Social connections are more important than you might think. They may even help prevent serious health issues, like heart disease, stroke, dementia, depression and anxiety. In fact, people with stronger bonds have a 50% higher chance of living longer than those with fewer social connections.¹

“A social connection can even be having a casual conversation with the barista at your favorite coffee shop,” Kotulski says.

If you’re looking for a more meaningful connection, Kotulski suggests volunteering or finding groups of people with common interests, like book clubs, museum outings and fitness classes.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends adults eat 1½ to 2 cups of fruit and 2 to 3 cups of vegetables each day. These foods, which are rich in important nutrients, may help reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke, prevent digestive issues, lower blood pressure and even protect against some cancers.

You could try the 1-2-3 method, recommends Jennifer McDaniel, M.S., R.D.N, a registered dietitian and owner of McDaniel Nutrition Therapy in St. Louis, Missouri. “The 1-2-3 method is a straightforward reminder to have 1 serving of produce with breakfast, 2 servings of produce with lunch, and 3 servings of produce at dinner,” she says. One serving is about half a cup for most fresh, frozen or canned fruits and veggies.

Daily movement is so important for overall health. It’s easy to get into an I’m-too-busy-to-exercise rut — but committing to just 15 minutes every day is a good start.

You can split this up into different time chunks throughout the day. Chances are, if you start small, you may find yourself increasing that amount of time.

Many everyday activities count too, notes certified fitness consultant Joshua Margolis, owner of Mind Over Matter Health & Fitness in New York City. These include doing yard work, gardening, cleaning the house and even putting away groceries.

Dietary fiber is a type of carbohydrate from foods that may help you have regular bowel movements. It can also help you feel fuller and more satisfied after eating. Plus, getting enough fiber has been shown to help reduce your risk of certain diseases, like cardiovascular disease.  “Dietary fiber can greatly help adults who have challenges with constipation and maintaining healthy cholesterol levels, blood sugar levels and weight,” says McDaniel.

Here are a few ideas to get you started:

• Eat 1 whole fruit with its skin (like a pear) for dessert instead of sweets (about 7 grams of fiber)
• Nibble on 1 ounce of nuts — about 3.5 grams of fiber
• Munch on 3 cups of air-popped popcorn (about 3.6 grams of fiber)
• Replace low-fiber cereals with steel cut oats
• Add rinsed, canned beans like garbanzo beans or white beans to soups, pastas and salads