1. 10 little things that make a BIG difference. Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, CBS Health Watch, & The House Ear Institute

2. Floss… A recent study at the University of Michigan revealed that the bacteria that causes gum disease also cause the platelets in your blood stream to clot together, raising the risk of a heart attack. So, floss daily - it benefits your mouth and your heart.

3. Play Mental Games… Research indicates that performing regular intellectual activities such as reading, jigsaw puzzles, crossword puzzles, or even playing cards could help prevent Alzheimer’s disease. How so? In a nutshell, these activities build neural networks in the brain- the more connections, the longer Alzheimer’s sufferers can function mentally.

4. Take your Vitamins.. Keep in mind that a daily multi-vitamin shouldn’t take the place of a balanced diet, but a supplement may be beneficial to get in your requirement of vitamins and minerals.

5. Tip the Cup… Thirty-three percent of what American’s drink every day can cause dehydration. This includes coffee, caffeinated soda, tea, and alcohol. Even more, 51 percent of Americans don’t drink the recommended amount of water-eight glasses a day. Try adding one glass a day until you reach the suggested amount.

6. Take a Hike… Exercise doesn’t have to be strenuous to achieve benefits. In fact, the New England Journal of Medicine reports that walking bristly for 30 minutes a day can cut a woman’s risk of heart disease by 30 to 40 percent.

7. Wear Shades… Repeated ultraviolet exposure can cause damage to the surface of the eye, and has been linked to eye disease such as cataracts. Wearing a pair of sunglasses is one of the best things you can do for your eyes. Look for sunglasses that block out 99 to 100 percent of the sun’s harmful rays!

8. Lather Up… According to the American Cancer Society, skin cancer is the most common type of cancer-yet about 80 percent of all skin cancer is preventable. Protect yourself with sunscreen that has a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 15 and avoid going outside between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.- when the sun’s rays are the strongest.

9. Get Soap… According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the single most effective way to prevent the spread of infectious disease is hand washing. By simply washing your hands, you can prevent yourself from catching the common cold or other contagious illnesses.

10. Click It… Every hour someone in America dies simply because they didn’t buckle up. Plain and simple, using your seatbelt is the single more effective thing you can do to reduce the chance of death and injury on the road.

11. Plug and Protect... When you’re exposed to excessive sound, sensitive structures in the inner ear can be damaged, causing noise-induced hearing loss, which is cumulative and permanent. Prevent hearing loss by wearing ear plugs or ear muffs when you know you’re going to be exposed to long periods of loud noise- like a music concert, fireworks, car race, etc.