Around the world, people are preparing to tackle their New Year’s ambitions, and setting health-based goals are among the most popular resolutions. We’ve been faced with countless challenges this year, but the trials of 2021 have had God with us every step of the way, reminding us to stay hopeful and persevere into 2022!
If you haven’t decided on the improvements you’re going to set into motion this new year, we can help! Take a look at some of the habits we’ve identified that encourage healthy, accountable living going into the New Year, so we can get healthy together!
1. Examine Your Daily Routine
Are there areas where you cut corners? Do you have a few unhealthy habits during your day-to-day? It’s easy to make healthy changes that may seem small at first but could be beneficial in the long term!
Do you work to find the closest parking space in the lot? Try purposefully parking further away to build in more walking time. Are you constantly sneaking a sugary snack in the afternoons? Choose a filling but healthy snack like nuts or prepare a boiled egg instead. If you watch a television show each evening, consider standing on the commercial breaks, rather than sitting through the entire hour.
Identify areas where subtle improvements could make meaningful changes in your daily routine and start taking steps to get healthy!
2. Establish a Heart Healthy Diet
Effective health management should incorporate diet, exercise, and lifestyle adjustments to effect long-lasting change. So, let’s change to a heart-healthy diet this new year! With heart disease as the leading cause of death in the United States, diet trends such as keto, paleo, and the Mediterranean diet have gained notable popularity. However, before adopting a diet plan, it is important to have an understanding of how to have a healthy heart before choosing how to best support it.
Sorting through the pros and cons of each diet plan is a hassle. The following is a quick guide to establishing a heart-healthy diet under the guidance of reliable resources such as MyPlate.gov and the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute.
3. Focus on Dental Hygiene
It’s no secret that good oral hygiene is vital to keeping teeth and gums healthy, but what you may not know is that the bacteria found in your mouth are often linked to heart disease. Regularly flossing and brushing your teeth can decrease your risk of developing heart diseases and keep your body healthier overall. Good dental hygiene can help support overall health and well-being and is one of the simplest steps you can take to support your heart health. Here are some fast tips to improve your dental hygiene this new year:
- Establish a Regular Brushing Habit: Brushing your teeth in the morning and at night is a typical brushing schedule, but brushing in the middle of the day or after eating something sugary can provide greater protection for enamel and gums.
- Clean and Replace Your Brush: Your toothbrush can be home to millions of types of bacteria, including E. coli. To reduce the number of harmful bacteria gathering on your toothbrush, rinse your toothbrush thoroughly with water after each use and replace it regularly.
4. Give Yourself Some Love and Positivity
How often do you take time out of your day to do something you want to do? We spend vast amounts of our day tending to our jobs, our children, our spouses, and that growing pile of laundry, that self-care often gets deprioritized, which can be a huge detriment to our mental health and the ability to keep a positive mental attitude.
Your mind is a vital part of not only your well-being, but of those close to you, too. Regular self-care ensures you and your loved ones are poised to be positive, happy, and successful no matter what life throws at you this new year!
5. Staying Hydrated is Key
Looking for a quick and manageable New Year’s resolution? Drink a glass of water before each meal! According to healthline.com, liquids play an important role in digestion. In fact, drinking water promotes many favorable outcomes, including weight loss, increased energy, a clearer complexion, and a faster metabolism.
What are your favorite health tips for the new year?