Six easy-to-keep resolutions for a healthier 2019

“Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out.” -Robert Collier

The New Year gives us an annual opportunity to take stock of our physical and spiritual selves. It provides an occasion to look at ourselves and our habits honestly, and to tweak our daily choices about we how we care for ourselves.

While New Year’s resolutions that are too lofty can be hard to keep, making small adjustments can be easier to maintain, and they can have a lasting impact. As 2019 approaches, set yourself up for success by thinking of small, attainable resolutions that further your wellness goals. Succeeding feels good, and it creates a solid basis on which to build future successes. Consider these simple resolutions to enhance your wellness in 2019.

Floss:

According to US News and World Report, only 30 percent of Americans floss daily. Older Americans are less likely to floss than their peers in other age groups. “People 75 or older were more likely to report never flossing than those age 30 to 44”, writes author Steve Sternberg.

Sternberg summarizes why flossing is key to oral health: “Done properly, flossing removes food particles that stick to teeth creating colonies of bacteria that promote inflammation and gum disease. Over time, these colonies, called plaque, harden into tarter and wear away at gums and bone, eventually causing tooth loss.” There’s good reason to floss daily, and it’s an easy promise to make to yourself.

Eat breakfast:

According to Dennis Newman, writing for WebMD, breakfast is important because it steadies blood sugar levels throughout the course of the day; it’s also heart-healthy and it anchors your dietary routine. It’s especially important for seniors, as avoiding breakfast can lead to shakiness and light-headedness, which both increase fall risks. Newman advises: “The basic formula for breakfast: Pair carbs with proteins. The carbs give your body energy to get started and your brain the fuel it needs to take on the day. Protein gives you staying power and helps you feel full until your next meal.”

That means grabbing cereal, a bagel, or a piece of bread to get your carbs and nuts, yogurt, milk or cheese for your protein.

Bulk up your fruits, veggies and legumes:

Enhancing your diet with the right foods can keep your systems humming along, so that you don’t have to use medications that troubleshoot those systems when they don’t function optimally. Diet can help regulate common issues like constipation, for example.

Think about what fruits, veggies and legumes (beans, peas, etc.) you like, and make a commitment to incorporating more of them in your diet in 2019. Fruits, vegetables, and legumes may reduce the risk of several issues and even chronic diseases.

The US Department of Health and Human Services points out: “Compared to people who eat few fruits, vegetables, and legumes, people who eat higher amounts as part of a healthy diet are likely to have reduced risk of chronic diseases, including stroke and perhaps other cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, and cancers in certain parts of the body (mouth, throat, lung, esophagus, stomach, and colon-rectum).”

Move:

Do whatever is available to you. If you have access to a senior center that offers classes, sign up for yoga, chair yoga, pickle ball or a dance class. Walk in your neighborhood or at the mall. Find a video you like and stretch your arms and legs. Get in the pool and do some laps or take a water aerobics class. Find the exercise that you enjoy. Then, commit yourself to it.

Talk:

Sometimes, it can be hard to admit that we’re feeling a little more lonely, sad or unworthy than we know how to handle. If you feel a sadness that you can’t figure out how to get rid of, talk with your doctor about it. He or she will listen to you and take you seriously. Plus, you doctor probably knows a care provider who can help.

There’s no shame in needing support. Your sadness might be depression, and that’s common and it’s fixable. Going to see someone who can help you might feel a little bit scary at first, but once you get comfortable with it, you’ll see that it’s such a relief. If you’ve been struggling emotionally, make the commitment to yourself to get the help you need to feel better in 2019.

You’re worthy, and you’re worth it.

Laugh:

Sometimes it feels like bad news is everywhere. But you know what - it’s not. The world is filled with good people, beautiful music, wonderful children and cute pets. Life was good in 2018, and it will be good in 2019 too. Keep finding reasons to laugh, love and live it up. The world needs your intellect, your perspective, your talent and your humor. Keep putting yourself out there.

Happy New Year!