When you’re young, any new twitch, a pain in the abdomen, or a headache tends to mean nothing more to you than a temporary irritation that can be mostly ignored. But when you get older, there’s a tendency to think it’s the beginning of something that could be debilitating, or even fatal.

All too often, we assume the worst. Unfortunately, that pessimism adds considerably to a person’s stress — which, ironically, can make you sick.

In addition, as we get older we begin paying for the indiscretions that occurred when we were young. We probably ate too many of the wrong things, didn’t get adequate sleep, took undue chances, and indulged in too many vices. Most of us wish we could turn back the clock and erase these harmful actions, but that’s not how the world works.

Fortunately, while we can’t go back in time, we can change our behavior going forward, and reap the benefits of a new, healthier lifestyle. Many of the harms caused by earlier behaviors can be largely corrected by following a better lifestyle.

There are three major killers of older people: heart disease (cardiovascular disease), neurodegenerative diseases, and cancer. The risks for and from all three of these conditions can be substantially reduced by following a good diet, reducing stress levels, remaining active, and taking a few natural compounds to enhance your disease resistance.