There are four key Sharecare habits that can give you an extra 14 years of life. Know what they are?

Here&#39;s the list: Don&#39;t smoke; drink in moderation; exercise regularly; and pack your diet with fruit and veggies. Missing any? No sweat. We&#39;ve got some simple tips and tools to kick-start you.

Fourteen years and life to go 
Grabbing those extra 14 years doesn&#39;t have to be hard! Try this:

<ul>
	<li><a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/smoking-treatment/how-can-i-quit-smoking">Kick the habit with these butt-kicking tips from the Sharecare doctors.</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/happiness/article/get-happy-20-minute-workout">Set aside 20 minutes of your day for this fast and easy workout.</a></li>
	<li>Count the colors on your plate. You want at least three&mdash;and white and brown don&#39;t count!</li>
	<li>Be heart smart in your approach to alcohol.</li>
</ul>

Four score 
When healthy, middle-aged men and women in a study scored high on all four of these important health behaviors, the combined effect was a four-fold reduction in mortality risk&mdash;an outcome equal to being 14 years younger!

Take the first steps to growing younger and healthier with the <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/static/realage">RealAge Test</a>.

Medically reviewed in March 2020.

4 Habits Make You 14 Years Younger

Have you ever felt like putting off a task until tomorrow? Many of us do &ndash; and then we get to the task tomorrow. But for some, &ldquo;tomorrow&rdquo; doesn&rsquo;t come until a few days ... or weeks ... or even months later.

On the other hand, have you ever found yourself not procrastinating, but acting impulsively? It isn&rsquo;t unusual to occasionally seize the day and do something you hadn&rsquo;t planned for. But acting impulsively on a regular basis can result in a raft of bad decisions, from overspending to overeating to committing to do something you can&rsquo;t possibly accomplish.

Research suggests that <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/healthy-habits/what-ways-deal-procrastination">procrastination</a> is heritable and closely linked with a tendency toward impulsivity. In a clinical study, Daniel Gustavson, PhD, and several of his colleagues at the University of Colorado Boulder examined 181 identical-twin pairs who share 100% of their genes. The researchers found that if one identical twin showed signs of procrastination and impulsivity, so, too, did their twin. &quot;Everyone procrastinates at least sometimes, but we wanted to explore why some people procrastinate more than others and why procrastinators seem more likely to act without thinking,&quot; Gustavson says. &ldquo;Learning more about the underpinnings of procrastination may help develop interventions to prevent it.&rdquo;

The link between putting off an important task and making choices with little forethought rings true in my clinical practice as a mental health practitioner. I&rsquo;ve seen procrastination and impulsivity emerge together in clients presenting with a variety of mental health disorders, including <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/add-adhd">ADD</a>, <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/bipolar-disorder">Bipolar Disorder</a> and <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/autism-spectrum-disorders">Autism Spectrum Disorders</a>.

Until we understand more about the underlying mechanism of procrastination, here are four suggestions based on my professional and personal experience to help you get unstuck:

1. Understand Your Patterns 
Do you tend to put things off when it&rsquo;s related to a specific task at work, a particular relationship (a spouse, a friend), when you feel intense emotions (such as anger or anxiety) or when you feel insecure? Start being more mindful of situations, conditions and emotions that trigger your procrastination. Observe these tendencies without judging or labeling yourself as &ldquo;good&rdquo; or &ldquo;bad.&rdquo; Then, when you sense a trigger coming, identify it and <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/teen-perspective-self-esteem-building/what-is-self-talk" target="_blank">use self-talk</a> to help avoid paralysis. For example, if you feel anxious about a project at work, you might tell yourself, &ldquo;I feel anxious, but I&rsquo;m going to start this anyway.&rdquo;

2. Break Tasks into Smaller Chunks 
How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. When a project or a situation seems overwhelming, you may feel incapable of taking any action. Break the large task into smaller ones and set mini-deadlines. If you still procrastinate, break it down into even smaller steps. Focus on taking just one step, then move on to the next small step. Finishing each one will give you a sense of accomplishment and help motivate you to continue forward.

3. Go for &ldquo;Good Enough&rdquo; 
<a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/personality/how-do-know-am-perfectionist">Perfectionism,</a> or the belief that you need to be flawless at all times, can feed procrastination. Unrealistic expectations of a perfect outcome or belief that there&rsquo;s a &ldquo;right&rdquo; way to go about a certain task can lead to inaction. Fear of failure can further fuel delays. The fact is, nobody&rsquo;s perfect, so instead of trying to be perfect, switch your goal to &ldquo;good enough.&rdquo; Resolve to make your best effort and let it go &ndash; that freedom of thought may be just what you need to spring into action.

4. Use Deadlines to Help Focus and Motivate 
Instead of using the term procrastination, I prefer the phrase &ldquo;focused motivation of a deadline.&rdquo; At times, delaying tasks until the last minute actually helps me to be more efficient with my time. I tend to use whatever time I allot to finish a given task. If I had two months to write this article, it would have taken me two months to write!

A word of caution: this strategy of purposefully delaying something doesn&rsquo;t always work and may even backfire. The last-minute strategy can prove disastrous in a career setting. Even if the task gets completed, it more than likely is not the highest quality it could have been, and the individual has experienced undue stress and anxiety. So while some people do work well under pressure, it&rsquo;s usually not worth the risk. Give yourself enough time and be conscious of unexpected delays.

Reining in Impulsivity 
Acting impulsively can create its share of problems as well. Making quick decisions with little thought, such as spending large amounts of money on a credit card or jumping into a new relationship immediately after a breakup, are examples of impulsivity working against you. As with procrastination, work to develop self-awareness around those moments when you say or do something impulsively. It may take practice, but by observing yourself &ndash; the thoughts and emotions you experience when the urge strikes -- you&rsquo;ll be better able identify triggers in the future. This, in turn, can help you to stop and think about what you&rsquo;re doing instead of being driven by your impulses.

By understanding and managing your own patterns of procrastination and impulsivity, you&rsquo;ll be better able to become more productive and effective in all aspects of your life.

Medically reviewed in March 2020.

4 Ways to Stop Procrastinating

Want to be a healthier eater, a more interesting partner, a faster worker, a better parent? You may know exactly what it takes, yet something holds you back from doing it.

To break the bonds that keep you clinging to harmful habits and unproductive behavior, heed some real-life lessons and advice from Lisa Oz -- writer, actress, producer, president of Oz Works, mother of four, and (yes) wife of &quot;America&#39;s Doctor,&quot; Mehmet Oz, MD.

Breaking the Chains 
The real key to lasting change -- always passing up doughnuts for a fat-free yogurt with berries, for instance -- lies somewhere between what we know and what we do. It&#39;s what we think. So if change has you stymied, try these five thought-changers from Lisa&#39;s new book, US: Transforming Ourselves and the Relationships That Matter Most.

<ol>
	<li>Create a compelling reason to change. &quot;I&#39;ve learned to link the idea of healthy eating to things that really, really matter to me, like being a better mom by setting a good example for my kids or staying sexy so Mehmet stays interested. This raises the stakes,&quot; writes Lisa.</li>
	<li>Don&#39;t associate pain with the desired action. &quot;I find something in the new behavior that I can enjoy so that needing to be disciplined is no longer a factor,&quot; she writes. &quot;Since most forms of exercise are anathema to me, I make running palatable by letting myself watch TV only when I am on the treadmill.&quot;</li>
	<li>Disrupt the routine. Have a habit you&#39;d like to break, like smoking or swearing? Lisa proposes disrupting the routine in a surprising way. &quot;When you catch yourself in the middle of an unwanted action,&quot; she writes, &quot;insert a completely incongruous word, thought, or action.&quot; For example, if you catch yourself cussing like a sailor, say &quot;lemon custard,&quot; hop backward, or think about naked windsurfing.</li>
	<li>Change the story. What story are you telling yourself that makes it harder to change? When you hear it in your head, Lisa recommends breaking the pattern by mixing it up. &quot;One way is to change nouns,&quot; Lisa writes. &quot;For example, if the story is &#39;I would be happy if only Johnny would get back together with me,&#39; try &#39;My dog, Fifi, would be happy if only Johnny would get back together with me.&#39; The whole thing becomes absurd, and the story loses some of its power over you.&quot;</li>
	<li>Don&#39;t wait until you feel like changing. Act even when you don&#39;t want to. Sometimes you just need to do it. The purpose and the passion will come once you&#39;re engaged.</li>
</ol>

Did You Know? 
Change that leads to personal growth, good health, and solid relationships doesn&#39;t just happen. If you want to direct your life rather than simply react to what life brings to you, curl up with Lisa Oz&#39;s new book, US. Her real-world, real-life revelations underscore that the path to self-discovery starts in your dealings with others.

Medically reviewed in March 2020.

5 Keys to Making Healthy Changes

Turn back the clock a whopping 12 years with just four simple but super-important habits: Kick butts, booze, junk food, and couch surfing to the curb.

Many of us probably have at least two of these unhealthy habits knocked out. But nix the other two and you could live significantly longer. In fact, a large 20-year study showed that engaging in even one of these Major Agers -- smoking, drinking too much alcohol, eating a poor diet, or skipping exercise -- can boost the risk of early death by 80 percent.

Change Habits, Live Longer 
Of these four Major Agers, smoking was the worst culprit in the bunch. And that was followed closely by getting little to no exercise. (Tennis, anyone?) But indulging in all four bad habits was super bad -- and not in a cool teen-movie kind of way. In the study, having all four bad habits tripled people&#39;s odds of dying from heart disease and cancer. And it raised the risk of dying early from any cause nearly fourfold compared with the folks who had kicked all of these age-accelerating habits out of their lives.

Baby Steps, Baby . . . 
If you have a lot of changes to make, don&#39;t fret. Here&#39;s some really good news: Simply cutting back on most of these habits will turn back the clock. For example, people in the study grew younger just by getting 30 minutes of exercise each day, munching on at least four servings of fruits and veggies daily, and getting their number of mai tais down to a moderate level. Mortality rates were below average for this group. So don&#39;t feel overwhelmed by the need to be perfect. Change may be easier than you think if you tell yourself it is and you just take baby steps.

And here&#39;s some help in making these four bad habits history:

<ul>
	<li><a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/diet-nutrition/article/healthy-eating-habits-eat-your-veggies" target="_blank">Try this strategy for learning to love veggies more in just a few weeks.</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/alcohol-and-health/article/is-safe-amount-alcohol" target="_blank">Get the scoop on how to drink and be merry in moderation.</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/fitness-exercise/article/creative-workouts-keep-fitness-fun" target="_blank">How to fall in love with exercise.</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/quit-smoking/article/3-quit-smoking-strategies-that-work" target="_blank">3 Quit-Smoking Strategies That Work</a></li>
	<li>Take the first steps to growing younger and healthier with the <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/static/realage">RealAge Test</a>.</li>
</ul>

Medically reviewed in March 2020.

4 Ways to Grow 12 Years Younger

Nearly half of Americans took one prescription drug in the past month&mdash;and about 12 percent (40 percent over the age of 65) took at least five, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Not to mention, an astounding 50 percent of Americans don&rsquo;t take their medications as prescribed by their doctors.

People take medications for different reasons, including managing health conditions, preventing or slowing disease, relieving symptoms and more. However, the CDC estimates that failure to keep up with medication regimens contributes to 30 to 50 percent of chronic disease treatment failures and 125,000 deaths per year in the United States.

Americans forgo their daily medication routines for many reasons, reports the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), including:

<ul>
	<li>Forgetfulness</li>
	<li>Failure to understand the directions</li>
	<li>Numerous medication regimens</li>
	<li>Unwanted side effects</li>
	<li>Cost</li>
	<li>Perception of effectiveness</li>
</ul>

It&rsquo;s important to take your prescribed medications&mdash;and take them as instructed. Have trouble remembering how much medication you need to take or how frequently you need to take it? These solutions will help you establish a routine.

While these general tips can be helpful for most people, keep in mind that some medications must be taken at certain times of the day, with food or on an empty stomach. You&rsquo;ll want to make sure you adhere to the medication guidelines that come with your prescriptions.

1. Keep a record of the specifics 
In order to properly manage your medications, you&rsquo;ll want to keep these points in mind:

<ul>
	<li><a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/prescription-drug-medication-adherence/article/track-meds-save-money-sharecare">Keep track of everything you&rsquo;re taking</a></li>
	<li>Know when you&rsquo;re supposed to take your pills</li>
	<li>Know how often</li>
</ul>

You may want to keep your medication&rsquo;s information packets in a folder or write out the specifics in a journal, app or computer document.

Do make sure you understand the timing of the medications, storage details, dosage specifics and any side effects that may accompany the medication. Always consult with your pharmacist or doctor if you have questions about when to take your medications.

Once you understand the specifics of your medications, these tips can help you stay on track.

2. Use technology 
Whether it&rsquo;s an Excel file on your computer, or a free app like Sharecare for <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/sharecare/id964313779?mt=8" target="_blank">iOS</a> and <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sharecare.realgreen&amp;hl=en_US" target="_blank">Android</a>, it&rsquo;s imperative you find a tool that will help you stay organized. <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/static/meet-the-healthier-you">Sharecare</a> allows you to input the exact medication you take each day, how often you need to take it and then prompts you to check off each dose as you take it.

Find a method that works for you and get in the habit of recording which medications you take and check them off each time you take them.

3. Store them in a pill box 
Pill caddies are labeled and compartmentalized by day of the week, and in some cases the time of day (morning, afternoon and evening), and they make it easy to store all of your pills.

Investing in these inexpensive pill organizers can help you keep track of what you&rsquo;ve taken and what you still need to take each day.

Set aside some time each week to load your pill boxes with the medications you need. Not only will you be able to keep track of what you&rsquo;re taking each day, a pill box will also prevent you from having to carry around individual bottles of medication.

It&rsquo;s a good idea to display your pill box somewhere you&rsquo;ll see it&mdash;think your kitchen or bathroom counter.

4. Set an alarm 
Another way to make sure you&rsquo;re getting all of your medications when you need them, is to set an alarm for each medication. Set an alarm on your watch, phone or other device each time you need to take some sort of pill. If you&rsquo;re able to label the alarm, tag it with the name of the medication so you know what to take, when.

5. Write them in your calendar 
Schedule a reminder on your phone, wall calendar or online calendar. Simply write down the medications and the times to take them. It might help to cross them off as you take each dosage.&nbsp;

6. Try sticky notes 
Tried and true sticky notes can be great reminders, too. Post them in the bathroom, kitchen or other common areas of the house where you&rsquo;re likely to see them.

7. Flip the pill bottle over 
If you&rsquo;re having trouble remembering whether you&rsquo;ve taken a prescription or not, you could get in the habit of flipping your pill bottle or box over each time you take your medication. If the caddy or bottle is right-side up, that means you&rsquo;ve yet to take it, and if it&rsquo;s upside down, that means you&rsquo;ve taken your dose for the day. And remember, always be sure the top or lid is screwed on tight.

8. Pair it with another task 
Regardless of your medication schedule, you may want to take your medication while doing another everyday activity that you&rsquo;re not likely to forget. Try taking your medication around the same time you:

<ul>
	<li>Brush your teeth</li>
	<li>Read the paper</li>
	<li><a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/meal-planning-and-weight-loss/slideshow/meal-prep-weight-loss">Eat a meal</a></li>
	<li>Take a shower</li>
	<li>Get in bed at night</li>
</ul>

9. Stay organized when traveling 
When traveling, make sure you always bring the medications you&rsquo;ll need for the duration of your trip, plus a few days extra in case you&rsquo;re delayed returning home. Pack your medication in your carry-on luggage in case your bags get lost or delayed and to prevent any alterations to your medications, which can happen in extreme hot or cold temperatures.&nbsp;

Communicate with your doctor 
No matter what your routine is, make sure you talk with your doctor about all of your prescriptions.

How frequently you visit the doctor might depend on different factors including which health conditions you&rsquo;re living with. The FDA recommends you discuss each <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/depression-causes-and-risks/article/prescription-medications-making-you-depressed">prescription medication</a> at every doctor visit. Your doctor can determine whether the medication is working, whether you still need to take it and if there are certain lifestyle changes (like lowering fats in your diet or exercising) you can make to reduce the amount of medication you need.

Make sure to discuss the following with your doctor:

<ul>
	<li>Every prescription medication you&rsquo;re taking</li>
	<li>Any supplements you&rsquo;re taking</li>
	<li>Any side effects you&rsquo;ve experienced</li>
	<li>Any changes in mood, eating habits or medical history you&rsquo;ve noticed</li>
	<li>Cost and financial assistance options for your individual medications</li>
</ul>

When your doctor prescribes a new medication or changes a prescription, make sure you get a good explanation of why and how to take it. And remember, it&rsquo;s important not to stop taking any medication without talking with your doctor first. Doing so may cause serious side effects or harm.

Taking medication is often a necessary part of life, so staying organized and on top of your prescriptions is the key to managing health conditions and staying healthy. But remember, in addition to taking medications, healthy lifestyle choices, like a well-balanced diet and a regular fitness routine are important, too.

Medically reviewed in June 2018.

9 Easy Ways to Remember to Take Your Meds

On an everyday basis we use the word hope fairly casually. We say, &ldquo;I hope that it&rsquo;s sunny tomorrow&rdquo; or &ldquo;I hope you have a nice day.&rdquo; But when we feel trapped in situations beyond our control, being able to hold on to hope feels anything but casual. During difficult times, hope feels both nourishing and necessary in order to be able to muster the strength and determination to keep going.

Hope is the clarion call of comfort and encouragement that we hear within our own hearts.

To keep hope alive we must be willing to turn our attention toward finding it, forging it and holding on to it. This is no small feat&mdash;in addition to our personal struggles, we must also contend with the unstable and disturbing climate in our world today that is rife with relentless economic, civil and political unrest.

My friend Janet is 92 years old. In spite of this contentious election cycle, she remains resolute in feeling hopeful. She explains it this way, &ldquo;I decided after living through World War II that hope is stronger than fear. I can handle disappointment, but I don&rsquo;t want to live in a world without hope. I feel that it&rsquo;s my responsibility to be hopeful. That way I can keep moving forward, no matter how hard things get, instead of just getting stuck in feeling sorry for myself.&rdquo;

Hope beckons us to trust that we can continue to live well in spite of this life&rsquo;s burdens and unpredictable nature. Hope walks beside us when the future seems lonely, scary and unclear. It holds us and heartens us with every courageous and shaky step we are able to take along the way. It gently encourages us to consider that life can still be good even without the promise that it will turn out a certain way.

How Hope Motivates Us 
Hope sometimes gets a bad rap. Often it is described as soppy, groundless enthusiasm generated by either naivet&eacute;, blissful ignorance or both. The naysayers intone, &ldquo;It&rsquo;s just not realistic.&rdquo; But hope is more a verb than a noun. It&rsquo;s actually a mechanism of action.

Clinical psychologist Charles R. Snyder, (1944-2006) published six books on the topic of hope, as well as 262 articles on how hope can positively impact multiple aspects of life, including health, work, education and personal meaning. Snyder characterized hopeful individuals as people who are able to set clear goals and are flexible in finding alternate ways to achieve those goals when obstacles arise. According to Snyder&rsquo;s &ldquo;Hope Theory&rdquo; when a person has hope they exhibit agency (the will to get there) and a determination to seek and uncover pathways (different ways to get there).

Hope is not a quaint, myopic, philosophical construct. It&rsquo;s a proactive vehicle of expanded vision and belief that allows us to see life exactly as it is while willfully steering it toward how it could be better.

Fostering Hope Through Dark Times 
One would think that the ability to feel hopeful is a byproduct of easier times. This presumption is understandable because gentler times soothe us, encourage us and brighten our spirits. But, paradoxically, hope is just as often created and galvanized in the most difficult of circumstances.

Mahatma Gandhi kept hope alive as he led the nonviolent struggle for India&rsquo;s independence against seemingly insurmountable odds. Viktor Frankl&nbsp;survived several Nazi concentration camps although his pregnant wife and all of his family members, except for one sister, died in the camps. In spite of these unspeakably tragic circumstances, after the war he spread his message of hope through his book, Man&rsquo;s Search for Meaning.&nbsp;Since it was first published in 1946, over 12 million copies of the book have been sold with translations into 21 languages. To this day it is considered to be one of the 10 most influential books in America.

Fifteen year old Pakistani activist Malala Yousafzai&nbsp;was shot by the Taliban for standing up for a female&rsquo;s right to education. Rosa Parks&nbsp;was jailed for sitting down at the front of the bus in protest of segregation. Somehow, through their hardships, they kept hope alive as they simultaneously sparked back-breaking, groundbreaking movements of change.

But the ability to muster hope through the darkest of times is not a unique and rare talent that should be ascribed only to our heroic role models. We, too, have this same intrepid capacity. It would only take a moment&rsquo;s reflection to recall the times in our own lives when we did not think that we could go on, but we did. Against the odds we invited the voice of hope within to encourage us past the despair of &ldquo;I can&rsquo;t&rdquo; to the audacity of &ldquo;I will.&rdquo;

Holding on to hope will require us to feel worthy of this right to say &ldquo;yes&rdquo; to growth through struggle, especially at times when our fear is understandably shaking its head &ldquo;no.&rdquo;

Key Beliefs of Hopeful People 
In his book, Making Hope Happen,&nbsp;Gallup Senior Scientist Shane J. Lopez devotes the first chapter to his client, John, who came to him when he found out that he was suffering from end-stage kidney disease. He called the chapter, What the Man with No Future Taught Me about Hope. Lopez recounts how John struggled with his dire prognosis to the point of considering suicide. But as he continued to focus on what gave his life meaning, John came to a different decision. He told Lopez that henceforth if anyone asked him how he was doing he would simple and resolutely reply, &ldquo;I&rsquo;m working on it!&rdquo; This was his way of proactively pushing despair aside as he generated the hope he needed to keep moving forward one deliberate and life-preserving step at a time.

As a result of his research with millions of people around the world Lopez identified what he refers to as the &ldquo;Hows of Hope.&rdquo; He shares 4 key beliefs of hopeful people:

<ul>
	<li>The future will be better than the present</li>
	<li>I have the power to make it so (Important: Hopeful people never go it alone)</li>
	<li>There are many paths to my goals</li>
	<li>None of them will be free of obstacles</li>
</ul>

He wrote, &ldquo;Although some people still believe that hope is too &ldquo;soft&rdquo; to study scientifically, other researchers and I have convincing evidence that hopeful thoughts and behavior propel everyone toward well-being; that hope underlies purpose-driven action; that it correlates positively with health and even longevity; and that it doesn&rsquo;t depend on income level or IQ. Hope can be learned, and the hopeful among us play a powerful role in spreading hope to others.&rdquo;

Befriending Hope 
Although we can&rsquo;t see it or touch it or quantify it, hope is the anchor we want and need when life&rsquo;s challenges rock our world. How fortunate it is for us that hope is not dependent on any external condition to exist. It does not require us to have any special skills. No one has a monopoly on hope. It can&rsquo;t be bought or sold. It is an equal opportunity lender.

Hope is a congenial, compassionate and attentive friend. We could say that it&rsquo;s optimistic and that would be true. But hope offers more than a wish for future comfort. It tells us the truth while holding us in its warm embrace.&nbsp; Hope says &ldquo;This terribly difficult thing is happening and we will find a way to handle it together.&rdquo; Hope reminds us of our strength as it encourages us to keep moving onward, saying &ldquo;I know you have every reason to feel like giving up or turning away from this challenge. But in spite of your fears, I know you can face this. I believe in you.&rdquo;

Hope is unconditional. It doesn&rsquo;t say you&rsquo;ll be okay if your relationship works or if your health recovers or if you find another job. Hope steadfastly and without any preconceived stipulations repeats again and again, &ldquo;Your life is precious and vital, now and for always, no matter the circumstance.&rdquo; We will continue to uncover the good together as we go forward.&rdquo;

If you enjoyed this article, you may also enjoy <a href="https://www.ornish.com/zine/four-ways-to-respond-to-fear-and-enhance-your-health/" target="_blank">Four Ways to Respond to Fear and Enhance Your Health</a>.

This article was originally published in <a href="http://www.ornish.com/zine/finding-forging-and-holding-on-to-hope/" target="_blank">Ornish Living</a>.

Medically reviewed in September 2018.

Finding, Forgiving and Holding on to Hope

As the saying goes, &ldquo;age is just a number.&rdquo; So true! Because when it comes to your health, your calendar age doesn&rsquo;t mean as much as your RealAge&reg; &ndash; the biological age of your body. <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/static/realage">Find out your RealAge</a> &ndash; and make that number even lower with these five tips from the doctors who helped create the RealAge Test.

<ol>
	<li>Put exercise on your to-do list.&nbsp;After a long day of work or running errands (or both!), nothing sounds better than kicking back on the couch. But skipping workouts &ndash; or even daily walks &ndash; ages your body. On the flipside, getting about 30 minutes of exercise on most days really boosts your health: It lowers LDL (bad) cholesterol, decreases stress and inflammation, and improves your brain function. <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/video/sharecare-experts/keith-roach/how-can-i-slow-aging-with-exercise">Learn more about how exercise slows aging</a> from Sharecare expert and RealAge Test co-creator Keith Roach, MD.</li>
	<li>Kick your smoking habit.&nbsp;Quit now and start reaping the benefits right away. Just 20 minutes after you stop smoking, your heart rate begins to drop. Within 12 hours, the carbon monoxide levels in your blood begin to fall. Your lung function starts recovering in just two weeks, and at the one-year mark, your risk for heart attack is cut in half. You&rsquo;re also reversing the effects of all the <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/quit-smoking/article/what-are-you-smoking-chemicals-cigarettes">toxic chemicals</a> in cigarettes &ndash; the ones that age skin, increase cancer risk and contribute to memory loss. So toss the pack.</li>
	<li>Pass on junk food.&nbsp;Next time your growling stomach tells you to head for the candy bowl or drive-thru window, don&rsquo;t listen. Processed foods &ndash; full of refined sugars, unhealthy fats and preservatives &ndash; damage nearly every system in your body, leading to aging factors like increased belly fat and inflammation. Make sure to have healthy snacks like <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/longevity/article/nuts-best-anti-aging-foods">nuts</a>, fruits and veggies on hand to help you resist unhealthy choices.</li>
	<li>Keep your doctor&rsquo;s appointments.&nbsp;They keep you informed of what&rsquo;s going on with your body, making it easier to prevent and treat age-related conditions. And while you&rsquo;re there, make sure to ask about your <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/video/health-topics-a-z/healthcare-basics/know-your-5-lifesaving-tests-part-1">5 important health numbers</a> &ndash; including cholesterol levels, blood pressure and blood sugar. Unsafe numbers on <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/video/health-topics-a-z/healthcare-basics/know-your-5-lifesaving-tests-part-1">these tests</a> can indicate the potential for serious health problems (like diabetes and heart disease) that can make your RealAge much older.</li>
	<li>Chill out.&nbsp;Between kids and work and crazy schedules, it&rsquo;s no surprise that we&rsquo;re all a little stressed. But stressors small and large can impact your RealAge &ndash; sometimes significantly. So next time you&rsquo;re feeling a little too tense, try simple things like <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/happiness/article/get-happy-20-minute-workout">going for a walk</a>, sipping a <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/tea-health/how-drinking-tea-relieve-stress">cup of tea</a> or even just <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/mental-health/gratitude-journal">saying thank you</a>. It could send your RealAge back a whole year if you&rsquo;re a woman, and nearly two and a half years if you&rsquo;re a man.</li>
</ol>

Medically reviewed in March 2020.

Five Ways to Lower Your RealAge

Taking care of our health requires us to devote time, attention and dedication to our comprehensive needs. Packed schedules, and the urgency to fulfill countless obligations, often put these needs at the bottom of our to-do lists. As a result, we find ourselves running relentlessly like a hamster on a wheel. Feeling tired most of the time has become our new normal.

Naps provide us with vital respite, renewal and healing for our bodies, minds and spirits.

Many cultures around the world have historically embraced one simple yet highly effective tool for recharging and restoring daily health: a nap. Unfortunately, in modern western culture, napping is usually dismissed as an activity reserved for the very young, the very old or the very lazy. But as we continue to learn more about the critical importance of rest for overall health, attitudes are changing. Investing even a small amount of time out of a busy day to rest can provide big dividends for both our heart health and overall health.

Naps Improve Our Overall Health 
Statistics show that most Americans never consider taking a nap, but many of us are also chronically sleep-deprived. <a href="http://www.cdc.gov/features/dssleep/" target="_blank">The Center for Disease Control (CDC)</a>&nbsp;has estimated that one third of American adults average less than six hours of sleep per night. A Boston College analysis reported in Time magazine listed US students&nbsp;as the most sleep deprived out of over 50 nations.

In our fast-paced culture we are prone to think of rest as a waste of time. However, when we feel fatigued, motivation, concentration, creativity and productivity all suffer. When we&rsquo;re tired, we&rsquo;re more susceptible to feeling moody, impatient and irritable. We also tend to overeat or undereat, experience muscle tension and are more prone to headaches.

Nap Are Beneficial to Heart Health 
In a 2007 study published in&nbsp;the Archives of Internal Medicine, researchers from the University of Athens Medical School&nbsp;found that habitual siesta takers showed 37% less coronary mortality compared to non-nappers, as a result of reduced cardiovascular stress. In another 2011 study&nbsp;in the International Journal of Behavioral Medicine, researchers from Allegheny College in Pennsylvania concluded that daytime sleep offers cardiovascular benefit. The study focused on the effects of a daytime nap on cardiovascular recovery following a mental stress test. Test subjects who had napped for at least 45 minutes had significantly lower blood pressure readings after psychological stress than those who had not.

Napping at Work 
It turns out that a little sleep on the job is good for business. Many employers are getting wise to the connection between rest, productivity and happiness on the job. Ben and Jerry&rsquo;s, the Vermont-based ice cream company, was one of the first to establish a workplace napping policy more than a decade ago. Now many other forward thinking companies like Google and Zappos have installed napping pods in their offices. Arianna Huffington has designated several rooms for napping in the New York City offices of the Huffington Post.

In her book, Thrive: The Third Metric to Redefining Success and Creating a Life of Well-Being, Wisdom and Wonder,&nbsp;Huffington speaks from her own personal experience about rest as an ingredient for success. After collapsing from exhaustion at her desk one night (and breaking her cheekbone in the process), she made health and wellness in the workplace a top priority. She wrote, &ldquo;Increasingly, companies are realizing that their employees&rsquo; health is one of the most important predictors of the company&rsquo;s health, as well.&rdquo;

Napping helps us to lower stress levels, regain concentration and feel re-invigorated. When we are able to nab some rest we feel calmer and less cranky. Our mental grogginess lifts and we feel better able to cope with whatever comes our way. Taking a brief break from the grind with a short nap can soothe, refresh and recharge us whether we are at work, at home or even when we are on vacation.

Tips For Effective Napping:

Keep it to 20 Minutes 
Most sleep experts recommend keeping naps around 20 minutes in length. A 20-minute nap has been shown to increase alertness, improve concentration, elevate mood and sharpen motor skills. In an article in the New York Times Magazine, Damien Leger, a doctor who runs the sleep-research center at the Hotel-Dieu Hospital in Paris, suggests that a nap longer than 20 minutes may take you into the cycle of sleep known as slow-wave sleep. This could leave you with what Leger refers to as &ldquo;sleep drunkenness,&rdquo; instead of a feeling of rejuvenation. Dr. Leger asserts that napping is a basic right, not a petty luxury, and that there is nothing shameful about taking a nap. In fact, Leger hopes that in the future a short nap will replace the afternoon post-lunch coffee break. He says, &ldquo;Napping is much more powerful than caffeine and there are no negative side effects.&rdquo;

Focus on Your Breath and Relaxing Your Muscles 
In preparation for your nap, calm your body by breathing slowly and deeply. Gently focus your attention on relaxing your muscles from head to toe.

Set up a Comfortable Nap Environment 
To reduce distracting noise in your environment, wear comfortable earplugs or turn on white noise from a fan or sound conditioner. Darken your room by closing the curtains, dimming or turning off lights, or by wearing an eye mask.&nbsp;Set an alarm for yourself, or if you are in a hotel, request a wake-up call from the front desk. Janet Kennedy, clinical psychologist and founder of NYC Sleep Doctor cautions that it will be hard to relax into falling asleep if you are worried about not waking up at the right time. Setting an alarm takes the pressure off.

Give Yourself Permission to Nap 
Whatever you do, never guilt yourself out of a nap. Give yourself permission to put your unfinished to-do list out of your head for the short time that you will be resting. Sink deeply into the gentle ebb and flow of your rhythmic breathing. Remind yourself that you are worthy of rest, comfort and renewal. If you feel that you are getting enough rest but still feel tired, don&rsquo;t hesitate to schedule a check-up with your physician. Your fatigue could be a side effect of medications or a possible sign of a treatable condition like sleep apnea or anemia.

Appreciate the Value of Rest 
Rest is a biological need and offers us an indispensable process for restoring our vigor, bounce and sparkle. Our sense of happiness and well-being is rarely derived solely from an impressive resume and long hours logged at work. More often we find the meaning and purpose of life in the small, precious moments of an ordinary day. When we feel rested we stand a better chance of not missing the unexpected kindnesses, the silly things that make us laugh out loud and the tender connections with others that fill our hearts with joy.

A friend of mine who was recovering from burnout sent me a message after she started her new, less demanding job. It included a picture of a small framed quote that she now has on her bedside table that she reads each night before going to sleep. It says, &ldquo;Let her rest. For when she wakes refreshed, she will move mountains.&rdquo;

This article was originally published in <a href="http://www.ornish.com/zine/give-it-a-rest-tips-for-health-promoting-naps/" target="_blank">Ornish Living</a>.

Medically reviewed in September 2018.

Give it a Rest: Tips for Health-Promoting Naps

It&rsquo;s like clockwork: Every day you eat a cookie at the same time. Or you park yourself on the couch and turn on the TV after dinner. You don&rsquo;t even think about it anymore. It&rsquo;s become a habit.

But what if you could rewire your brain for healthy habits? Imagine getting up and going to the gym every morning <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/fitness-exercise/is-fitness-a-habit" target="_blank">without thinking about it</a>, <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/walking/slideshow/sneaky-ways-to-add-steps" target="_blank">standing up and moving around</a> every hour or planning healthy meals each week. Actually, you can do it. You just have to train your brain.

We asked psychiatrist Elizabeth Ucheoma-Cofield, MD, of <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/group/medical-city-green-oaks-hospital" target="_blank">Medical City Green Oaks Hospital</a> in Dallas, Texas, about what a habit is, how it takes decision-making out of the equation, where people go wrong in breaking bad habits and trying to create new ones.

What is a habit? 
A habit is an action you do automatically. Why is it automatic? Because it&rsquo;s based on a cue you&rsquo;ve established. For example, you wake up in the morning&mdash;that&rsquo;s your cue&mdash; and your habitual action is to brush your teeth. Or you get into your car&mdash;another cue&mdash;and your habitual action is to buckle up your seat belt.

According to Dr. Ucheoma-Cofield, the habits we&rsquo;ve established by repeating them over and over again actually become wired into our brain circuitry. &ldquo;The brain develops connections within itself to go on autopilot to perform basic functions, based on cues,&rdquo; she says.

Most of your thinking occurs on the surface of the brain&mdash;the cortex&mdash;but habits are formed in a deeper level of the brain, called the basal ganglia, says Ucheoma-Cofield. When you build habits, the thinking part of the brain can step away, so to speak, and let the basal ganglia take over, so you do habitual actions almost unconsciously.

&ldquo;The brain likes to reserve energy for higher-order thinking,&rdquo; says Ucheoma-Cofield. Any time the brain doesn&rsquo;t have to think&mdash;as in a habit&mdash;it saves energy. &ldquo;We then have the brain power to devote to more complicated tasks,&rdquo; Ucheoma-Cofield.

Three elements of a habit 
Ucheoma-Cofield says <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/healthy-habits/what-stages-forming-changing-habit" target="_blank">habits have three parts</a>, called the three R&rsquo;s: reminder, routine and reward. The reminder is the cue, or a signal, to start doing something, says Ucheoma-Cofield. &ldquo;That reminder kicks in the automaticity part of a habit.&rdquo;

A cue could be a certain time of day, or a location. &ldquo;The reminders you choose should be things you&rsquo;re already doing,&rdquo; says Ucheoma-Cofield. &ldquo;Associate every new behavior with a previous behavior.&rdquo;

&nbsp;The idea is to use that cue to create a new, healthier habit. For instance, you might want to take a few moments to breathe deeply every time you crave a cigarette, or drink water instead of a soda whenever you&rsquo;re out to lunch.

The final part&mdash;the reward&mdash;is key in developing or maintaining a new habit, since it gives you the motivation needed to make that change. &ldquo;The reward is important because we are constantly looking for meaning to our behavior,&rdquo; Ucheoma-Cofield says. &ldquo;What makes us do something is a consequence or reward.&rdquo;

Think about how good you&rsquo;ll look after hitting the gym for a few months, or how much healthier you&rsquo;ll feel once you quit smoking. Find something to keep you going until you&rsquo;ve formed a healthy habit, and let your basal ganglia take it from there. &nbsp;&nbsp;

How long it takes to build habits 
You may have heard that it takes 21 days to form a habit, but that&rsquo;s a myth. A 2010 study published in the European Journal of Social Psychology had almost 100 volunteers work on building habits for 12 weeks.

It found the habit became more or less automatic at an average of 66 days, but it varied considerably&mdash;it took 18 days for some and up to eight months for others. Slipping up once didn&rsquo;t make a difference, but the researchers wrote that consistency and repetition were instrumental to building the habits.

A weakness of this study is that researchers were relying on the volunteers&rsquo; self-reported data, which isn&rsquo;t always accurate.

Break down your goals 
Many people get tripped up in creating habits because their goals are too big, Ucheoma-Cofield says. &ldquo;The way to bring your habit creation down to a fundamentally approachable and sustainable level is by <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/healthy-habits/how-break-bad-habits" target="_blank">breaking down your ultimate goal into pieces</a>,&rdquo; she says. &ldquo;Write down the steps of what it takes to get there.&rdquo;

Say that your goal is to drop 10 pounds. How are you going to do that? Breaking it down step-by-step, Ucheoma-Cofield says, you could start by taking a walk around the block on a set day after dinner. Put your fork down, put on your shoes and start walking every Tuesday.

&ldquo;Then you go from there,&rdquo; says Ucheoma-Cofield. &nbsp;You could start walking twice a week, and then walk longer. Bump it up to three times a week. Do a <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/walking/how-burn-more-calories-walking" target="_blank">power walk</a> to boost calorie burn.

You&rsquo;ll likely need to make some changes in your diet as well. One step could be to make the decision to eat more produce. You&rsquo;ll want to associate grocery shopping with buying greens. So the cue, or reminder, is going to the supermarket. (Adding produce to your shopping list can help get you started.)

The routine is passing through the produce section and adding fruits and veggies to your cart. (You may want to look up some recipes that <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/diet-nutrition/slideshow/easy-ways-to-add-greens-to-every-meal" target="_blank">sneak in more veggies</a>, too.) If you keep up your new routine, buying vegetables at the supermarket will become automatic.

Finally, remember your reward, or motivation. When you don&rsquo;t feel like eating a salad or taking that walk, remind yourself of how great you&rsquo;ll look in shorts and a tank top in a few months. Or maybe your motivation comes from watching the numbers on the scale drop, or seeing your abs revealed.

&ldquo;If you start with a huge end goal without breaking it down, you&rsquo;re setting yourself up for failure,&rdquo; says Ucheoma-Cofield. &nbsp;

Replace bad habits with good 
Another habit mistake? Trying to break a bad habit without <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/healthy-habits/reversing-bad-habits" target="_blank">replacing it with a good one</a>. &ldquo;Habits, once formed, are always there,&rdquo; says Ucheoma-Cofield. &ldquo;There&rsquo;s no such thing as just stopping bad behavior.&rdquo;

If you&rsquo;re trying to break a bad habit, &ldquo;you have to override it with a new one,&rdquo; explains Ucheoma-Cofield. That&rsquo;s why so many former cigarette smokers turn to gum or food after they quit&mdash;they&rsquo;re replacing one habit with another.

&ldquo;The old one will still be there, but a new habit can come in and take precedence over it,&rdquo; she says. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s like exercising a muscle&mdash;whatever habit you exercise most gets the strongest.&rdquo;

Medically reviewed in March 2020.

How to Rewire Your Brain to Love Healthy Habits

It seems smart phones and social media have become not only ubiquitous, but also indispensable. Being constantly plugged in to your personal tech may be taking a toll on your health, however.

We spoke with psychiatrist Roger Butler, MD, of <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/group/medical-city-green-oaks-hospital">Medical City&nbsp;Green Oaks Hospital</a> and <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/group/medical-city-mckinney">Medical City&nbsp;McKinney</a> in Texas, to learn how tech excess can be affecting you, along with ways to take control of it (instead of vice versa).&nbsp;

#1. Too much time on social apps may wreak havoc on our mood. 
Researchers from two German universities found that perusing Facebook might leave you feeling frustrated, lonely and envious. And for people who may already be prone to depression, Dr. Butler adds, seeing really positive posts can intensify or even cause a depressed <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/emotional-health/how-can-technology-affect-mood" style="line-height: 1.6em;">mood</a>.

Of course, social media doesn&#39;t bring everyone down, says Butler. &quot;People who are confident and happy with themselves usually are not affected this way,&quot; he says. In fact, Butler says that research has found that positive posts on Facebook and other social media can make people happier. &ldquo;You can&#39;t make a blanket statement,&rdquo; he says. &ldquo;But there is that <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/wellness-healthy-living/what-are-risks-social-media" style="line-height: 1.6em;">risk</a> involved.&quot;

Expert tip: Remember reality. &quot;What I tell people is that everything on [Facebook] is not to be believed,&rdquo; he says. &ldquo;Things are never as wonderful as they seem.&rdquo;

#2. Tech can make us socially awkward. 
According to a 2012 UK poll, almost half of men and women became worried if&mdash;for whatever reason&mdash;they couldn&rsquo;t log in to their social media accounts. That tech dependence takes away from time to communicate with others in person, and the heaviest toll may be on children.

Butler says technology use is affecting kids&#39; language and communication development, as well as their ability to form normal, close relationships. Daily interactions that are a part of growing up&mdash;learning how to read body language and facial expressions, for instance&mdash;aren&#39;t practiced enough by kids who are glued to their phones.

Expert tip: Limit the whole family&#39;s tech time to up real-life interaction time. &quot;Be very aware of the time you&#39;re on social media at home, during your workday, and while you&#39;re socializing,&rdquo; Butler says. As for your kids: Establish time limits and practice monitoring as soon as kids get their first cell phones, Butler advises.

#3. Constant tech use can cause physical problems. 
A recent study found that when you tilt your head 60 degrees to stare at your phone, you&#39;re putting 60 pounds of pressure on your neck, causing neck strain and back pain. Research also shows that excessive tech use right before bedtime can screw with sleep cycles, thanks to the glowing light emitted from screens. Finally, too much screen time can strain your eyes and even lead to tension headaches.

Expert tip: Know when to stow it. A whopping 80% of millennials&mdash;and 65% of adults overall&mdash;sleep with their phones, research says. An hour before bed, ditch the device. Limit your phone use during the workday, and try to keep screens of any kind at eye level.

Like so many things, living well with technology is about balance. &ldquo;I would never say, &lsquo;Let&#39;s go back to the way it was before tech and social media,&rsquo;&rdquo; Butler says. &ldquo;It&#39;s how we learn from it and deal with it as a society that makes the difference.&rdquo;

See More from Dr. Butler: 
<a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/parenting/how-limit-childs-social-media#answer_2d870ef1-caf4-40ac-a9cc-aa9a1afb61ea">How can I limit my child&#39;s exposure to social media?</a> 
<a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/substance-abuse-addiction-recovery/how-reduce-time-technology-social#answer_622af38f-1b49-4076-97d7-372df51bc472" style="line-height: 1.6em;">How can I reduce the time I spend on technology and social media?</a> 
<a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/parenting/what-negative-effects-technology-kids#answer_4c381488-5e91-4512-aa6b-7b941b339a78" style="line-height: 1.6em;">What are some negative effects of technology on kids?</a>

Medically reviewed in March 2020.

Is Too Much Tech Making You Sick?

Think you&rsquo;re covered when it comes to sunscreen? Surprise: most of us aren&rsquo;t using it appropriately. One study showed that most people apply only 25-50 percent of the amount of sunscreen they actually need. Plus, we often miss many of the most sun-sensitive spots. Extra important? Men are even less likely to apply sunscreen appropriately, putting them at increased <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/video/health-topics-a-z/skin-cancers/what-increases-my-risk-for-skin-cancer">risk for many skin cancers</a>.&nbsp;

Remember, when you&rsquo;re out in the sun, most people need to apply just under a shot glass&rsquo;s worth of sunscreen to their whole body. To avoid feeling like a 1970s lifeguard, apply half as a first layer, wait a few minutes and then apply the 2nd coat.&nbsp;

Your Back:&nbsp;Didn&rsquo;t get someone to put sunscreen on your back and ended up with a patchy burn from all those spots you couldn&rsquo;t reach? The back is the most common site for melanoma in men and in women aged 15-29, according to the American Academy of Dermatology.&nbsp;

Your Face: With 70&nbsp;percent of basal cell carcinomas (the most common form of skin cancer) occurring on the face, you can bet this is a prime area for protection. According to a study in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology (JAAD), 30&nbsp;percent of us skip sunscreen on our face, even when we&rsquo;re applying it elsewhere. <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/taking-care-body-teen-perspective/how-much-sunscreen-put-on">Don&rsquo;t skimp</a>&mdash;use at least a teaspoon&rsquo;s worth of sunscreen on your face. Worried about breakouts? Look for a sunscreen that is non-comedogenic and wash your face as soon as you&rsquo;re out of the sun.

Your Nose: Ok, so technically it&rsquo;s part of your face. But as it represents 24&nbsp;percent of all non-melanoma skin cancers in women&nbsp;(making it the most common single site in women), the schnozz deserves its own shout-out.&nbsp;

Your Ears and Scalp: These body parts are especially high-risk, making up 28&nbsp;percent of all non-melanoma skin cancers in men and 20&nbsp;percent in women. Honestly, when was the last time you put sunscreen on your ears? Protect both spots with carefully applied sunscreen and rock a broad-brimmed hat. (Windy? Make a cute chinstrap; I like to use beautiful grosgrain ribbon!)

Your Legs (and Feet!):&nbsp;In the JAAD study mentioned above, 40&nbsp;percent of respondents copped to skipping their legs when they&rsquo;re applying sunscreen to other areas. That&rsquo;s no good, especially because the legs are the most common spot for melanoma (the deadliest form of skin cancer) in women.&nbsp;

Your Forearms and Hands:&nbsp;The forearm is the second most common site of melanoma in women&mdash;and the place we forget to apply sunscreen 35&nbsp;percent of the time. Not to mention, your hands can often give away your age. Like your face, your hands are exposed every single day, so give them a little love with a daily moisturizing SPF.

Your Lips:&nbsp;Don&rsquo;t forget your kisser! A common location for squamous cell carcinoma and basal cell carcinoma, your lips need protection, too! Protect them with lip-gloss or balm that contains SPF 15-30.

The Edges of Clothing: One of the most common places we forget to apply sunscreen is right at the edge of our swimsuits or around straps. Be sure to actually move your straps when applying sunscreen, so you get full, even coverage.

Remember, daily use of <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/skin-cancers/article/ask-the-expert-breaking-down-spf">SPF of 15 or greater</a> can reduce your risk of skin cancer by 40-50&nbsp;percent.

So, slather it on and get protected!

Medically reviewed in September 2018.

Where You’re Not Applying Sunscreen—But Should

The great outdoors is great for your health.

5 Ways Nature Keeps You Healthy, According to Research

You may not see them, but germs are everywhere. They&rsquo;re on your skin, inside your body and all around you. From the minute you wake up in the morning until you fall back into bed at night, you&rsquo;ll likely encounter billions of microorganisms throughout your day.

Before you break out the hazmat suit, it&rsquo;s important to understand that not all of the germs you&rsquo;re exposed to on a daily basis are harmful. In fact, some microscopic bugs are actually helpful, explains Burt Banks, MD, a family medicine physician affiliated with <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/group/grand-strand-medical-center">Grand Strand Medical Center</a> in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

&ldquo;I think it would be completely impossible to avoid germs entirely, and I don&#39;t think that we would really want to, because there are some beneficial bacteria and organisms that actually help us function better as humans,&rdquo; Dr. Banks explains. &ldquo;Our bodies do a pretty good job of fighting off the bad germs and we sometimes use the beneficial bacteria to help fight off those infections as well.&rdquo;

While exposure to germs throughout your day is inevitable, there are certain common pathogens that could make you sick. It&rsquo;s a good idea to be mindful about these germs and try to avoid them as best you can. Some common culprits include cold and flu viruses, norovirus (the germ that causes &ldquo;stomach flu&rdquo;), as well as staph, E. coli and other types of bacteria, Banks points out.

Once your day begins, there are many ways you can be proactive and help reduce your risk of infection, including:

Keep your hands clean 
Some germs can survive on surfaces for hours. Respiratory viruses contained in droplets from coughs or sneezes can land on commonly-used objects, desks and countertops. Touching contaminated surfaces&mdash;like doorknobs, light switches, ATM machines, elevator buttons and other everyday items&mdash;then rubbing your eyes or touching your nose or mouth can lead to infection.

Viruses and bacteria can also spread through direct contact, including shaking hands, hugging or kissing.

Washing your hands thoroughly and often with soap and water is one of the most effective ways to protect yourself against respiratory and foodborne illnesses as well as <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/cold-and-flu/article/what-need-know-stomach-flu">infections that cause vomiting and diarrhea</a>.

&ldquo;Washing your hands for 20 seconds or long enough to sing the ABCs is typically adequate,&rdquo; Banks says.

If you don&rsquo;t have access to soap and water, using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer is a good alternative&mdash;if you choose the right one and use it frequently and properly, Banks points out.

&ldquo;Many germs including certain types of bacteria, such as strep, staph, E. coli and MRSA as well as the flu, RSV and some hepatitis viruses, are very susceptible to hand sanitizers,&rdquo; he says. Keep in mind, however, these products are not effective against all germs, including norovirus, and they aren&rsquo;t a substitute for hand washing. Some are also more effective than others, Banks adds.

&ldquo;The problem with hand sanitizers is that their effectiveness is short-lived and depends on the concentration of alcohol. The greater the concentration, the better the hand sanitizer works.&rdquo;

Choose a hand sanitizer than contains at least 60 percent alcohol, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends. Before applying the liquid or gel, remove as much dirt or debris from your hands as possible. Read the product label for instructions and apply as much as directed to ensure its effectiveness. Then, rub the sanitizer over all surfaces of your hands until they are dry.

Be sure that your hands are clean before eating or touching your eyes, mouth or nose, after using the bathroom and while working in the kitchen. &ldquo;I cringe when I see people blowing their noses and then cooking,&rdquo; Banks says. &ldquo;Proper hand hygiene really is critical when you&#39;re preparing foods.&rdquo;

Don&rsquo;t assume that just because you&rsquo;re at home you can let your guard down. &ldquo;We tend to get a little bit more relaxed around family members and not think about it as much because we&#39;re always together,&rdquo; Banks adds. &ldquo;But the best way we can protect our families is to really be aware of trying to avoid spreading our bad germs to them.&rdquo;

Keep your distance 
Someone with the flu can spread the virus to others who are standing up to six feet away. Other viruses that cause the common cold, measles and pertussis (whooping cough) can also spread through the air via droplets from the coughs and sneezes of infected people. If you inhale these contaminated droplets, you could also become infected. Play it safe and keep some distance between you and anyone who is or appears to be sick.

Don&rsquo;t share your stuff (or borrow from others) 
You may be more mindful about germs in restrooms and public places but become relatively lax when you&rsquo;re around friends and coworkers. Sharing or exchanging personal items, such as towels, razors, lipstick and water bottles, can spread infection. Don&rsquo;t use someone else&rsquo;s utensils or drink from another person&rsquo;s glass.

Disinfect common surfaces routinely 
Similarly, it&rsquo;s important to be vigilant about germs at home, routinely cleaning your bathroom and kitchen countertops. But you could also protect yourself from infection by disinfecting other objects and surfaces you come into contact with throughout your day, advises Banks.

&ldquo;Anything you touch is a mechanism for transmitting infections&mdash;even cell phones,&rdquo; he says. &ldquo;We should use antiseptic wipes to clean those fairly frequently, as well as doorknobs and faucet handles.&rdquo;

When you&rsquo;re at the grocery store, give the shopping cart handle a rub with a disinfecting wipe to reduce your exposure to harmful bacteria. The same goes for those who work out at gyms or yoga studios, according to Banks. &ldquo;Clean the equipment and mats with antiseptic wipes because a lot of skin infections can be transmitted on those surfaces,&rdquo; he advises.

If you work in an office, it&rsquo;s a good idea to clean your keyboard, desktop and other surfaces you touch on a regular basis. Keep your work area stocked with tissues, soap, alcohol-based hand sanitizer and antiseptic wipes.

Keep cuts and scrapes clean 
If you have an open wound, such as a cut, scrape or burn, it&rsquo;s important to keep it clean and covered, particularly when you&rsquo;re in a crowded or communal setting, such as a gym or pool. You may be exposed to bacteria, like staph or MRSA, by touching contaminated surfaces or through skin-to-skin contact with an infected person.

&ldquo;You can get a pretty significant infection if even just a small crack, cut or an abrasion on the skin becomes contaminated,&rdquo; Banks cautions.

Don&rsquo;t go barefoot 
If you plan to use a public or semi-public shower, either at school, the gym or at work, don&rsquo;t forget to bring flip-flops or water shoes.

&ldquo;If you have bare feet in public areas, you have to worry about athlete&#39;s foot&mdash;a fungus that can affect the feet, particularly between the toes,&rdquo; Banks advises. &ldquo;Those are definitely areas where you should try to avoid any exposure. If you&rsquo;re in a public shower, using flip-flops rather than standing barefoot on the shower floor would be a smart thing to do.&rdquo;

Going barefoot could also increase your risk for plantar warts, which are caused by human papillomavirus, or HPV. The virus can enter your body through tiny cuts, scrapes or other wounds on the bottom of your feet.

Be cautious about buffets and communal food trays 
Despite calls for people to wash their hands often, some may simply forget. So, you may be rolling the dice if you dive into a communal candy dish or cookie platter that lacks a clean serving utensil, according to Banks.

&ldquo;That&#39;s definitely a possible setting for a GI disaster, although it&#39;s very tempting,&rdquo; he notes. It&rsquo;s also a good idea to avoid eating uncooked foods that can&#39;t be washed, Banks adds.

If you&rsquo;re eating out at a buffet or salad bar, make sure the foods that should be cold are chilled and the hot foods are steaming, which could help you avoid food-borne illnesses. It&rsquo;s also wise to avoid eating perishable foods that have been sitting out at work or a party for more than two hours without refrigeration.

Clean or replace your toothbrush 
Toothbrushes can harbor bacteria and other germs, particularly if they are stored in a container. Toothbrushes that are leaning against others can also become contaminated.

After brushing, allow your toothbrush to air dry in an upright position&mdash;preferably several feet away from the toilet and sink. These personal items should normally be replaced every three to four months, but if you or other members of your household are sick, replace them sooner or make sure that they are thoroughly cleaned, according to Banks.

&ldquo;You can actually clean them fairly frequently with a vinegar solution,&rdquo; he says. &ldquo;There are also disinfectant tablets and light sanitizers for toothbrushes that help eliminate some bacteria.&rdquo;

Boost your immune system and vaccinate 
Aside from doing what you can to stay healthy and keep your immune system strong, such as getting quality sleep, following a healthy diet and exercising regularly, the most important way to avoid many risky infections, including measles, flu, pertussis, hepatitis and varicella (chicken pox), is to <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/adult-vaccination/slideshow/5-vaccines-adults-need">be fully vaccinated</a> against them.

&ldquo;I really can&#39;t stress enough the importance of vaccinations in helping to reduce airborne infections,&rdquo; Banks says.

Medically reviewed in June 2019.

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