Remember all those times your mom told you to go to bed early and eat your veggies? You might not have wanted to admit it back then, but as it turns out, she was right--about almost everything. Here, the 10 best pieces of advice that moms give:

1. Wash your hands. Think about everything you touched today--toilets, door handles, telephones. It should come as no surprise, then, that washing your hands is one of the best ways to prevent illness and stop the spread of germs, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Be sure to cleanse thoroughly with warm water and soap for at least 20 seconds every time.

2. Button up. How many times did your mom tell you to button your coat or zip up your jacket as a kid? She probably made you wear a hat, too. Well, she had a good point: Although cold weather doesn't cause illness, it does stress the immune system, making you more susceptible to infection.

3. Eat your vegetables. Believe it or not, your mom wasn't trying to torture you by making you gobble down broccoli and carrots. Numerous studies have confirmed that a diet rich in vegetables can strengthen your immune system and reduce your risk of developing heart disease, stroke, obesity, diabetes, and even some cancers.

4. Turn off the TV. Mom probably wanted you to open a book or play outside instead-and for good reason. Studies have shown that there's a direct link between TV watching and low literacy rates, obesity, and a sedentary lifestyle. Some experts also believe that TV promotes violent behavior and high-risk activities, including alcohol and tobacco use.

5. Stop touching your face. Not only does touching your face increase your risk of getting sick; it can also lead to acne, no matter how old you are. When you touch your face, the bacteria on your hands transfers to the new surface. From there, bacteria settle in your pores and create blemishes. So follow Mom's advice on this one, too, and if you must touch your face, make sure your hands are squeaky clean.

6. Eat your breakfast Eating a healthy breakfast boosts your metabolism and helps to maintain a healthy body weight. In addition, a 2005 study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that women who ate breakfast every day had significantly lower LDL and total cholesterol levels than women who skipped it.

7. Go to bed. It's important to go to bed at a reasonable time, maintain a constant sleep cycle, and get at least seven or eight hours of shuteye each night. Getting the proper amount of sleep helps you maintain a healthy body weight, while sleep deprivation can result in irritability, dangerous driving, and a higher disease risk, all of which can be hazardous to your health.

8. Wear sunscreen. Sure, it's goopy and smelly, but it could save your life. Remember, any amount of suntanning represents skin damage on the cellular level and, over time, could result in cancerous tumors. For this reason, experts recommend avoiding UV exposure completely during high-intensity hours and, if you must expose your skin to the sun, using a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15.

9. Practice safe sex. Remember those embarrassing sex talks? Your mom wasn't trying to humiliate you-she was trying to protect you. Remember, there's still no cure for AIDS, and sexually transmitted diseases can cause pelvic pain, infertility, urinary problems, and neurological complications.

10. Just say no. Each year, illegal drugs cause about 10,000 deaths in the United States, and drunk driving accounts for another 16,000. Tobacco-related diseases, including heart disease and lung cancer, kill 450,000 Americans each year. In other words, Mom's advice couldn't have been better.