Top 5 Health Tips for 2026 - Probiotics

Top 5 Health Tips for 2026

Goodbye 2025. Hello 2026! It was an interesting year to say the least, with plenty of ups and downs. But optimism is running high for a new year, and what better to start the year off right then with a few easy and effective health tips. So while you’re making your New Year’s resolutions, here are some ways to ensure that this new year is your healthiest yet.

Try a Fun, New Way to Exercise

If you’ve ever joined a gym in January only to quit in February, you know how difficult it can be to get into the habit of working out. And it’s not just you: low attendance rates are extremely common within the first few months of signing up for a gym membership.1 Instead of buying into the same old gym resolution, try getting in shape with something a little different. For instance, taking up pickleball is a great way to break a sweat while having fun and connecting with others. And that’s important since social support can improve physical performance and make physical activity seem less difficult.2 On the other hand, if hiking in the woods or swimming laps in the pool is more your style, then go for it! Whatever the activity is, evidence shows that you’ll actually move more often if you enjoy what you’re doing.3

Focus on Mental Health

The world seems to get more stressful each year. That’s why it’s important to make your mental health a top priority. Spending time with others can provide a huge benefit. A recent study showed that participation in social activities such as a team sport, book club, or cultural group had a positive effect on mental well-being while decreasing the symptoms of anxiety and depression.4 On the other hand, if you need to get away from it all, calming the mind with meditation can deliver a big boost to your mental state. Mindfulness-based training can help you effectively deal with stress, anxiety, and depression to restore balance to your headspace.5

Limit Screen Time

According to Fortune Magazine, American adults spend up to 18 years of their lives staring at screens. That translates to seven hours per day—which basically equals a full-time job!6 That amount of screen time has been shown to have a negative impact on your health—largely by fostering a sedentary lifestyle and poor sleep habits.7 But all that screen time can also expose you to high levels of blue light. Blue light has been shown to decrease sleep quality and sleep duration—and that won’t just have you dragging through your day, it could also reduce physical and cognitive performance and recovery.8

The simplest way to cut back on your screen time is to change the settings on your phone so it won’t distract or tempt you all day, every day. For instance, you can limit how much time you spend on apps and websites on your Android device with Digital Wellbeing. And the Do Not Disturb feature on Apple devices silences calls, alerts, and notifications so you can disconnect when you need to the most.

Schedule That Doctor’s Appointment

Has it been a while since you’ve seen your healthcare provider? We get it. Life is busy and it’s easy for things like doctor’s appointments to fall through the cracks. But regular checkups not only are able to  identify important risk factors for future health problems, they can spot the early stages of chronic diseases.9 While the need for a yearly checkup is currently up for debate, periodic evaluations can help you stay on top of your health. And the New Year is a great time to make that appointment.

Start Taking a Probiotic Supplement

Another new year on the calendar means another birthday for you. And with advancing age comes a decline in immune function. Fortunately, you can fortify your immune system and even slow these age-related changes with a probiotic supplement. In fact, a study of 733 participants published in Nutrition Research showed that short-term probiotic supplementation enhances cellular immunity in healthy seniors.10 A daily probiotic can also support digestive health by balancing the bacterial buddies in your gut.11 Look for a shelf-stable probiotic supplement that provides a blend of DNA verified Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium species for best results.

The New Year is the perfect time to reset your focus and improve your health. With these health tips, this year can be your best one yet!

References

  1. Gjestvang C. What Makes Individuals Stick to Their Exercise Regime? A One-Year Follow-Up Study Among Novice Exercisers in a Fitness Club Setting. Front Psychol. 2021;12:638928.
  2. Davis AJ. Effects of social support on performance outputs and perceived difficulty during physical exercise. Physiology & Behavior. 2021;239:113490.
  3. Salmon J. Physical activity and sedentary behavior: a population-based study of barriers, enjoyment, and preference. Health Psychol. 2003;22(2):178–88.
  4. Nielsen L. Participation in social leisure activities may benefit mental health particularly among individuals that lack social connectedness at work or school. Mental Health and Social Inclusion. 2021;25(4):341-351.
  5. Pascoe MC, de Manincor M, Tseberja J, et al. Psychobiological mechanisms underlying the mood benefits of meditation: A narrative review. Comprehensive Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2021;6:100037.
  6. Leake L. 17 years of your adult life may be spent online. These expert tips may help curb your screen time. Fortune Magazine. 2024. Available at https://fortune.com/well/article/screen-time-over-lifespan/
  7. Zablotsky B, Ng AE, Black LI, et al. Associations between screen time use and health outcomes among US teenagers. Preventing Chronic Disease. 2025;22:E38.
  8. Wong NA, Bahmani H. A review of the current state of research on artificial blue light safety as it applies to digital devices. Heliyon. 2022;8(8):e10282.
  9. Pathak R, Kang D, Lu Y, Mansuri F, Kasen S, Deng Y, Chen H. Should we abandon annual physical examination? – A meta-analysis of annual physical examination and all-cause mortality in adults based on observational studies. Prev Med. 2022 Aug;161:107130. doi: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2022.107130. Epub 2022 Jul 3. PMID: 35787845.
  10. Miller LE. Short-term probiotic supplementation enhances cellular immune function in healthy elderly: systematic review and meta-analysis of controlled studies. Nutrition Research. 2019;64:1–8.
  11. Manan MA. The role of probiotics in personalized therapeutics: Advances in gut microbe-driven interventions. The Microbe. 2025;8:100497.

This article is for informational purposes only. This article is not, nor is it intended to be, a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment and should never be relied upon for specific medical advice.