These five simple habits can add more than a decade to your life and help prevent chronic conditions, such as diabetes and heart disease: Eat a healthy diet. Exercise regularly. Maintain a healthy weight. Limit alcohol. Don’t start smoking (and if you do smoke, quit). Consider making one of these your personal goal for 2024. And then, take advantage of your Fund benefits to help you meet your goal.

1. Enlist your doctor’s support. Start with an annual exam where you can discuss your health goals, as well as any health risks or conditions you may have.
2. Get recommended preventive care. Your Health Plan covers it at 100% (the annual exam, too). Cancer screenings and other tests are the number one way to catch issues early, which can increase your longevity.
3. Ask your provider for helpful resources. For example, if you have prediabetes, the National Diabetes Prevention Program (cdc.gov/diabetes/prevention) might be right for you. If you want to quit smoking, visit Alaska’s Tobacco Quit Line (alaskaquitline.com).
4. Check out Teladoc. Switching to a heart-healthy diet? Trying to prevent diabetes? Work with a registered dietician to develop a menu that meets your needs. Is pain keeping you from being active? Teladoc also offers virtual back and joint care to help you on your journey to better health.