As the holidays approach and 2025 is drawing to a close, this is the time to reflect on this year’s health successes and in which areas you want to see growth or improvement next year.

If enhancing lifespan is part of your goals, here are three evidence-based strategies that have stood the test of time:

Eat your veggies. Do you consume the recommended five or more servings of fruits and vegetables daily? This is a good place to start! Adding a variety of both to your diet will add fiber and an array of nutrients to support a healthy body. According to an observational study published in the journal Circulation, adults who consumed five or more servings of fruits and vegetables daily were less likely to die early and specifically had lower risk of overall death and death from cancer, cardiovascular disease and respiratory illness. The study looked at 100,000 men and women over 28 to 30 years and found that participants who consumed two servings of vegetables and three servings of fruits were less likely to die than those who did not. The fruits and vegetables that proved beneficial included green leafy vegetables, non-starchy vegetables such as red peppers, cruciferous vegetables, citrus fruit, and vegetables and fruits high in beta-carotene. Fruit juices and starchy vegetables, like peas and potatoes, were not associated with a lower risk of premature death.

Move your body. Get 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise every week. Giving your muscles a workout helps build stronger bones, lowers blood pressure, improves heart health, and improves overall well-being. This can be broken into small bursts of activity, like walking 20-30 minutes daily. Start by walking 10-15 minutes after each meal. You can also add weight training to your exercise at least twice weekly.

Build a network. Strong social integration and connection are an essential part of a healthy lifestyle and a predictor of longevity. In fact, social isolation is proven to be bad for your health and equivalent to smoking 15 cigarettes per day! The social ecological model of change stresses that we exist in communities and our communities impact our health. Research has shown that social connection with friends, family, neighbors or colleagues improves the odds of survival by 50%. Set a goal to build, grow and strengthen your social network as part of a long-term strategy for health.

Implementing these simple strategies is very rewarding and a great place to start when setting your intentions and goals for a healthy and happy 2026.

Edith Jones-Poland, MD, is an integrative primary care physician and lifestyle coach with Circe Healthcare Solutions. She can be reached at (760) 773.4948. www.circecares.com.

Sources: 1) https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/news/2021/study-supports-5-day-recommendations-fruits-and-vegetables; 2) https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/fitness/fitness-basics/aha-recs-for-physical-activity-in-adults; 3) https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6125010/