Health Resolutions Everyone Can Keep
- Category: General Health, Family Medicine
- Posted On:
- Written By: Southwest General Medical Group
With the New Year just around the corner, thoughts about resolutions—particularly health and wellness resolutions—are taking center-stage. While many people are discouraged by the idea that they’ll break their goal of leading a healthier lifestyle, setting reasonable expectations can help to alleviate some of this frustration. Here are some health and wellness resolutions everyone can attain for a happy and healthy 2020.
Limit Your Sugar Intake
Cutting back on your consumption of sugar can help you to lower your risk of developing health issues like excessive weight gain, heart disease and diabetes. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), people should keep their added intake of sugar to less than 10 percent of their daily caloric intake. For example, for a 2,000 calorie diet, sugars should account for no more than 200 calories.
These tips can help you to cut back on your sugar intake:
- Avoid sugary drinks like sodas and juices with added sugar
- Snack on fruits and vegetables
- Replace sugar with natural sweeteners like stevia, erythritol and xylitol
- Eat whole foods that have not been processed or refined
- In recipes, substitute unsweetened applesauce for sugar
Take Daily Walks
According to the American Heart Association, it is recommended that adults get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise each week. Although it may seem difficult to work this into your schedule, taking a 25-minute walk each day can help to offset the negative effects of a sedentary lifestyle.
Get Proper Rest
According to the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (ODPHP), adults require seven to eight hours of quality sleep each night on a regular sleep schedule. Getting enough sleep can help you to:
- Get sick less often
- Maintain a healthy weight
- Reduce stress
- Improve mood
- Lower your risk of heart disease and diabetes
The following tips can help you get better quality sleep:
- Avoid taking naps throughout the day
- Set a specific bedtime and time to wake up time each day
- Avoid the use of blue-light and electronics in your bedroom
- Avoid nicotine and alcohol products in the evening
Stick to Your Well Visits
When embarking on your health journey, what better way than to stay up-to-date on your annual wellness exams? Depending on your age, gender, and health risk, your primary care physician will suggest the appropriate screenings and tests for you.
Seeing your doctor regularly for scheduled wellness visits and testing helps you to better understand your health risks so you and your doctor can make the necessary changes to reduce your chances of developing illnesses.
