. Dark, leafy greens, brightly colored vegetables, and plenty of spices for complex flavors are often the key to good health thanks to the interactions of the various compounds in food.

Live Well
Living a long, healthy life is as much about the habits you give up as the ones you cultivate. Learn to enjoy alcohol in moderation. Your body may benefit from wine in some way, yes, but only if you’re drinking a glass or two every few days. Regular drinking can actually do far more harm than good to your body. Giving up alcohol entirely, apart from in cooking, is sometimes the best solution to ensure a long life. You definitely want to give up smoking if you have the habit. The potential negative impact of smoking cannot be overstated. Yes, some people appear to be very healthy despite smoking most of their lives, but such people are rare exceptions rather than the rule. Give up smoking if you want to lead a longer life and maintain your quality of life for longer. It will improve multiple areas of your life with a minimal loss.

Think Well
Your body and mind are interconnected when it comes to your overall health. Stress will hurt your health constantly if you don’t learn how to properly manage it. You’ll want to learn how to relax over the course of your life. Sometimes, even when it feels like you can’t, you need to step back and away from things to ensure that you’re taking care of yourself properly. Just be willing to give yourself permission to enjoy yourself when times are hard or you’ll pay for it later through various aspects of your health. Staying mentally active is also advisable as you age. Get out in the world and socialize with people. New people and ideas will keep your brain moving and forming connections that keep your memory and others aspects of your mind healthy. A good annual habit to try is to make an effort to learn a new skill every year or try to improve a skill you already have. Keep things fresh though so it doesn’t become drudgery.

Trying to live a longer life means tending to all of you instead of just your body. You have to make habits that work to cultivate your overall well being. After all, an active mind is better able to support an active body. Most habits that you need to form aren’t that difficult. All you need to do is a little planning after making the time for the habits. Taking good care of yourself with keep you happy and healthy for a long time.