We care about our health, but it does get progressively more difficult to manage well as we get older in life. With age hopefully comes wisdom too, so let’s try to use some of that to benefit our overall health and well-being. It starts will realizing that your health matters and finding ways to improve upon what you already have going for you, while trying to remove or mitigate long-standing medical issues at the same time.

Here are three ways to take better care of yourself when you’re adding the years on.

Firstly, you need to ensure you get regular check-ups in the different areas of your health that matter most. Some you may enjoy more than others. Start with your general practitioner to verify that you’re on track with your health; you can also take a private health assessment that is likely to be far more comprehensive. If you wear either glasses or contact lenses and they’re 1-2 years out of date, it’s time to get an eye test and secure a new prescription for some new eyewear. The dentist is next on the list to get a teeth cleaning and polish, add any fillings needed, and check that your crowns and other older dental work are holding up fine.

The need to prepare and consume a balanced diet is just as important as you age. In this case, a diet that’s rich in soluble fiber and has a lower cholesterol level is a good one to use. The dietary plan doesn’t need to follow a specific highly marketed plan, you just need to avoid foods that we all know are bad for our long-term health, like fried chicken, and pack in healthier options like fresh vegetables, fruits, water, white meat, fish and a mix of carbohydrate sources. Check out livelongstayyoung.com to learn more about healthy meal plans and taking care of your body as you hit your silver years.

When we don’t keep up our regular routines and fail to socialize much with other people, we tend to decline in health over time. This is especially true as we age because we must have things to live for. When we stop working and retire, not staying mentally active leads to mental atrophy in the same way that not staying physically active leads to muscle atrophy. It is best to have hobbies and interests that we keep up and ideally are passionate about, where we can take advantage of the extra free time to put more of ourselves into them.

Maintain your circle of friends and expand your network in the areas where you have similar interests. Stay connected online, learn how to make use of the internet more, and get involved in interesting discussions that keep things fresh. Community involvement is also a great way to meet new people locally and do different things outside of our comfort zone.

Getting older doesn’t have to be a scary prospect. Some things will fall away but be replaced with other activities that are equally interesting. Being open to the changes as we get older avoids the feeling of frustration or limitation that comes when we can no longer do certain things. Keeping a positive outlook is also a useful trait to have.