Martha Stewart has emphasized her focus on healthy living, as she remains physically active and engaged in business and creative pursuits well into her 80s.

On a recent episode of the podcast “50 & Unfiltered,” the lifestyle icon, 84, spoke with her longtime friend and colleague, QVC host Shawn Killinger, about a variety of topics, including wellness, resilience and living with a sense of purpose.

During the discussion, Stewart shared some of her top secrets to aging gracefully.

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No. 1: Treat aging like a discipline, not a decline

Stewart shared that she believes aging well is the result of consistent self-care, regular maintenance and long-term discipline rather than pursuing drastic fixes.

“It doesn’t appeal to me,” she said when asked about her thoughts on plastic surgery. “I have this theory that if one takes care of oneself really well and follows strict but not life-threatening kinds of disciplines, one can look good, feel good and be good for a whole life.”

No. 2: Focus on looking better, not just younger

While Stewart has said that she avoids plastic surgery, she supports other people’s personal choices. On the podcast, she shared a story of her own mother’s experience.

“My mother came to me when she was 85 and asked if I would help her get a facelift,” she said. Stewart then took her to see a well-known New York plastic surgeon.

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“He looked at her and said, ‘You’re a beautiful woman. I can’t make you look younger, but I can make you look better,’” she recalled. “So she went for it… and she looked great.”

“One of my mottos is: Learn something new every day.”

Despite her lack of interest in going under the knife, Stewart acknowledged that maintaining her appearance requires ongoing effort. 

“I’m 84 years old… and I’m trying so hard to look really good,” she said, sharing that she does have a facial wax every three months.

No. 3: Stay busy, curious and productive

Stewart has credited her busy schedule and strong curiosity as key to staying sharp and engaged well into her 80s.

“I like to work, and I like to learn, and I like to go places, and I like to be busy,” she replied when asked about her numerous commitments. “I like to be productive. One of my mottos is: Learn something new every day.”

Stewart said her parents always encouraged her and her siblings to be “really, really proactively busy and [to] learn stuff.”

When asked if she ever gets tired, Stewart admitted that she does, but said she doesn’t let fatigue slow her down. “I was sick for a week, but I had to keep working,” she said. “I can never take off.”

No. 4: Keep evolving, but don’t ‘reinvent’ yourself

One of Stewart’s most widely known mottos is, “When you’re through changing, you’re through.”

“Everybody says, ‘Oh, you’re reinventing yourself,’” she said. “I’m not reinventing.”

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Instead, Stewart embraces the idea of gradually, naturally evolving — in everything from appearance to daily habits and career pursuits.

“To reinvent means total change — but you can’t,” she said. “I’m not changing my bodily shape or anything, except to get better, hopefully.”

No. 5: Prioritize toughness and self-acceptance

Persistence and resilience are key to overcoming setbacks and achieving goals, according to Stewart. 

“I think I’ve always been tough,” she said. “I’ve lived through it all. You can’t be sensitive.”

She also distinguishes between finding happiness and being at peace with yourself.

“I’m happy with myself,” Stewart added.

No. 6: Prioritize family and physical capability

At 84, Stewart said she has “pretty much everything she needs,” and expressed a desire to spend more time with her family.

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She also emphasized the importance of maintaining the physical capability to enjoy demanding activities, like hiding, horseback riding and rafting, all of which she planned to do during an upcoming family trip to Utah.

No. 7: Be practical — and unafraid — about mortality

When the podcast conversation turned to end-of-life plans, Killinger asked Stewart about her thoughts on cremation. “I’m going to be composted,” she replied.

“When you’re through changing, you’re through.”

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When asked to elaborate, Stewart said her preference mirrors the burial of her beloved animals over the years.

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“When one of my horses dies, we dig a giant hole really deep in one of my fields,” she shared. “We have a pet cemetery, and the horse is wrapped in a thin white linen sheet and is very carefully dropped down into this giant, lovely grave. I want to go there.”

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When asked whether that’s allowed, Stewart said, “It’s not going to hurt anybody. It’s my property.”

She added that traditional burial procedures, such as coffins and tombstones, don’t appeal to her.

Fox News Digital reached out to Stewart requesting comment.

Nail-biting, procrastination and avoidance are often framed as bad habits we can’t control, but a new psychology book argues that they’re more like survival strategies that may have once protected us.

In “Controlled Explosions in Mental Health,” clinical psychologist Dr. Charlie Heriot-Maitland examined why people stick with bad habits that seem to work against their own best interest.

Drawing on years of clinical research and therapeutic practice, the expert reveals how the brain prioritizes predictability and safety over comfort and happiness.

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“Our brain is a survival machine,” he told Fox News Digital. “It is programmed not to optimize our happiness and well-being, but to keep us alive.”

For much of human history, being caught off-guard could be fatal, research shows. “The brain prefers predictable pain over unpredictable threat,” Heriot-Maitland said. “It does not like surprises.”

When faced with uncertainty, the brain may opt for smaller, self-sabotaging behaviors rather than risking larger, unpredictable ones.

The book argues that “the brain uses these small harms as a protective dose to prevent further harms.” Procrastination, for example, may create stress and frustration, but it can also delay exposure to the higher-stakes fear of failure or judgment.

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“The central argument is that behaviors we label as ‘self‑sabotaging’ could actually be attempts by the brain to control discomfort,” Thea Gallagher, a psychologist and wellness programs director at NYU Langone Health, told Fox News Digital. 

In modern life, threats are often more emotional than physical. Rejection, shame, anxiety and loss of control can activate the same survival systems as a physical threat, experts say.

“Our brains have evolved to favor perceiving threat, even when there isn’t one, in order to elicit a protective response in us,” Heriot-Maitland said.

Self-criticism, avoidance and actions like nail-biting can function as attempts to manage the “dangers.”

Potential limitations

Gallagher noted that the book leans on clinical insight rather than empirical research.

“That doesn’t make it wrong, but it means the claims are more interpretive than scientific,” she said, noting that more data is needed to determine what is happening on a “mechanistic level.”

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Gallagher also emphasized that external factors, such as ADHD, trauma, chronic stress or socioeconomic pressures, can shape these behaviors in ways that aren’t just about threat responses.

Rather than seeing patterns like procrastination as flaws, the book encourages people to understand their protective function. That said, people should seek professional support for destructive behaviors that could cause severe distress or self-harm.

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“I encourage my patients to think about short-term pain for long-term gain, because if you just respond to discomfort and distress in the moment, you might find yourself in longer-term patterns you don’t like or want,” Gallagher said.

“I don’t think it explains the motivations for all people, as everyone is different, but I think it can certainly apply to some.”

“Our brain is a survival machine.”

Heriot-Maitland noted that everyone has a choice in how they handle their own potentially harmful habits.

“We don’t want to fight these behaviors, but nor do we want to appease them and let them carry on controlling, dictating and sabotaging our lives,” he said.

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Gallagher shared the following practical tips for people who may notice these patterns.

No. 1: Shift from self‑judgment to self-compassion

Instead of asking yourself “Why am I like this?” try focusing on the function of the behavior, she advised. For example, does it serve to soothe, numb or distract from other fears or threats?

No. 2: Notice patterns without fighting them (initially)

“Observing the behavior with curiosity helps weaken the automatic threat response,” Gallagher said.

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No. 3: Build a sense of safety

This can mean relying on grounding techniques, supportive relationships, predictable routines and self‑soothing practices.

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No. 4: Practice small, low‑stakes exposure to feared situations

“If the brain fears uncertainty, gently introducing controlled uncertainty can help retrain it,” the expert recommended.

Years of high-intensity exercise may come with an unexpected heart risk for male endurance athletes over the age of 50, according to new research from the University of Leeds.

The study, published earlier this month in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, found that some endurance athletes over the age of 50 experienced potentially dangerous heart rhythm disturbances during or shortly after exercise, particularly those with scarring in the heart muscle.

Researchers followed 106 healthy male runners and cyclists using wearable activity trackers and implantable heart monitors. 

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About one in four experienced episodes of ventricular tachycardia, a rapid heart rhythm that can become life-threatening if sustained. Three in four of the athletes who had these episodes showed evidence of myocardial scarring.

“Our study shows that exercise was only associated with a risk of developing abnormal heart rhythms in those who were already high risk due to heart scarring,” lead author Wasim Javed said.

Researchers note that about 90% of exercise-related sudden cardiac deaths occur in males over 40, often without warning signs.

According to the American Heart Association, regular physical activity — even as little as 30 minutes most days — can significantly lower the risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke. 

Cardiologists at the Cleveland Clinic also say exercise strengthens the heart, improves circulation and supports overall cardiovascular health.

The findings suggest that while long-term endurance training may carry risks for a small subset of older athletes, exercise itself remains overwhelmingly beneficial.

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“Athletes who developed abnormal heart rhythms were not exercising more or harder than athletes without abnormal heart rhythms,” Javed said. 

“This suggests that exercise itself is not the cause but could act as a trigger for dangerous heart rhythms in those athletes already with an underlying heart issue.”

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Researchers say older male athletes, especially those with long competitive histories, should consider regular cardiovascular screening and discuss symptoms like unexplained dizziness, palpitations or breathlessness with a doctor. Wearable heart-monitoring devices may also help detect irregular rhythms early.

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“Exercise is safe and has immense benefits, but athletes in this group should have regular health checks to make sure they stay healthy,” Javed said.