Debbie Allen is a legend in her own right for her various talents like acting, dancing, choreographing, directing and producing.
At 73 years old, Deborah Kaye Allen, more commonly known as Debbie Allen, has a recurring role on "Grey's Anatomy", on which she is also a producer and director, and runs her own dance academy where she trains students ages four and up.
As a multi-hyphenate, Allen can easily spread herself thin if she doesn't prioritize her health and wellness — which is why there are certain things that she's more meticulous about.
"I really try to pay attention to my diet. I try not to do too many sugary foods," Allen tells CNBC Make It. "So when I do splurge, it's [just] that day, not every day of the week."
Diet is extremely important to Allen because she has a history of diabetes in her family and is pre-diabetic. After partnering with Prevent Blindness and Regeneron for the "Gr8 Eye Movement" to promote eye health, she also discovered that diabetes can lead to serious retinal diseases like diabetic macular edema (DME) and diabetic retinopathy (DR).
Thankfully, Allen has great examples in her family on how to approach health and wellness. Her mother turned 100 years old this year, and her older sister, actress Phylicia Rashad continues to excel in prominent roles at age 75.
"Part of mom's routine — she lives with me and my husband — is going to regular visits to the eye doctor," says Allen. "I'm pre-diabetic and so I'm one of those who could be at risk [of certain retinal diseases]. When I go in and check mom's eyes, I get mine checked too."
Here's what Debbie Allen does to stay healthy at 73
Perhaps Allen's graceful aging is partly genetic, but there are still some things that she does daily to stay healthy and well.
"I try to exercise. I've been dancing my whole life, but now as a producer and a director, I'm not dancing as much as I used to," says Allen.
She's since supplemented the physical activity in her life by riding bikes, taking yoga classes and climbing up the "hateful stair in Santa Monica" twice in a day. The "Santa Monica Stairs" are two separate stair cases in the Santa Monica Canyon; to enter, you must climb 170 steps, and to exit you must walk down 189 steps.
"It's [about] finding those things that you like to do, that make you feel good, but you're actually being physical," says Allen. "And then trying to get some sleep. You know, sleep deprivation is the cause of a lot of serious problems."
Yet, Allen knows that the key to staying healthy isn't only exclusive to physical health. She places a large focus on managing her stress levels and her mental health, too.
"I'm in an industry that is high, high stress. I mean right now there is a lot of stress," she says in reference to the pause on production of TV shows like "Grey's Anatomy" due to the writers' strike in Hollywood.
She finds the most peace by pausing and doing enjoyable things outside of her work like "losing myself in a wonderful movie" or going to the theater.
"Two weeks ago, I just got dressed and went and got my grandkids. I took them to the science center, and we looked at the Mayan exhibit, and we had lunch. We walked around, and we talked about rocks and birds and fish. That was really good for me."
When it comes to prioritizing peace, Allen has some words of advice: "Calm down. Control what you can control. And what you can't control, just calm down."
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