Deadlines. Overtime. Mortgage. Monthly Bills. Traffic. Sickness. The benefits of modern living seem to be the bane of all human existence. The more we advance technologically, it seems that the more we experience decline in the quality of life we live. We get to earn more money at the expense of spending less time with our kids. We build big beautiful houses only to spend more time in the office. We buy a shiny new car and get stuck in traffic. We see breakthrough upon breakthrough in the medical field only to hear more people getting sick each year from unknown causes.

These are the realities of modern life that the concept of healthy living seems more of an ideal to aspire for than the norm. But an ideal is better than nothing, after all. With the cost of getting medical treatment going up the roof, most people have come to realize that they better clean up their act or suffer the consequences.

Due in part to this demand for a healthier lifestyle, many movements, fads and gimmicks have sprung up. However, it becomes too difficult to sift through the whole lot of them to determine which ones are authentic.

The following, however, are tried and proven, no-nonsense tips for healthy living. If you haven't tried putting them in practice yet, perhaps it's time you should. The results are guaranteed to improve your life.

1. Don't compromise priorities. Once you've set them, stick with them. If you've placed spending time with your family high up the ladder, then you can say no to working on weekends or overtime no matter how lucrative the compensation is. As you learn to set priorities and stick by them, you'll find yourself getting less stressed.

2. Make exercise a daily habit. It is only through constant physical activity that you keep your metabolism running to burn any unwanted fats so you can have more energy to do productive work. Exercise also produces endorphins that lift up your mood and keep you happy.

3. Watch what you put in your mouth and what comes out of it. Your nutrition should be balanced and must come from a variety of food groups. Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean meats and fish should be part of your daily diet. And while you're watching your calorie intake, perhaps it's also worth your while to take stock of what you say to people and how you say it. Far too many relationships have been destroyed because of insensitivity.

4. Know when to step back. Sometimes, we simply accept more work and demands on our time only to realize far too late that we can't keep our commitments. Practice saying "no" when the occasion demands it. If the stress becomes too overwhelming, step back and recharge.

5. Don't put family in the backseat. Too many children suffer the consequence of broken marriages because mom and dad simply forgot to spend time with each other. Nothing is more important than family. They are your support system when everything else falls apart. That's why it's important for couples especially to spend quality time with each other to keep up, clear misunderstandings and just talk. A brisk early morning walk together can meet both the need for exercise and this. Of course, spending time with the kids is important too. Instead of allowing them to lock themselves in their room to play computer games, encourage them to play badminton or some other sport with you to keep them fit and healthy.

With these practices, healthy living should become the norm rather than the ideal. The best time to start is now, when the daily stresses of modern living has not put you or your family out of commission yet.