Q: I really want next year to be the year I become as healthy as possible. Can you help me figure out a plan and schedule?

Casey R., Santa Rosa, Calif.

A: Bravo! You are planning ahead and making a public declaration of your intention to live a healthier and happier life! That shows how serious you are about achieving your goals.

By following the lifestyle adjustments suggested in my book What to Eat When and the longevity-extending tips in The Great Age Reboot (due out in 2022), you can put together a plan that is both easy to follow and loaded with great rewards.

The What to Eat When formula says eat only when the sun is up: a window of approximately 12 hours, depending on the time of year. This allows for a resting period (or fasting) and can help you break the habit of bingeing on snacks.

The guide also suggests you eat most of your food for breakfast and lunch. Aim to consume 80 percent of your daily calories before 3 p.m.

As for what you eat during these recommended times: You know the drill: plant-based, free of added sugars, no red or processed meats and no ultraprocessed foods.

Move it to lose it and gain a longer, healthier life. In The Great Age Reboot, I list steps you can take to self-engineer your fitness.

Walk 10,000 steps a day or the equivalent one minute of activity equals about 100 steps.

Get two or three sessions of strength training a week include core-strengtheners to avoid back problems down the road.

Do cardio exercise that increases your heart rate three times a week for 20 minutes. Aim for 80 percent of your age-adjusted heart rate (figure it by subtracting your age from 220 and then taking 80 percent of that).

Take 40 jumps in place a day. This increases lymphatic flow, bone density and spine health.

Q: Cancer seems to run in my family, and I want to do everything I can to help prevent it from happening to me. Can you tell me about cancer-fighting foods?

John Y., Indianapolis

A: You are right to fight! Genetic predispositions do not always mean you are going to develop whatever condition they are affiliated with. Your lifestyle choices can activate that predisposition or help squelch it! And food is a powerful tool when it comes to helping prevent cancer.

Some of our favorites are berries, lentils, kale, spinach, cauliflower, 100 percent whole grains and turmeric.

Berries: Blueberries, blackberries, raspberries and strawberries contain phytochemicals such as anthocyanins and a powerful antioxidant, pterostilbene, that reduce chronic bodywide inflammation (from obesity, red meats, added sugars, stress and poor sleep habits). Chronic inflammation ups the risk of cancer substantially. Berries also contain something called ellagic acid; laboratory studies show it has antiviral, antibacterial, antioxidant and cancer-preventive properties.

Lentils: High-fiber foods nurture good gut bacteria and may reduce the risk of colon cancer. They also help control appetite and weight being overweight is associated with an increased risk of 12 cancers.

Kale, cauliflower and spinach: Kale and other cruciferous veggies, like broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower, contain glucosinolate, which can cause tumor cells to die. Spinach contains carotenoids that may help fight cancer. It also has glycoglycerolipids certain formulations may inhibit some forms of breast cancer.

Whole grains: They contain fiber, phytochemicals and minerals that help fight cancer. One metastudy looked at the diets of 786,000 people and found that eating 7 grams of whole grains daily was associated with a 20 percent decrease in the risk of dying from cancer.

Turmeric: This tasty spice may do more than add flavor to your favorite foods. Laboratory and animal research indicates it may prevent cancer, slow its spread, make chemotherapy more effective and protect healthy cells from damage by radiation therapy. Confirmation in high-quality human trials is needed.

Contact Dr. Roizen at sharecare.com.

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Launch a new you with the new year - Houston Chronicle