On Intelligence Progress, our sister siteCan AI answer my health questions?What studies with real people found when adults asked chatbots about their health. ↗
Exercise, strength training and balance.
4ExerciseWidely recommended · Free, for almost everyoneExercise is anything that gets your body moving.4Strength trainingWidely recommended · Free or low cost, at home or a gymStrength training, also called resistance training, is exercise that makes muscles contract, often to lift a heavy object against gravity.4Balance training and preventing fallsWidely recommended · Free or low cost; classes and physical therapyTai chi is described as a gentle exercise with slow and graceful movements.
Eat and drink
See everything for eat and drink →Eating patterns, fasting and alcohol.
4Healthy eating patterns (Mediterranean, DASH, whole foods)Widely recommended · Free; a change in eatingThe Mediterranean diet is a plant-focused eating plan based on the traditional foods and cooking methods of the Mediterranean region.4Drinking less alcoholWidely recommended · FreeDrinking less alcohol means cutting back on how much you drink, which is better for health than drinking more.3Calorie restriction and fastingLarge studies in people · Free; a change in eatingCalorie restriction means eating fewer calories than usual without missing key nutrients, while fasting diets limit when or how much a person eats.
Sleep and smoking
See everything for sleep and smoking →Getting enough sleep, and quitting smoking at any age.
4Quitting smokingWidely recommended · Free help lines; medicines by prescription or over the counterQuitting smoking means stopping cigarette use, and the CDC says it has health benefits at any age.4Getting enough sleepWidely recommended · FreeSleep is a natural process that helps your body restore energy, supports learning and memory, and keeps you healthy.
Check-ups
See everything for check-ups →Blood pressure, screenings, vaccines, and hearing and vision checks.
4Knowing and controlling your blood pressureWidely recommended · Checks at doctors' offices and pharmacies; treatment by prescriptionHigh blood pressure, also called hypertension, is a key risk factor for heart disease and stroke, and it can be measured and managed.4Health screeningsWidely recommended · Through your doctor; most are covered by insuranceHealth screenings are tests that look for diseases before you have any symptoms.4Vaccines for adultsWidely recommended · At pharmacies and doctors' offices; usually covered by insuranceVaccines for adults are shots that a health care provider may recommend to help prevent certain illnesses.3Hearing and vision checksLarge studies in people · Audiologists, eye doctors and doctors' officesVision screening programs are described as helping to find people who need follow-up with an eye care professional.
Things to limit or avoid
See everything for things to limit or avoid →Everyday exposures and habits that research links to worse health, and how strong that evidence is so far.
4Quitting smokingWidely recommended · Free help lines; medicines by prescription or over the counterQuitting smoking means stopping cigarette use, and the CDC says it has health benefits at any age.4Drinking less alcoholWidely recommended · FreeDrinking less alcohol means cutting back on how much you drink, which is better for health than drinking more.4Ultra-processed foodWidely recommended · Free; a change in eatingUltra-processed foods are tasty, convenient foods that often contain little to no whole foods and use ingredients not found in home kitchens.4Too much sittingWidely recommended · FreeToo much sitting means long periods of low-energy time spent sitting, reclining or lying while awake.2MicroplasticsSmall studies in people · Found in food, water and airMicroplastics are very small pieces of plastic, typically less than five millimeters across in at least one dimension.2Air pollution (outdoor and indoor)Small studies in people · Everywhere; indoor air can be filteredAir pollution is a mixture of solid particles and gases in the air.2PFAS ("forever chemicals")Small studies in people · Found in some drinking water, food packaging and productsPFAS are man-made chemicals used in products worldwide and found in people and animals across the globe.2BPA and phthalates in plasticsSmall studies in people · Found in some plastics, can linings and receiptsBPA is an industrial chemical used to make polycarbonate, a hard, clear plastic found in many consumer products.
Stay connected
See everything for stay connected →Friends, family and community.
Everyday supplements
See everything for everyday supplements →The common supplements people take for general health.
Supplements for everyday health: vitamin D, omega-3, creatine, protein, calcium and more →
3Omega-3 fatty acidsLarge studies in people · Food, supplements and a prescription formMost research has focused on two omega-3s called EPA and DHA.3Vitamin DLarge studies in people · Over-the-counter supplementVitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin found in a few foods, added to others, sold as a supplement, and made by skin in sunlight.3Protein supplementsLarge studies in people · Over-the-counter supplementProtein is one of the more common ingredients in supplements sold to improve exercise and athletic performance.3CalciumLarge studies in people · Over-the-counter supplementCalcium is a mineral your body needs to build and maintain strong bones and to carry out many important functions.2CreatineSmall studies in people · Over-the-counter supplementCreatine is a compound stored in your muscles that supplies them with energy.2MultivitaminsSmall studies in people · Over-the-counter supplementMultivitamin/mineral supplements combine several vitamins and minerals, and sometimes other ingredients, in one product.2Fiber supplementsSmall studies in people · Over-the-counter supplementPsyllium is a bulk-forming fiber laxative used to treat constipation.2MagnesiumSmall studies in people · Over-the-counter supplementMagnesium is a mineral the body needs, found in foods, supplements, and some medicines such as antacids and laxatives.2Vitamin B12Small studies in people · Over-the-counter supplement; injections by prescriptionVitamin B12 is a nutrient that helps keep blood and nerve cells healthy and helps make DNA.
Health devices
See everything for health devices →What home devices measure, and how accurate they are.
4Home blood pressure monitorsWidely recommended · Over the counter at pharmacies and onlineHome blood pressure monitoring means people measure their own blood pressure outside a clinic, using a home device.2Fitness trackers: watches, bands and ringsSmall studies in people · Over the counterSmartwatches and fitness trackers are wrist-worn monitors that people commonly use to count their steps each day.2Continuous glucose monitorsSmall studies in people · Some over the counter; others by prescriptionA continuous glucose monitor is a device that measures blood sugar every few minutes using a sensor placed under the skin.2Sleep trackersSmall studies in people · Over the counterSleep trackers are wearable devices and apps that claim to measure how long and how well you sleep.2Smart scalesSmall studies in people · Over the counterBioelectrical impedance is one way to measure muscle mass in studies of muscle loss.
Recent research
Matching training loads to strength or speed profile in older adults
Older adults trained at loads matched to their speed gap or at loads not matched.
Short exercise breaks for older nursing home residents with muscle loss
This is a plan for a trial, and it has not reported results yet.
Hearing, loneliness, and memory linked in older Europeans but not clearly causal
Poorer hearing went with more loneliness and weaker word recall.
Short daily fasting extended lifespan in tiny worms
Worms fasted for part of each day lived longer than worms that did not fast.
Also see: Age reversal, what the research really shows →
Books on this
This is general information gathered from the sources listed, not medical advice. Talk to your doctor before starting anything new.