The good news on living healthy is that everyone can do it. If you’re already in good health, it’s that much easier to keep up the good work. And if you’re living with a chronic condition like diabetes or heart disease, or just aren’t as healthy as you’d like, you can still take plenty of steps to treat your body right.

The best news of all? It’s never too late to start. Here are five ways to get motivated:

Put a little nature in your diet
Although the old saying “you are what you eat” is a bit of an exaggeration, it still holds a wise grain of truth. Our bodies are resilient; we’ll hold up fairly well even after eating foods we know are bad for us. But we’re not invincible. Splurging from time to time is ok, but eating too much of a bad thing, and for too long, will take a toll on our bodies over time. And if you have diabetes or heart disease, the right diet is even more important; it’s one of the top ways to manage your condition successfully.

The best bet for everyone? Go all-natural. Eat plenty of lean meats, fruits and vegetables. You can also swap out saturated fats for an occasional indulgence of “healthy fats” — foods like avocados, almonds, salmon, and yes, even peanut butter — which can decrease your risk of heart disease by lowering your cholesterol.

Add some color to your plate
As kids, we’ve all been warned to “eat our greens.” But only as we’ve become adults did we learn the real reason why. Fruits and vegetables are packed with good things like vitamins, minerals and fibers that protect us from certain chronic diseases like stroke, cardiovascular disease and even certain cancers.

But why stop at green? Adding a rainbow of fruits and vegetables to your daily diet isn’t just a thrill for your palate. Each variety has been proven to help a different part of your body. For instance:

• Grapefruits & oranges: May help protect against heart disease and depression
• Berries, pears & plums: Contain elements that can block tumor growth, improve alertness and lower cholesterol
• Peppers, tomato & eggplant: Can be helpful in protecting lungs from cigarette smoke, promoting healthy weight and lowering blood pressure
• Watermelon, pumpkin & squash: May protect against heart disease, cancer, diabetes and obesity
• Garlic, asparagus & chives: Can boost immune system while protecting against cancer, heart disease, diabetes and obesity  

Exercise for energy
Whenever the topic of healthy living comes up, the topic of exercise shortly follows. And there’s a good reason! Not only is this fat-fighter a big energy booster, it’s also a big heart, bone and back booster. Consider these health benefits:

• Weight: Exercise can help you lose weight, which goes a long way toward preventing or fighting diabetes. It can improve blood sugar and cut cholesterol – also key in fighting the disease.
• Heart: Exercise strengthens your heart’s muscle, lowers blood pressure and raises the good cholesterol while lowering the bad. Together, these benefits cut your risk of stroke, heart disease and high-blood pressure.
• Bone: A regular dose of exercise not only strengthens bone formation, but it also helps prevent the deterioration of the bones you already have! When paired with a calcium and vitamin-D rich diet, physical activity is even more beneficial.
• Back: Good posture and strong abs are the best defense against back pain — a fitness program that incorporates muscle strengthening and flexibility exercises is the key.

And remember, you don’t have to be a gym buff. Short bursts of activity like walking the neighborhood, strolling the mall or taking the stairs instead of the elevator makes a healthy difference!

Kick the stick
Sometimes it’s hard to believe that one little stick of nicotine can pack such a powerful punch against good health. But the facts don’t lie — smoking contributes to blood clots and higher blood pressure. And it’s a main cause in the development of several chronic conditions, including coronary artery disease, lung disease, hardening of arteries and certain cancers.

That’s pretty serious, but it’s not all. Smoking is a daily choice than can cancel out some of the benefits of the healthy ways of life you may be practicing. For example, smoking can make it harder to breathe, which makes it harder to exercise. And it’s also known to halt the absorption of valuable nutrients and vitamins into the blood.

So why not try kicking the habit today? It’s one of the healthiest moves you can ever make.

Kick back and relax
Even though stress is a constant companion for many people, it’s certainly not a welcome friend. While it’s normal to get stressed with all we have on our plates, stress left unmanaged for too long is unhealthy. It can build up higher stress levels, which make you start stressing even more. It can be stressful just reading about it!

The bigger issue is that stress can lead to health problems like coronary artery disease, high blood pressure and chest pain. So if you’re an expert at relieving your stress, keep up the good work! But if you need some help, here are a handful of tips:

• Phone a friend
• Find a personal “sounding board”
• Practice yoga, meditation or more-aggressive kick-boxing
• Get plenty of sleep
• Indulge in fun hobbies
• Set realistic goals

You could even try talking to an expert. For example, AGB has an International Employee Assistance Program* that’s available 24 hours a day to help employees speak about whatever is on their minds – loneliness, money troubles, child-care issues, relationships and more.

Dietary fats: Know which ones to choose. Accessed May 2, 2008 at http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/fat/NU00262.

Fruit and Vegetable Benefits. Accessed May 2, 2008 at http://www.fruitsandveggiesmatter.gov/benefits/index.html.

A Bushel of Reasons to Eat Your Fruits and Vegetables. Accessed May 2, 2008 at http://www.ext.nodak.edu/food/bushel.htm.

Get Motivated to Exercise. Accessed May 2, 2008 at http://www.medicinenet.com/benefits_of_exercise/article.htm.  

Cigarette Smoking and Cardiovascular Diseases.
Accessed May 2, 2008 at http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4545.

Heart Disease: Stress and Heart Disease. Accessed May 2, 2008 at http://www.medicinenet.com/stress_and_heart_disease/article.htm.

*Automatically included for fully-insured customers.