Doctor: This is the No. 1 thing women should do to live a long, healthy life–but 'it's not a free pass'

 Did your competent? doctor give you this talk? Oh, told you nothing and did nothing, like mine!

Doctor: This is the No. 1 thing women should do to live a long, healthy life–but 'it's not a free pass'

Orthopedic sport surgeon Dr. Vonda Wright is looking to change the way women age in America.

"I am acutely aware that even though we're living longer, we're suffering longer, and that most of the conversation around longevity in this country so far has been directed at men, or using the science of men," Wright tells CNBC Make It.

As a clinician who has studied longevity for two decades, Wright equips her patients with the tools they need for healthy aging. She recently published a guide to longevity, with a focus on women, called "Unbreakable."

Her book explores four core pillars for longevity: nutrition, exercise, lifestyle and supplements. But the No. 1 thing she says women should do to age well would surprise you.

"If you ask me, what the number one [thing] when someone's closing the book that I want them to walk away with is I want them to walk away with mindset mobilization," Wright says.

"The number one thing that we can do is to pivot our mindset from worshiping our youth to understanding that now and in the future, if we invest in ourselves every day, because we're worth it, that we can be healthy, vital, active, joyful. But it's not a free pass. It takes work."

Developing mental resilience is what Wright believes women need to be consistent with the practices that lead to optimal health and wellness. Mental resilience is the ability to adapt well when faced with challenges, according to the American Psychological Association.

Wright has three C's for building emotional resilience:

1. Control: When you're feeling stressed, only focus on your response, which is what you can control.
2. Commitment: "Being committed actually teaches your brain resilience, and it tells your brain that you're worth it."
3. Challenge: Pushing yourself to take the next step when met with challenges teaches your brain that you're stronger than you realize.

Boosting your ability to be mentally resilient can help you to implement the top two habits Wright suggests to women for a healthy body: "We are going to impact our bones and we're going to lift weights."

Weight lifting, and intentional jumping — hopscotch or jump rope — are the essentials of the fitness plan that she recommends to her female patients. To really build muscle, you'll need to increase the weight you're lifting over time, she notes.

"Here's the cool part in contracting skeletal muscle and jumping up and down, our muscle and our bone sends hormones to our brain to build a better brain," Wright says.

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