My dad always told me growing up that without health, you got nothing. So you better be damn grateful for every condition-free day. I am. Every Thanksgiving, I thank God for my health because it is one of three things for which I am most grateful (the other two being my family and a free country).

I was please to see this Beliefnet gallery that my editor Holly Lebowitz Rossi compiled: 21 ways to be healthy. I will give you the first few. Then you can check it out for yourselves.

1. Eat

Eat well, eat often–4-6 small meals a day to optimize your metabolism and keep your body energized and in balance. Don’t deny yourself treats, but make sure that the majority of your food choices are high in nutrients, fiber, “good fats,” and lean protein. Local, in-season, and organic when possible? All the better.

2. Sleep

A recent scientific study showed that people who slept fewer than 7 hours each night were three times as likely to catch colds as those who slept 8 hours nightly. So tuck in and get your zzs!

3. Love

Falling in love feels great, we all know that. Love triggers the release of all manner of feel-good brain chemicals that bathe our bodies in happiness and well-being… even protection from illness. But that’s not the only reason love–be it romantic or platonic–is a health-giving thing. When you choose to love, you experience what pianist Arthur Rubinstein famously said “Love life, and life will love you back.”

4. Talk

Sometimes you feel bad because something’s on your mind, skulking around and sabotaging your well-being, inside and out. Talking to a trusted friend or therapist can help you sort out what’s really going on inside–and map out steps to make it better.

5. Laugh

Did you ever think of laughter as an ab-toning exercise? Well, it is! Plus, it’s a blood-oxygenator, endorphin-releaser, and general body relaxer. Ha HA!

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