Here are a few tips for living a healthy lifestyle.

There’s no better place to start self-improvement than with your health. After all, health is one of the most important aspects of life. Taking care of your health is the first step on the road to self-improvement.
1. Eat breakfast- start the day off right with a quick morning breakfast. Fruit and yoghurt, granola and milk or whole-wheat toast and peanut butter will ensure you start on the right foot.

2. Relax in the morning- get up a couple minutes early and savour that extra time. Enjoy a cup of coffee while watching the sun rise; take a few extra minutes to yourself in the shower; or go for a quick brisk walk around the block to get your heart pumping. There’s nothing worse than starting your day in a rush. A few minutes in the morning can make a world of difference.

3. Exercise with a friend- Exercise releases endorphins, which can lift your sprit as well as help you maintain a healthy weight. However, sometimes it can be hard to get out of bed and actually hit the gym. Combining your friendly chatter with exercise can make exercise much more fun. Working out with a friend, whether this is a morning stroll, a spin class, an evening run or anything else, can keep you motivated and revved for the rest of the day.

4. Don’t just drink water, enjoy water- tap water is fine, in most instances, but pure water makes a big difference. It’s important to drink 2 litres of water each day; however, this shouldn’t seem like a chore. Add some ice cubes, lemon or other flavoring and enjoy water through a fun straw to make it more indulgent. Water doesn’t have to be just water.

5. Pop a vitamin a day- it’s amazing what one little pill can do for your health. Multi vitamins can give your body the nourishment it is lacking. We can’t eat perfect balanced and healthy all the time, which is why vitamins were created.

6. Hide (or throw away) the scale- a scale is the only ingredient you need for a recipe for disaster when it comes to self-improvement. Hide it. Throw it away and don’t think about it. You have more important things to worry about than your weight. If you feel great on the inside, then it will show on the outside, regardless of what that darned scale says. If you need something to measure, use a tape measure around your waist monthly.

• Get your flu shots. It may be late it the year, but check with your doctor if it would be beneficial.
• Plan for Social Security ­changes: On January 1, 2015, benefits increase by 1.7% to a maximum of $2,663 each month.  The part B premium for Medicare will remain the same at $104.90 as it has been the past two years.
• Have you had your blood pressure checked, do it now. Many drug stores offer free or low cost testing.
• Coffee has some positive health benefits. It lowers blood pressure, prevents diabetes and may even fight skin cancer.
• A glass of red wine every day may also have health benefits.
• Eat three meals a day (breakfast, lunch, and dinner); it is important to remember that dinner does not have to be the largest meal.
• Control portion sizes; eat the smallest portion that can satisfy hunger and then stop eating.
• Research suggests that people with mild eczema who drink oolong tea three times a day may show improvement in itching and other symptoms.
• Cardiovascular or aerobic exercise. This is the type that benefits your heart most. Examples include walking, jogging, jumping rope, bicycling, skiing, skating, rowing, and aerobics or cardio classes. These strengthen your heart and lungs.