Email
Health Tips for a New You this New Year
It has always been a New Year tradition to write goals or resolutions. As we start 2009, one of the best things you can do for yourself is to include good health and fitness among your priorities. But don’t just put “Get healthy” on your list. It always helps to have specific goals.
Put your goals into writing because simply writing down what you want to accomplish will make your goals more likely to come true. You should also phrase your goals in the present tense to make positive and realistic statements and avoid procrastination.
The health resolutions you make will help you live your life to the fullest not only in 2009 but in the years to come. Let me share with you how I plan to take control of my health this year.
• Eat according to my Nutrition Type – You are what you eat. It’s a cliché but the food you eat defines you. However, a one-size-fits-all diet simply will not work. According to Dr. Mercola, your unique genetic composition tells you that you should eat a certain blend of the right food types in the same way that a car was designed to run on certain types of fuel. Find out if your body responds better with proteins or vegetables. Knowing the right balance of foods to eat will help you get more energy and easily lose weight.
• Get more sun – It’s the best and cheapest way to optimize your Vitamin D levels. Vitamin D deficiency is a silent epidemic and the conservative estimate is that 70% of Americans are Vitamin D deficient, leaving more than half of the population vulnerable to a number of chronic illnesses, including cancer. The sun is nature’s most powerful life-giving force and produces Vitamin D when sunlight strikes exposed skin. Though you can take Vitamin D supplements, going out to get some sun is still your best option. And it’s for free!
• Keep sugar intake to a minimum – I had too much sugar during the holidays because of the Christmas and New Year desserts and I paid the price in the badminton and football games I played. I was simply out of shape and I immediately knew that it was because of my excess sugar intake. Visit http://www.mercola.com/article/sugar/dangers_of_sugar.htm to read about the 76 ways sugar can ruin your health by Dr. Nancy Appleton, author of Lick The Sugar Habit.
• Get good sleep – Studies suggest that lack of sleep is one of the factors that has driven the obesity epidemic in the U.S., as well as increased the risk of illnesses such as heart disease, breast cancer, colon cancer and diabetes. Use an eye mask to block out excess light and try to make your room as dark as possible. I’ve tried it and it certainly made me sleep better. Another simple tip is avoiding before-bed snacks and caffeine.
• Drink more water – You’ve certainly heard of this one more than once. Drink at least eight glasses per day to avoid fatigue, dry skin, headaches and constipation. And the keywords are “at least” because the rule of thumb is to drink one quart of water per 50 pounds of body weight you carry. Since the average person weighs 150lbs, that’s three quarts of water daily. Athletes and those engaging in regular physical activities should drink more than that. Try to drink bottled spring water and filtered water instead of tap water or distilled water.
• Take quality natural supplements – It’s a jungle out there with all these vitamin and mineral supplements around. The key is to determine which nutrients you need to address specific health concerns and enhance your overall wellbeing, and find the best and most effective brands (which aren’t necessarily the most popular ones). Dr. Mercola regularly reviews supplements according to their categories and endorses only those that are most effective and have the most impact to your health. But remember: supplements are just supplements; they’re meant to enhance your diet but not replace food because real food is still the best source of nutrients.
There are so many other things you can do to improve your health this year. Just look in the mirror and “listen” to your body and you’ll know what to do. These tips are just suggestions to help you get started. But don’t put too much pressure on yourself. Resolutions are not unbreakable promises.
As I’ve said above, be specific and set goals. Watch the food that you eat. A meal diary will come handy. Set the time you go to bed. Schedule your morning walks to get some sun. Regularly take your supplements and replenish when they run out.
Before health tips can become habits, try to be consistent first with one and build some momentum rather than trying them all at once and end up giving up on all of them. Be patient and always think long-term.
Cheers to a happy and healthy New Year!
|
|
Tags: Dr. Mercola, New Year, New Year Health tips, Nutrition Type, Vitamin D
