As the new year quickly approaches, the American Medical Association (AMA) is offering 10 recommendations to help Americans make the most impactful, long-lasting improvements to their health in 2026 and beyond.
“With the holiday cookies eaten and those missed workouts officially last year’s worry, the new year is a great chance to refocus on the healthy choices you want to make in 2026,” said AMA President Bobby Mukkamala, MD. “Even tiny changes now can snowball into major gains for your long-term health.”
The AMA’s 10 recommendations for a healthier new year, include the following:
- Get screened—Schedule preventive visits, tests, and screenings so your physician can catch conditions before they become more serious if left unchecked.
- Manage stress—Mental health is part of overall health. Techniques such as meditation, deep breathing and yoga can help reduce stress. Ask for help from a mental health professional when you need it.
- Be physically active—Start the year off by prioritizing physical activity. Strive for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity or 75 minutes of vigorous intensity activity each week. If you have a sedentary lifestyle or primarily sit for long stretches at work, build in frequent breaks to stretch and move throughout your day.
- Follow a healthy diet—Drink water instead of sugar-sweetened beverages and eat nutritious, whole foods, including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts and seeds, low-fat dairy products, and lean proteins. Avoid unhealthy ultra-processed foods, especially those with high levels of added sodium, saturated fats and sugar. Drinking sugary beverages, even 100% fruit juice, is associated with a higher mortality risk, according to a study published in JAMA Network Open.
- Stay hydrated—Drink plenty of water or other beverages such as milk or herbal teas, which are composed mostly of water, to avoid dehydration and to keep your body functioning properly. Even mild dehydration can drain your energy and make you tired. Adult men should get about 15.5 cups of fluids a day and women should get 11.5 cups per day, according to the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.
- Get plenty of good sleep—To maintain your health and emotional well-being, most adults need 7 to 9 hours of quality sleep. Rest helps boost immunity and improve mental clarity.
- Update vaccinations—Vaccinations remain the best defense against flu and other serious respiratory viruses. Since significant flu activity can stretch into May, it’s not too late to get a flu shot. The AMA recommends vaccination as long as the threat of flu remains. Talk with your physician or other health care professional to determine which vaccines are right for you. To cut through vaccine confusion and have open, honest conversations with your physician, first go to the AMA website for evidence-based information. For help finding a flu vaccine in your area, visit GetMyFluShot.org.
- Drink in moderation—If consuming alcohol, do so in moderation as defined by the U.S. Dietary Guidelines: up to one drink per day for women and two drinks for men, and only for adults of legal drinking age.
- Quit tobacco, nicotine and e-cigarettes—Ask your doctor or health care professional for resources and guidance to help quit smoking, vaping or using other nicotine products. Make your home and car smoke-free to eliminate secondhand smoke exposure.
- Follow medication directions—When taking prescriptions, store them safely to prevent diversion or misuse, and properly dispose of any leftover medication. If you’re prescribed antibiotics, complete the full course to prevent antibiotic resistance.
About the American Medical Association
The American Medical Association is the physicians’ powerful ally in patient care. As the only medical association that convenes 190+ state and specialty medical societies and other critical stakeholders, the AMA represents physicians with a unified voice to all key players in health care. The AMA leverages its strength by removing the obstacles that interfere with patient care, leading the charge to prevent chronic disease and confront public health crises and, driving the future of medicine to tackle the biggest challenges in health care.
