Let’s Make 2020 Our Healthiest Year Yet

We all appreciate the importance of staying healthy and active, but finding the time and energy to make that happen can be a challenge sometimes. So, let’s get back to basics. By combining the financial practicalities of healthcare coverage with smart lifestyle changes and more of the good stuff that makes you happy, this year can indeed be your healthiest year yet.

Lock-In Quality Medical Insurance

The foundation for any healthy and secure lifestyle is the right medical insurance. 

Basic medical insurance, hospital-stay support, and prescription drug coverage all form an excellent foundation. However, finding a Medicare Advantage plan that works for you — with hearing, vision, and dental included — will offer greater peace of mind and fewer potential nasty financial surprises down the line. Anthem offers Medicare plans to fit any budget, even offering Medicare Advantage plans with no cost premiums. Whatever your situation, and however extensive your health insurance needs, don't delay in finding a plan that's a good fit.

Embrace Regular Exercise

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, regular physical activity reduces the risk of heart disease and injury, assists in the management of hypertension and diabetes, and helps you delay the onset of joint swelling and arthritic pain. 

While more strenuous strength training programs are great, even regular light exercise like gardening or frolicking with the grandkids is enough to unlock the majority of these health benefits. 

If you’re ready to strap on your trainers and get active, the National Institute on Aging offers this excellent resource for finding a safe and sustainable way to stay fit and energized.  

Tune Up Your Nutrition

Exercise may be your key to strength and flexibility, but the right nutrition will give your body the fuel and nutrients it needs to make all that healthy activity possible. Transitioning to a healthy diet takes time and commitment, but if you’re striving for a healthy 2020, an excellent early step is to take a close look at what’s on your plate. 

Fortunately, you have a wealth of great resources at your disposal. Check out the National Institute of Health’s guide on healthy nutrition for those in their sixties and beyond. 

Do What Makes You Happy

It’s odd, but it’s easy sometimes to think of health as something we “should” pursue, and happiness as those things we “want” for ourselves. Research is showing us that health and happiness are far more closely aligned. 

Whether it’s a love of fishing, spending time with your family, or relaxing with a great book, pursuing what makes you happy can bring a slew of knock-on health benefits. This includes more obvious outcomes like stress reduction and an improved mood to more surprising physical benefits, such as an enhanced immune system, a healthier heart, and a higher resistance to chronic pain. 

So, it’s official! If you want to be healthy, fill your life with activities that bring you joy. 

Your Healthiest Year Yet

Let’s face it: 2020 had a bit of a bumpy start. The light at the end of the tunnel is that we can all take practical steps to feel better, stay active, and pursue those activities that make us happy. Setting yourself up with a smart healthcare coverage plan and a balanced approach to exercise and nutrition is a great way to begin that journey.