DR NICOLE SAPHIER: 5 ways to get healthier in the New Year
2025-01-01
Category: opinion

As we welcome a&nbsp;new&nbsp;year&nbsp;and a&nbsp;new&nbsp;president, it’s&nbsp;the&nbsp;perfect time&nbsp;to&nbsp;reassess our habits and make meaningful changes&nbsp;to&nbsp;do our part&nbsp;in&nbsp;Making America Healthy Again.&nbsp; It’s easy&nbsp;to&nbsp;get&nbsp;overwhelmed with ambitious&nbsp;New&nbsp;Year’s resolutions and fad health trends, many of which are forgotten about by&nbsp;the&nbsp;summer. I’ve found that small, actionable steps can lead&nbsp;to&nbsp;lasting results.Here are&nbsp;five&nbsp;things&nbsp;to&nbsp;start feeling better&nbsp;in&nbsp;the&nbsp;year&nbsp;ahead:  1. Prioritize Preventive Care Far&nbsp;too often, we neglect preventive health measures, but&nbsp;these can be lifesaving. As a physician, I lament losing even one patient&nbsp;to&nbsp;a preventable cause, or because&nbsp;their disease was diagnosed&nbsp;too late. It’s staggering&nbsp;to&nbsp;know that hundreds of thousands of deaths each&nbsp;year&nbsp;are preventable. And living with untreated chronic illness reduces our quality of life.&nbsp; 5&nbsp;STEPS&nbsp;THE&nbsp;NEW&nbsp;TRUMP ADMINISTRATION&nbsp;MUST&nbsp;TAKE&nbsp;TO&nbsp;MAKE&nbsp;AMERICA&nbsp;HEALTHY AGAIN Schedule your annual checkup and stay on&nbsp;top of recommended screenings for your age and gender. For example, women over 40 should consider mammograms, while men and women should be screening for colon cancer by age 45. And everyone should routinely check blood pressure and cholesterol levels. You know your body better than anyone. If you notice a change, go see your doctor.Tip: Prevention and early detection are&nbsp;the&nbsp;foundation of long-term health. On average, January, March and May are&nbsp;the&nbsp;busiest months&nbsp;in&nbsp;medical offices so consider scheduling your routine annual exam&nbsp;in&nbsp;February and&nbsp;get&nbsp;any specialty appointments and cancer screenings&nbsp;in&nbsp;April.  2. Move More, Sit Less Physical activity is essential, but you don’t need&nbsp;to&nbsp;run marathons or be a gym expert&nbsp;to&nbsp;reap&nbsp;the&nbsp;benefits. Start with small, manageable goals, like walking 10,000 steps a day or&nbsp;incorporating 30 minutes of moderate exercise&nbsp;five&nbsp;days a week. Take&nbsp;the&nbsp;stairs&nbsp;instead of&nbsp;the&nbsp;elevator or go for a walk&nbsp;inside or outside of&nbsp;the&nbsp;building during your lunch break. Consider adding a weighted vest during your walks for an added benefit. Movement not only helps with maintaining a healthy weight but also reduces&nbsp;the&nbsp;risk of chronic conditions like heart disease, diabetes, certain cancers and chronic pain. It’s also good for your mental health! GOP GOVERNOR CALLS ON INCOMING TRUMP OFFICIALS TO BAN JUNK FOOD IN FOOD STAMPSTip: Set aside just 10 minutes a day for movement, whether it’s a brisk walk, yoga, stretching or doing plank exercises. If you are standing for a long period of time, do calf raises&nbsp;to&nbsp;keep&nbsp;the&nbsp;blood flowing and stimulate&nbsp;the&nbsp;muscles. Also, avoid elevators and drive thrus, force your body&nbsp;to&nbsp;move. 3. Nourish Your Body Adopting&nbsp;healthier&nbsp;eating habits doesn’t mean depriving yourself of joy or restricting yourself&nbsp;to&nbsp;only organic raw&nbsp;ingredients. Focus on&nbsp;incorporating nutrient-dense foods&nbsp;into your diet. Eat&nbsp;the&nbsp;colors of&nbsp;the&nbsp;rainbow, meaning, aim&nbsp;to&nbsp;eat colorful fruits and vegetables, lean proteins like chicken and salmon, whole grains, and healthy fats daily.&nbsp;  A simple change, like swapping sugary snacks for a handful of almonds, pistachios, blueberries or adding spinach&nbsp;to&nbsp;your morning omelet, can make a big difference over time. Avoid restrictive fad diets and focus on balance and sustainability. If you are still someone who enjoys sugary drinks like soda or over-the-top coffee drinks, make 2025&nbsp;the&nbsp;year&nbsp;you start drinking more water and remove&nbsp;the&nbsp;sugar from your coffee. HERE'S HOW TRUMP AND RFK JR. WILL TEAM UP TO MAKE AMERICA HEALTHY AGAINTip: Try&nbsp;infusing your water with fresh&nbsp;ingredients like mint, lemon and cucumber if you find water&nbsp;to&nbsp;be bland or try some of&nbsp;the&nbsp;no-sugar sparkling waters. For coffee, add some raw honey, cinnamon or nutmeg for a&nbsp;healthier&nbsp;flavor alternative. 4. Prioritize Mental Health Mental health is just as important as physical health. This&nbsp;year, dedicate time&nbsp;to&nbsp;activities that reduce stress and improve your emotional well-being. Practices like meditation, yoga or simply journaling for a few minutes each day can help.&nbsp;  You can start a gratitude journal by writing down three things you’re thankful for each morning. When you feel overwhelmed and are focusing on&nbsp;the&nbsp;negative aspects that can happen&nbsp;in&nbsp;life, remind yourself of&nbsp;the&nbsp;good by reading your gratitudes. If you're feeling down, don't hesitate&nbsp;to&nbsp;reach out&nbsp;to&nbsp;friends or family – sharing your thoughts with someone who cares can make all&nbsp;the&nbsp;difference.Tip: If you’re struggling with anxiety or depression, seek professional help – there’s no shame&nbsp;in&nbsp;prioritizing your mental health. If your mind isn’t healthy, your body won’t be either. CLICK HERE FOR MORE FOX NEWS OPINION 5. Sleep Smarter Quality sleep is often underestimated but critical for overall health. Adults should aim for seven to nine hours of sleep per night. It’s not just about how long you sleep though, it’s also about sleeping during&nbsp;the&nbsp;same time each night.&nbsp; Create a bedtime routine&nbsp;to&nbsp;signal&nbsp;to&nbsp;your body and mind that it’s time&nbsp;to&nbsp;wind down – this might&nbsp;include dimming&nbsp;the&nbsp;lights, avoiding screens, or sipping a cup of herbal tea. For example, commit&nbsp;to&nbsp;shutting off electronics an hour before bed and keeping your bedroom cool and dark&nbsp;to&nbsp;promote restful sleep.  Tip: You can also consider writing down your&nbsp;to-do lists or worries on paper before going&nbsp;to&nbsp;bed&nbsp;to&nbsp;remove&nbsp;them from your mind.&nbsp;They will be&nbsp;there&nbsp;in&nbsp;the&nbsp;morning, but for now, it is time&nbsp;to&nbsp;rest. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPAs we step&nbsp;into&nbsp;the&nbsp;new&nbsp;year, embracing a&nbsp;healthier&nbsp;lifestyle doesn’t have&nbsp;to&nbsp;mean a complete overhaul – it’s often&nbsp;the&nbsp;small, consistent changes that make&nbsp;the&nbsp;biggest difference.&nbsp; With a few simple adjustments, you’ll build a foundation for improved overall health, creating sustainable habits that set&nbsp;the&nbsp;tone for a vibrant and balanced&nbsp;year&nbsp;ahead. We can all be doing a little bit more&nbsp;to&nbsp;make ourselves feel better.&nbsp; CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM DR. NICOLE SAPHIER