1. Eat A Healthy Diet

Your body needs a wide range of nutrients each day to function optimally. These include both macro nutrients (proteins, complex carbohydrates and good fats) and micro nutrients (vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients etc.).

Proteins are obtained from meat, fish, eggs, milk, cheese, nuts and beans. Carbohydrates need to be complex, i.e. derived from whole grains, yams or baked potatoes. Refined carbohydrates such as white bread and sugary products offer little nutritional value. Good fats are obtained from oily fish, nuts and seeds.

Many of your vitamins and minerals will be obtained from the above foods, but to ensure you get the full range you need, and to add valuable phytonutrients to your diet, you need a good amount of vegetables, and some fruit each day too.

And the good news is, if you eat well most of the time, it will do you no harm to have the occassional sugary or fatty treat. A healthy body will handle it much better, and in fact it could actually be beneficial.

2. Use Proven Supplements

Unfortunately the quality of our food today is not what it used to be, so even if we try to eat healthily it’s impossible to get all the vitamins, minerals and other nutrients we need for optimum health. So to bridge the gap use some proven supplements.

I say ‘proven’ because many supplements on the market today have no proven value, and in fact some are outright scams. But many supplements do confer tremendous health benefits, preventing and even reversing many of the illnesses and degenerative changes that occur with ageing.

Of first importance is a good vitamin supplement. This should provide a complete range of vitamins and minerals in a form that is easily absorbed and utilised by the body. The cheap ones from the supermarket will offer little if any value to you.

Next, the benefits of antioxidants are now well established. Taking a good high potency antioxidant supplement will help neutralise the damaging free radicals that are constantly attacking your body. This will help support the health of every cell, tissue and organ of your body, as well as improving brain function and giving you younger looking skin too!

Other highly beneficial supplements include probiotics (friendly bacteria that support intestinal health among other things), omega 3 essential fatty acids (for healthy skin and joints and proper function of the heart and central nervous system), glucosamine (to support maintenance and repair of joint cartilage) and co-enzyme Q10 (for efficient energy production).

3. Exercise Regularly

The benefits of exercise go way beyond just keeping fit. If you are fitter, you will automatically be healthier too. Regular exercise will improve the condition of your heart and lungs, give you stronger muscles and greatly reduce the risk of developing many degenerative diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, osteoporosis and many others. You’ll also sleep better, have more energy, tolerate stress better, and generally feel much better in yourself.

The simpest exercise is walking, but at least part of your walk needs to be at a brisk pace to raise your heart rate and breathing. If you don’t get out of breath it’s of little value.

Swimming is also a  great exercise. Or you could join a gym or take up a sport you enjoy. It doesn’t matter what you do as long as you get out of breath and work your muscles. So do something you enjoy; that way you’re more likely to stick to it.

4. Reduce Exposure to Environmental Toxins

Your greatest exposure to environmental toxins is in your own home! Regular exposure to chemicals in your cleaning products and personal care products can lead to a variety of illnesses such as skin problems, depression, sleeplessnes, fatigue, allergies and asthma, central nervous system disorders, learning difficulties and even cancer!

But by switching to safer, eco-friendly cleaning products, and using personal care products that are free from harmful ingredients, you can help protect your health as well as helping to preserve the environment too.

5. Minimise Bad Habits

Obviously you should not smoke at all, and try not to inhale other people’s smoke. Drink alcohol and coffee only in moderation. Avoid recreational drugs and only use pharmaceutical drugs when absolutely necessary.

Of course there are no guarantees in life, but if you follow these 5 steps to great health there’s no reason why you shouldn’t live a long life and maintain great health well into old age.