With the New Year just beginning, now is a time many of us try to start the year off right, kick our old bad habits, and instill some new healthier ones. If you are this far into January and haven’t thought of a good way to start off the year health wise, you have come to the right place. Below are 5 great ways to get healthier this New Year.
Eat the Right Foods
As the saying goes, “you are what you eat.” Nutrition is the number one way to improve your well-being. This means focusing on your serving amounts, sizes, and content. A “5 meal ideal” will help you manage your weight, keep your cool, maintain your focus, and avoid cravings. Shoot for five servings of vegetables a day. This includes raw, steamed, or stir-fried. A diet high in vegetables is associated with a reduced risk of developing many types of cancers. Vitamins like Omega-3s are important too. Omega-3s are found in foods like fish, especially salmon, sardines, and fish oil supplements. Other choices include walnuts, almonds, and flaxseed. These have been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease, improve your immunity, and reduce inflammation. What, when, and how much you eat can keep both your metabolism and your energy levels steadily elevated, so you’ll have more all-day energy.
Exercise Consistently
Exercising has both short-term and long-term benefits. Right away, it can improve your mood, reduce stress, and even make your brain work better. Over time, exercise can prevent health problems ranging from obesity and diabetes to heart disease and even cancer. Even with all these benefits, some 60 percent of Americans stay on the couch. If you’d like to be in the 40 percent of regular exercisers, psychologists say to focus on the first three weeks. Be encouraged that it will get easier! Studies have shown that any activity repeated daily becomes a habit after three weeks. Exercise and physical activity are a great way to feel better, boost your health and have fun. For most healthy adults, the Department of Health and Human Services recommends at least 150 minutes a week of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes a week of vigorous aerobic activity a week.
Rest
Getting enough rest is important to allow your body to recover after a long day. If you have trouble sleeping, try relaxation techniques such as meditation and yoga. Or eat a small bedtime snack of foods shown to help shift the body and mind into sleep mode: whole grain cereal with milk, oatmeal, cherries, or chamomile tea. Darken your room more and turn your clock away from you. Write down worries or stressful thoughts to get them out of your head and onto the page. This will help you put them into perspective so you can quit worrying about them. Nap when needed. Sometimes all that you need is a quick nap! This will give you a great boost of energy rather than reaching for an energy drink or more cups of coffee than you really need.
Dry skin
Not particularly an illness, but definitely a problem that many people face, dry skin is a common condition and often worsens during the winter, when environmental humidity is low. Moisturizing is essential during winter. Contrary to popular belief, moisturizing lotions and creams are not absorbed by the skin, but instead act as a sealant to stop the skin’s natural moisture evaporating away. The best time to apply moisturizer is after a bath or shower while your skin is still moist, and again at bedtime. Also, having warm as opposed to hot showers will make your skin feel less dry and itchy.
Cut the Bad Habits
Sometimes, instead of instilling new, healthy habits, it is just easier, and better, to cut the old bad habits. Over consumption and use of alcohol and tobacco is associated with a plethora of deteriorating diseases and dramatically increase the risk of certain cancers. Late nights strain both your mental and physical health. Even giving in to your sweet tooth too often can cause dietary concern and dental problems. If you know there are some habits in your life that you would be healthier without, this is a great place to start this New Year.
De-Stress
Stress can take a major toll on your overall health. Research has shown that meditation is an effective way to alleviate stress and improve your overall health. For instance, an analysis of 47 studies with over 3,500 people discovered that mindful meditation helped reduce anxiety, depression and stress. Exercise is also another way to destress, that kills two birds with one stone. Every time you are physically active, whether you take a walk or play tennis, your body releases mood-boosting chemicals called endorphins. Lastly, make sure to unplug. Make time each day, even if it’s just for 10 or 15 minutes, to escape from the world.
The New Year is a fresh start and the perfect time to start healthier trends. You don’t have to do all of these tips, even one will help you get healthier. Take your New year health habits one step at a time!
