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Healthy New Years Resolutions
by Dr Rowena Nicholson MBBS MRCGP DRCOG DipPCouns DipNSpH DipTHY&R BSEM member
[this article appeared in Devon Life magazine, January 2008]
Most New Years resolutions are health related and the New Year is a good opportunity to plan for a healthier future. However, bear in mind that most resolutions are quickly broken, and with stopping smoking and loosing weight coming top of the bill, failure is usually a sign of being over ambitious at the wrong time. Big changes are best planned in advance with professional support, rather than starting on the stroke of twelve in the middle of a celebration. However, there are many ways of improving your health, so this year consider trying some of the suggestions below:
1/ Enjoy looking after yourself
Rather than associating health with deprivation or hardship, change your attitude to that of enjoying looking after yourself. For example, instead of depriving yourself of chocolate, why not treat yourself to a good organic dark chocolate twice a week and really enjoy it (healthier than the cheap kind and you’ll feel satisfied with less). Choose healthier foods and activities that you will enjoy rather than forcing yourself to eat or do things you resent.
2/ Go nuts
Half a handful of nuts as a snack will help to suppress your appetite, as well as adding helpful fats and other essential nutrients. Often avoided by slimmers, they can in fact be very beneficial. Note that peanuts are not nuts, and that you need plain nuts, not roasted or salted.
Benefits: Suppresses the appetite, essential fatty acids reduce the risk of heart disease, antioxidants reduce cancer risks, rich in essential minerals.
3/Slow down
Most of us are always on the go, but we also need time for ourselves. Taking time out makes us more effective and able to concentrate. Spend time on a hobby, or simply sit down with a good book; even better, join a yoga class or learn how to meditate.
Benefits: Helps you balance your lifestyle and reduce stress, benefiting the immune system. Yoga and meditation have been shown to reduce stress and lower blood pressure.
4/ Add some colour to your life
Antioxidants are the natural anti-cancer constituents in our diet; to ensure a good intake, include a range of different coloured vegetables and fruits. A veg box is an excellent way to improve the variety of what you eat, as well as being organic and fresh from the farm, as opposed to chemical laden imports which may have been in cold storage for months.
Benefits: Antioxidants are anticancer and heart friendly, feel virtuous at doing your bit for the environment!
5/ Cover your bases
A good multivitamin and mineral ensures that you are getting the basics. It’s virtually impossible to get all that you need for optimal health from your food alone. See ‘Should you be Supplementing’ article at www.balancedmedicine.co.uk.
Benefits: Provides your basic essential nutritional needs.
6/ Sunshine
Essential to health, as we make vitamin D when sunlight reaches our skin; it is only burning which is detrimental. Caucasians need about half an hour of sunshine daily on exposed arms and face. Finding this a bit tricky in the depths of winter? Take vitamin D 400iu daily.
Benefits: Protects against cancer, heart disease, diabetes and osteoporosis, lifts the mood.
7/ Get walking
If the thought of the gym fills you with dread, why not fit a walk into every day?
Benefits: Improves fitness and cardiovascular health, a lunch time walk will leave you feeling more alert for the afternoon and give you some time to yourself.
8/ Book an MOT
You wouldn’t expect your car to continue running well without a little attention and fine tuning, so why not look on your health in the same way? Prevention is better than cure, and attending to small things now can make a big difference later. Your practice nurse may be able to do a basic check on your cholesterol, blood pressure and sugar level. However, if you wish to take a more in depth look at your health and be proactive in planning for a healthy future, consider a private health screen. Even better, go for an holistic health screen which combines all the standard medical checks with an assessment of your nutritional status, posture and lifestyle.
Please note that this article is not a substitute for individual medical advice; anyone who has a medical condition, is pregnant, underage or who takes medication should check with their medical practitioner before taking any supplements.