Peggy Fleming should know: like a fine wine, a healthy lifestyle can help you improve with age.

And how you live your life has more of an influence on how you age than genetics, says the retired Olympic figure-skating champion, still going strong in her late 50s. Fortunately, it's never too late to adopt a healthy lifestyle.

“You have the most control over how you age," Fleming says. "A commitment to health now means a better quality of life later."

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services counts physical activity as the most important thing you can do to ensure healthy aging. Regular checkups and tests can detect diseases early, when they are easier to treat.

Fleming provides some of her secrets for sustaining youth:

•  Reduce your risk of heart disease with a cholesterol screening every five years, starting at age 35 for men and 45 for women.

•  Have mammograms every one to two years starting at 40, if you’re a woman, to fight breast cancer, the most common cancer among American women.

.•  Make fitness a priority to lead a more independent lifestyle in your later years. Studies show that loss of function has more to do with lack of exercise than with age.

•  Aim for 30 minutes of daily exercise, realizing that every little bit counts, from playing hide-and-go-seek with your children or grandchildren to strolling around the park. Muscles lose strength when not used, and joints tend to weaken with age. 

•  Plant a garden, play golf or rally on the tennis court. An active lifestyle provides arthritis relief, sleep improvement and prevention of heart disease and cancer.

•  Make gradual changes in your diet towards healthy foods and beverages. Studies show that a healthy diet provides up to a 16 percent decrease in death from any cause.

•  Consume two-and-a-half cups of vegetables and two cups of fruit every day.

•  Help lower your blood pressure  by eating such potassium-packed foods as bananas, oranges and cantaloupe.

•  Aim for six ounces of whole grains a day. Try one cup of cereal for breakfast, a sandwich with two pieces of bread for lunch, and one-and-a-half cups of pasta for dinner.

•  Eat fiber-rich foods such as beans, citrus fruits, and nuts to help reduce the risk of heart disease.

•  Take care of yourself emotionally by staying close to family and friends. Researchers at the Harvard School of Public School say having family and friends as key parts of your live can help you maintain brain skills.

•  Exercise your mind by reading a daily newspaper or writing a letter.

•  Try a new hobby or travel to new places. Researchers include a sense of meaning and purpose among the top factors in determining the pace of the aging process.

Check these out!

•  Ask These 7 Questions Before Exercising

•  Is Strength Training the Fountain of Youth?

•  Vigorous Activity Means Less Weight Later

•  Five Tips for Promoting that Youthful Feeling

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Nubella News, a division of Marketing Technology Solutions, Inc., offers content intended for informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. We encourage our readers to seek prompt medical care for health issues and consult their physicians before starting a new diet, fitness regimen, or medical treatment.