Plan for a healthy New Year
For many of us, the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day is one of the most reflective times of the year.
We’re winding down from time spent with family and we’re looking ahead to a new year, and maybe a new start.
With that in mind, it’s a great time to think about taking steps down a healthier path.
What better time to do that than when we turn the calendar over to a new year?
It might seem like a daunting task, but by taking an organized approach, you might find that it isn’t as challenging as it might seem. There are some great resources out there that can help you put together a plan, including the Live Well Polk! page on Polk Medical Center’s website. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is another excellent resource. They offer these tips that could go a long way toward helping you have the healthiest year ever:
1. Make an appointment for a check-up, vaccination, or screening. Regular oral and medical exams and tests can help find problems before they start. They also can help find problems early, when your chances for treatment and cure are better.
2. Wash your hands often with soap and water to prevent the spread of infection and illness. Handwashing involves five simple and effective steps – wet, lather, scrub, rinse, and dry. Learn more about when and how to wash your hands.
3. Make healthy food choices. A healthy eating plan emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products. It also includes lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, eggs, and nuts, and is low in saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, salt (sodium), and added sugars.
4. Get active! Start small – try taking the stairs instead of the elevator, or parking further from your destination. Consider mall walking if the weather is cold to go outside. Adults should get at least 2½ hours a week of moderate-intensity physical activity.
5. Be smoke free. If you are ready to quit, call 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669) or 1-855-DÉJELO-YA (1-855-335-3569 for Spanish speakers) for free resources, including free quit coaching, a free quit plan, free educational materials, and referrals to other resources where you live.
6. Get enough sleep. Insufficient sleep is associated with a number of chronic diseases and conditions—such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obesity, and depression. Adults need seven or more hours per night.
Live Well Polk! is about helping you live healthier in every aspect of your life. We want to be a resource. Visit polkhospital.org for more information about Live Well Polk! and let’s work together toward a healthy 2019.