New Year’s resolutions are a bit like babies: They’re fun to make but extremely difficult to maintain. This year, pick one of the following worthy resolutions and stick with it!
Lose weight: Start off with drinking more water and cutting the carbs and alcohol. Do your basic blood test and get help from your GP/dietician while you are still enthusiastic!
Stay in touch: It’s good for your health to reconnect with family and friends. Research suggests people with strong social ties live longer than those who don’t.
Quit smoking: Do you fear that you’ve failed too many times to try again? Talk to any ex-smoker, and you’ll see that multiple attempts are often the path to success. Try different methods to find out what works and think of the cash you’ll save!
Save money: Save money by making healthy lifestyle changes: Walk or ride your bicycle to work, cut back on gym membership costs by exercising at home: dance with your children for 15 minutes every day! Take stock of what you have in the fridge and make a grocery list of clean basic items.
Cut your stress: Long working hours and little sleep contribute to stress. Chronic stress can increase your risk of insomnia, depression, obesity and heart disease. Relaxation, sleep, socialising and taking vacations are all things we tell ourselves we deserve but don’t allow ourselves to have. Travel more! The joys and rewards of vacations can last long after the suitcase is put away.
May 2018 be a healthy one!
By Dr Deseré Ferreira, 031 – 582 5301.