Expert Health Tips: Achieve a Healthier 2026

As a new year begins, many people find themselves reflecting on their health — setting goals to eat better, move more, sleep longer or finally break bad habits. But with rising food costs, busy schedules and a constant stream of conflicting advice online, it can be hard to know where to focus. So, what does the science actually say? To cut through the noise, we asked UBC Faculty of Medicine experts to share practical, evidence-based strategies that promote long-term health and healthy aging. Their message is consistent: sustainable habits, built into everyday life, matter far more than short-lived fads or quick fixes. Here are six expert-backed tips to help set the foundation for a healthier 2026 and beyond. 1. Forget diet fads, focus on healthy eating behaviours Eating well has become more challenging than ever, from rising grocery prices to a dizzying array of diet trends. According to Dr. Sarah Purcell, the fundamentals of good nutrition haven’t changed, but how we apply them matters. “Most people already know the basics: eat enough fiber and protein, limit ultra-processed foods, and go easy on saturated fat and alcohol,” says Dr. Purcell, assistant professor at UBC’s Centre for Chronic Disease Prevention and Management. “The challenge is less about knowing what to eat, and more about developing good habits you can maintain long term.” Research consistently shows that long-term healthy eating is driven by patterns of behaviour, not short bursts of good eating or restrictive fad diets. Dr. Purcell encourages people to focus on habits: cooking at home more often, eating slowly and mindfully, paying attention to hunger cues, or sharing meals with others. Dr. Rachel Murphy, associate professor at UBC’s School of Population and Public Health, echoes this perspective, while emphasizing that what people eat is shaped by numerous factors including family and friends, where people live, and policies that shape food prices and availability — factors that go far beyond individual willpower. “Families are busy and grocery bills are higher than ever,” she says. “Make healthy choices that fit your circumstances, whether that’s increasing your intake of fruits, vegetables and fibre, or habits like cooking at home and turning off screens during mealtime.” 2. Stick to a consistent wake-up schedule Sleep is foundational to good health, allowing your body to repair, recharge and fight disease. As many adults focus on getting the recommended 7-8 hours of sleep per night, Dr. Najib Ayas says a consistent sleep schedule plays an important role. “If you’re struggling to get a full night sleep, one of the first things we recommend is sticking to the same wake-up time every day, including weekends,” says Dr. Ayas, a professor of respiratory medicine at UBC. “Your body runs on an internal clock. When that clock is predictable, the whole system works better.” Dr. Ayas encourages people to use an alarm to ensure that you get out of bed no later than their pre-set time every day. While a fixed bedtime doesn’t need to be adhered to as rigorously, Dr. Ayas recommends a before-bed “buffer zone” — 30 to 60 minutes during which you avoid screen time and any stimulating or stressful activities. “Screens can fool your body into thinking it’s still daylight out,” says Dr. Ayas. “Avoid using them before bed, and if you happen to wake up in the middle of the night.” 3. Build functional strength training into daily routines Evidence shows that strength training is one of the most powerful exercises for promoting healthy aging, helping to prevent age-related decline in muscle strength, increase mobility, decrease fall risk and support long-term independence. But strength training doesn’t require expensive gym memberships or hours in the weight room, says Dr. Teresa Liu-Ambrose. Instead, you can focus on functional movements that are easily incorporated into everyday life. “A simple and sustainable habit is incorporating functional strength training into daily routines,” says Dr. Liu-Ambrose, professor in UBC’s Department of Physical Therapy and Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Healthy Aging. “You can do these exercises with no equipment, or with items you have around the house.” Functional strength exercises are designed to mimic everyday activities. One example is the sit-to-stand movement: standing up from a chair and sitting back down with control. Doing as few as 10 repetitions a day can meaningfully challenge large muscle groups in the lower body. Importantly, the benefits extend beyond physical health. Dr. Liu-Ambrose’s own research has shown that strength training can improve cognitive performance in older adults, slow the progression of vascular diseases in the brain, and improve brain function. 4. Learn something new Just like muscles, the brain benefits from regular challenge. Dr. Silke Appel-Cresswell, associate professor of neurology at the Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, says lifelong learning plays a critical role in building what researchers call “cognitive reserve.” “Learning builds the brain’s resilience so that it’s better able to maintain normal function despite age-related changes, injury, or diseases like dementia and other neurological disorders,” she says. What matters most, says Dr. Appel-Cresswell, is activities that are engaging, meaningful and varied. This could be anything from trying a new creative hobby like painting, learning a new language, playing an instrument, or reading books and discussing them in a book club. But she cautions against relying solely on repetitive brain-training games. “It might be okay and it’s not doing any harm, but it often doesn’t translate as well into real-world benefit,” she says. “It’s important to switch it up and do different activities.” 5. Know your numbers for better cardiovascular health When it comes to preventing heart disease and stroke, knowledge is power. Blood pressure and cholesterol levels are well known risk factors that should be checked regularly, but according to Dr. Liam Brunham, there is another important heart marker that many people have never heard of: lipoprotein(a). “Lipoprotein(a) is an inherited form of cholesterol that evidence shows plays a major role in the risk of blood vessel and heart valve disease,” says Dr. Brunham, associate professor at UBC’s Centre for Heart Lung Innovation. “Getting it checked is now recommended in Canada’s national guidelines.” About one in five Canadians has elevated lipoprotein(a), yet most people are unaware of their level because it isn’t included in a standard cholesterol test. Because Lp(a) is genetically determined, it typically only needs to be measured once in a person’s lifetime and the test is covered by provincial health plans in B.C. “People should speak with their health care provider. Finding out your level can help determine your heart disease risk more precisely and inform preventive care,” says Dr. Brunham, who is also an investigator on clinical trials currently underway for new therapies that lower lipoprotein(a). Beyond lab tests, day-to-day self-monitoring of certain health metrics also plays a powerful role in protecting cardiovascular health. “One of the most effective ways to improve management of health behaviours is self-monitoring,” says Dr. Brodie Sakakibara, associate professor in UBC’s Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy and researcher with the Centre for Chronic Disease Prevention and Management, based out of UBC’s Southern Medical Program in Kelowna. This can include using activity trackers to monitor movement, keeping a food diary or measuring blood pressure at home. The goal isn’t perfection, Dr. Sakakibara says, it’s awareness. Self-monitoring helps people recognize patterns, notice changes from their usual baseline, and take action or seek medical advice when something seems off. 6. Connect with family, friends and community One of the clearest lessons from the world’s “blue zones” — regions where people consistently live longer, healthier lives — is the importance of strong social connections. “We’re social beings,” says Dr. Michael Kobor, director of the Edwin S.H. Leong Centre for Healthy Aging at UBC. “Having a social network that’s supportive and allows you to interact with other people is very beneficial for well-being in general, but also for healthy aging.” Research shows that strong social ties are linked to better physical, mental and cognitive health, while loneliness — which many experts describe as a growing public health concern — sits at the opposite end of that spectrum. Dr. Kobor says those social connections can take many forms: visiting family, hanging out with friends or joining group activities like a dance class, lawn bowling or volunteering. “Just having a group of people that you feel you can interact with and feel a connection to — that’s the key,” he says. While face-to-face interactions are preferable, Dr. Kobor says that digital tools like video calling can help people stay in touch when distance or mobility is a barrier. He highlights even more future-looking work by Drs. Julie Robillard and Lillian Hung, investigators at the Edwin S.H. Leong Centre for Healthy Aging, who are exploring how AI-powered social robots can support people living with dementia. “There is growing evidence that social connectedness, both in the traditional sense and through innovative methods, is critical for keeping us healthy as we age,” says Dr. Kobor. That is why the Edwin S.H. Leong Centre for Healthy Aging runs community outreach programs designed to counter loneliness — bringing people together through events and raising public awareness about the lifelong health benefits of social connection.