10 secrets of healthy aging

There's plenty you can do to not just age gracefully, but with gusto:

1. Get your potassium
Stay strong as you age by eating potassium-rich vegetables — potatoes, leafy greens — and fruits, such as bananas and papayas.

2. Think positively
A cheery outlook may actually extend your life.

3. Lace up
According to a study in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, if you stay aerobically fit, you can delay biological aging by 10 or more years and prolong your independence.

4. Join the culture club
Probiotics, the so-called friendly bacteria, may play a role in the prevention of certain diseases.

5. "B" smart
Keep your brain healthy with vitamin B12, found in such foods as seafood and poultry.

6. Make fish a habit
Certain fatty fish contain high amounts of two omega-3s critical to healthy aging — eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).

7. Pal around
Don't let connections fall by the wayside.

8. Get more D
Vitamin D is one of our major defenses against many age-related diseases.

9. Do Tai Chi
Often described as "meditation in motion," this ancient form of stretching and balance can help you age well.

10. Reduce red meat
Make red meat an occasional indulgence — no more than once a week. Its saturated fat can clog arteries, raising the risk of cardiovascular disease. It may also boost cancer risk.