Good health is influenced as much by lifestyle as it is genetics. If you want to live long and live well, you need to make your health a priority.

At Mayo Clinic, we believe the starting point for any approach to health and wellness is to build a foundation of good habits. This includes eating well, keeping physically active, managing stress and staying socially connected. In the Mayo articles on this site, you'll find tips and advice on the importance of developing healthy habits and how to make important lifestyle changes. Good habits not only help prevent disease but also allow you to recover more quickly and more fully should illness develop.

Once you have a strong foundation for wellness in place, there may be additional steps that you can take to achieve optimal health and encourage holistic healing. Depending on your age, overall health, dietary needs and the medications you take, you may benefit from a variety of integrative health practices such as mind-and-body relaxation therapies, acupuncture, massage and supplements. Mayo Clinic's Integrative Medicine Program strives to support individuals both in developing good health habits and in determining when integrative approaches may be appropriate in reaching personal health goals.

As health and wellness take on a more prominent role on the national health care scene, it's important that Mayo Clinic have a strong voice in how best to incorporate integrative practices, when they may be appropriate and how to use them safely. With guidance from your primary health care provider, use the advice offered by Mayo Clinic experts to nurture your whole self — mind, body and spirit.

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March 16, 2019 See more In-depth