It's Never Too Late

Your life will be happier and healthier if you take control

It's never too late to take control of your choices to improve your overall health and your quality of life.

The benefits of positive lifestyle changes are swift. For example, your heart rate and blood pressure drop within 20 minutes when you stop smoking. After five years, an ex-smoker's risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, and bladder are cut in half, and—for women—cervical cancer risk falls to that of a nonsmoker. And the benefits of exercise and diet changes can become apparent in a few months. Make a change in your life today!

Steps on the road to healthy aging:

• Exercise

• Eat nutritious foods.

• Know your body mass index, or BMI, and whether it is in the normal range. 

• Don't smoke.

• Stay mentally and socially active—for instance, by becoming more active in your community. 

• Be safe—that means seat belts, air bags, no cell phone calls in the car, and helmets for bicycle and motorcycle riding.

• Get cancer, heart disease, hearing, and vision screenings.

• Seek help for unusual symptoms.

• Take your prescriptions for problems, such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol.

Remember that your key to healthy aging starts today—no matter your current age.