New Year Resolutions are easily made and easily broken. Below are suggestions that are fast and easy to do…
Skin exam
Every month do a skin and body examination, especially if you have fair skin or if there’s a family history of skin cancer. Of particular concern is melanoma. To detect skin cancer, the following ABCDE acronym is helpful:
Asymmetry — one half of the mole is lopsided (one half doesn’t match the other half).Borders — are irregular.
Color — is not uniform — multicolored.
Diameter — is larger than the diameter of a pencil eraser (>6mm).
Evolution — the size, shape or color feels or looks different over time.
Wash your hands
Yes, wash your hands. Wash your hands with soap and water for 25 seconds, especially when reentering your house or apartment.
Stand Up
Stand up (as often as you can) while talking on the phone.
If you’re on the computer stand up and stretch every 20 minutes. Try using a timer to remind you to get up and stretch.
S-t-r-e-t-c-h Exercises
The intent of these exercises is for you to do them. There are helpful books, blogs and magazine articles on fitness if you want to dive deep into this subject. Do these stretch exercises several times until you feel “loosened up.” If necessary, hold on to something to keep your balance.
- Chin on your chest, head back now return to a neutral position. Turn your head to the left and right.
- Move your shoulders a few times forward and backwards.
- Standing up, pretend you are swimming — free style, back stroke, breast stroke
- Lean your body to the left and to the right a few times
- Bring your right hand down to your left knee. Bring your left hand down to your right knee.
- When acceptable, bring your knees almost up to the level of your waist. Left knee up — right knee up. Go to your left, your right, your left.
- Feet wide apart, lean to the left, lean to the right
- When feasible and if you can, jump up and down a few times.
Folic Acid
If you are trying to become pregnant (or possibly can get pregnant) take folic acid daily to minimize spinal and brain birth defects to the newborn.
Walk, Walk, Walk
Use the stairs to walk up to your apartment. I live on the tenth floor. How about getting off on the ninth floor and walking up a flight? When you feel stronger, get off on the eight floor.
If you use the bus to get around, get off a stop before your final destination. It’s a good idea to exercise by walking 30 minutes 4 or 5 times a week. Wall and walk some more…
Diet
- Eat less (but more nutritiously) and live longer. Are you overfed and undernourished? Do you feel tired all the time?
- Limit sweets deserts. Order one desert in a restaurant and split it. Better yet, order berries for desert
- Make red meat a side dish. Limit the amount of red meat to 3 ounces, two or three times a week
- Stay off the farm. Eat less dairy, saturated fats and red meat.
- Eat more fruits and vegetables.
Weigh yourself daily
If you have gained a pound over the past day or two, how did this happen? You can take action to correct this gain in weight before it becomes excessive.
Smoking
Talk to several people who have successfully stopped smoking for many years and have not gone back to this unhealthy, expensive habit. How did they quit smoking? Their experience has helped a number of people to kick the habit.
Stress — Take a break
Every day, take the time, in a specific place to find out what’s bothering you and how to fix it. For example, you might want to limit the encounters you have with toxic people. On the other hand, you may want to socialize more with family and friends. It’s up to you,
Learn the Heimlich maneuver
Search the internet for a straight forward explanation
Know your numbers
Ask for a copy of the lab tests from your doctor and file them in an appropriate place. Some of the numbers of interest are the cholesterol, blood glucose levels, your blood pressure, weight and others.
Many New Year resolutions are broken after a few months and are out of sight like passing clouds. Chief among these broken promises are those made about diet, exercise, weight loss and smoking. The above recommendations are doable. They don’t require fancy equipment, professional consultations or a lot of time. However, they do require all of us to become more fired up about taking charge of our own health.
References
CDC Five Minutes (or Less) for Health
Anticaglia, Joseph R; Metabolic (Nutritional) Typing; What Type Are You? HC Smart 2016