Be More Proactive About Your Health in 7 Easy Steps

It’s a new year and a new opportunity to prioritize your health in a big way. Instead of setting a goal to lose those 5 pounds or finally fit into that pair of jeans (which, let’s be honest, usually doesn’t last much past February), improve your health in the long haul with these science-backed habits. They’ll leave you feeling like the best version of yourself, not just in 2018, but for life.

This speaks to the next generation of supplement—one that is shaped entirely by science. No wonder 10 percent of Basis customers are doctors.

Whichever route you choose, sequencing your genome can give you an idea of your physiological vulnerabilities and disease risks, so you can take important, targeted preventative steps to improve your health. (Remember: Genes are only part of the equation. Lifestyle factors also play a substantial role in health.) The genome also holds secrets of our ancestry and can sometimes reveal if we are carriers of certain diseases, which can help make family planning much more predictable.

Why is this all so important? The science is fairly conclusive that insufficient sleep—whether it be lack of sleep in general or a shortage of restorative sleep—has been correlated with earlier onset of depression, cognitive decline, diabetes, hypertension, obesity, and more.

You can further support a proper diet by experimenting with a time-restrictive feeding routine (only eating within a 8-to-12-hour period throughout the day) as it can help decrease the metabolic burden that food has on cells and give them a chance to generate the necessary energy for healthy function. In lab studies, this technique has proven effective at reducing the risk of age-related diseases.

Each day is an opportunity to get quiet, take deep breaths, express gratitude for everything you have, and be mindful of your accomplishments. This year, make an effort to start and end every day with a simple gratitude practice. Sit up, take deep belly breaths, and list three things you are grateful for in that moment, either silently or aloud. Making an effort to do so every day has actually been shown to boost well-being and stave off depression6.

Tech has made it so that we don’t have to work as hard to remember what we need to do to stay healthy. When used judiciously, health apps and gadgets can help keep us accountable and leave us with a feeling of accomplishment and a dose of feel-good neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine. Natural Cycles, a natural family-planning application, Kaia, a digital therapy for back-pain prevention, and WellBe, a biofeedback bracelet that tracks stress over time, are exciting ones that have recently hit the market and show just how much ground technology can cover in the health space. Explore the wellness tech space a little this year, and see if you find something that speaks to you.

Daily movement of any kind—be it running, weight-lifting, or yoga—is crucial for our continued health and well-being. Our bodies are designed to move. It’s as simple as that. Our heart, lungs, and muscles need to be challenged to push blood through the vessels and make us stronger, more flexible, and less likely to get injured. This year, set aside time to work out every day—literally. Slot aside time to exercise on your calendar, and recruit a friend whenever possible to keep you accountable. Science supports the idea that exercising with another person can double your performance.