They are quick, they are easy, and they will make all the difference in how you feel, age, and look!

1. Start wearing sunscreen

Well this is a skin care blog – was there any doubt we would start with this one? Not only will sunscreen (minimum of SPF 15 please) help prevent wrinkles; it will significantly cut down on the risk of skin cancer later in life! Many individuals are sunscreen devotees from Memorial Day to Labor Day – this is great but it is important to wear it all year long as the winter sun can be just as damaging.

2. Eat at least 6 servings of fruits and vegetables every day – and make it a rainbow

Remember the old saying “you are what you eat” – and nobody wants to be a greasy hamburger and fries! Establishing healthy eating habits early in life will lay the foundation for good health throughout your life. Helping you to control your weight, prevent heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and high cholesterol which can all be triggered or exacerbated by obesity. The rainbow or variety of fruits in vegetables is important in increasing the antioxidants you consume.

3. Get moving

Starting an exercise routine or activity you enjoy – it will help to maintain a healthy weight and counteract that evil metabolism that slows down every year!

4. See your doctor – at least once a year

Benjamin Franklin was a wise man when he said “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure!”. Getting annual physicals, pap smears, and mammograms can set an early baseline that will help to detect changes in your health earlier. For example, there are 4 stages of an abnormal pap smear – you can easily correct and reverse the first three, by the 4th it usually indicates cervical cancer – which kills more than 300,000 women annually!

5. Relax & have some fun

This one is easier said than done – no matter your age or what you are doing at your stage of life – it can be incredibly stressful! Whether you are in your 20s and starting a new career and moving out on your own, in your 30s and getting married and having babies, in your 40s and raising your family or your 50s and preparing for retirement – you need to find relaxation techniques that work for you and make it a habit to have some fun and laugh. It really is the best medicine!

It is never too late to incorporate these habits into your daily routine.