MANILA, Philippines - Travel guru Susan Calo-Medina has been there and done that.

At age 68, she has traveled the whole country -- climbing mountains, cruising the underground river, and eating exotic dishes, among others.

Her show, Travel Time, has been running for more than 2 decades.

"I'm 68 and I'm still going strong. I guess I'm healthy," Calo-Medina said in an interview at ANC's Living the Golden Life on Saturday.

Here are some of her tried and tested tips on how to be healthy and happy, even at an old age:

Keep moving

On top of her brief sojourns, Calo-Medina makes it a point to exercise often -- she does Pilates 3 times a week, as well as weight-lifting and leisure walking.

The travel guru believes that one has to exercise not only to lose weight, but also keep muscles young.

"I exercise, I move. I do Pilates 3 times a week. I believe in the regimen. It really does strengthen your core. You're always erect and your lower back is safe. I believe that if I keep doing this, I won't be kuba (hunchbacked)," Calo-Medina explained.

She continued, "You have to move to, first of all, keep your body in shape. Not just to be fit or slim, but to keep your muscles young. You have to move your body and your mind. You need to get out and be active."

Eat everything

To truly enjoy getting old, Calo-Medina believes that one must be able to eat what he or she wants.

She made the statement as she doesn't hold back in her food trips whenever she travels during her shows.

"When I'm traveling, and they just feed me, I just eat everything. You have to eat not only because they'll feel offended if you don't eat, but also because masarap (delicious) eh. So kumain ka (just eat)," she shared.

Despite this, however, Calo-Medina stressed that just like everything else, eating must be done in moderation. "When I come back to Manila, that's when I try to shrink my stomach a little bit."

She defines a good, healthy meal as "fish and salad, or soup and salad, or fish and vegetables."

Be happy

Calo-Medina believes that the most important factor in aging gracefully is a better outlook on life.

"This is something I learned many years ago, that every day, you should have something to look forward to, whatever it is. Even if it's just 'tomorrow, I'm going to eat steak.' Or 'tomorrow, I'm going to see my apo (grandchild).' You have to look forward, always," she explained.

She added, "It works. I think that happiness, laughter, joy, these keep you healthy. Having a happy family life, being happy with your children, being happy with your friends, keep you healthy."

To achieve this, Calo-Medina said one must find an activity that keeps them happy and alive, something that he or she is passionate about. In her case, she said she's lucky to have found her niche as a travel host.

"Do something. Use your mind, use your body. Do something that you love. Do something new, something that makes you happy. Get out and immerse yourself in something bigger than yourself," she said. -- Karen Flores, abs-cbnNEWS.com