Rather than getting overwhelmed and giving up on a big New Year’s resolution for living well, experts say waking up every day and taking a few steps toward healthier living leads to a more achievable goal. We called on medical professionals in various fields to weigh in on the best steps you can take every day toward long-term wellness.
Start Your Day with Proteins, Good Fats and Fiber
While coffee and a bagel, toast or banana is a convenient breakfast, it isn’t the healthiest choice, says Lisa Coontz, registered dietitian at the Smilow Cancer Center in Trumbull, CT. “When you only have carbohydrate intake, that can spike blood sugars, which then leads to a blood sugar low, causing cravings for more sugar and carbohydrates,” she says. “The daily up and down of blood sugars can cause inflammation in the body. Proteins and fats don’t raise blood sugars, so it’s a good idea to start your day choosing a protein source for breakfast.” Since proteins, fats and fibers take longer to digest, Coontz says they also keep you feeling fuller longer, which helps sustain energy until lunchtime. Opt for eggs, omelets, cottage cheese, chia seed pudding, full-fat Greek yogurt, avocado or ricotta toast, oatmeal with nut butter swirl, tofu scramble, or breakfast burrito with eggs, soyrizo and beans. “When I was traveling in New Zealand, it was common to see breakfast salads on the menu,” says Coontz. “It’s the perfect way to start your day: think of a beautiful bowl with mixed greens, whole grain such as farro, topped with a perfectly poached egg.”
Eat More Vegetables
In fact, eating a more plant-forward diet at all our meals is recommended by a number of the experts we spoke to for this article. Aim for two to three servings of fruit and three to four servings of vegetables per day, advises Laura Nahins, registered dietitian at Norwalk Hospital in Norwalk, CT. The Mediterranean diet, which consists of eating mostly protein and vegetables, healthy fats like olive oil and lean meats like fish and chicken, is proven to also reduce cancer risk says Dr. Adam Boruchov, MD, system chair of the Cancer Institute at Nuvance Health in Danbury, CT.
Be More Mindful about Drinking Water and Eating
“Water helps keep digestion regular,” says Nahins. Keep a water bottle with you throughout the day, whether you are at home or on the go, to make sure you are drinking water all day long. “People need about 64 ounces or eight cups of water per day,” she adds. To be more mindful about your intake, try using an app to track it. Also, avoid mindlessly eating throughout the day. This means we should all do less snacking right out of the refrigerator, avoid screens while eating, and sit down to meals rather than eating on the go. “Family meals are another great way to practice mindfulness together,” says Nahins, who encourages patients to let their body allow their brain to register what they’re consuming.
Get Your Heart Rate Up
We know physical activity is good for our hearts and lungs and keeping our weight down. Did you know it was good for your brain also? “It helps prevent stroke, improve our cognition and stave off any neurodegenerative processes,” says Paul Wright, MD, senior vice president and system chair of the Neuroscience Institute at Nuvance Health. “We want at least four days per week with moderate exercise so during that time we get our heart rates up a little bit,” says Dr. Wright. That said, any way you want to do that is beneficial, whether dancing, walking, swimming, tennis or other sports. “It’s really modifiable to the person, but it has to be something you actually enjoy doing,” he says. “Patients have said to me, ‘I don’t like exercise.’ Well, you probably haven’t done the right thing. It always comes back to our childhood. If I went into a group of kids on their cell phones and threw a ball in the air, they’d all want to catch it. We have an inherent instinct to be active. It goes back to what excites you and what you actually enjoy.”
Be More Self-Aware
“Being self-aware of one’s values, beliefs, thoughts, feelings, motives and behaviors can be one of the most important aspects of good mental health,” advises Michelle Peacock, PhD, licensed clinical psychologist and founder of Greenwich Psychology & Wellness in Greenwich, CT. She cites a Harvard Business Review study that shows only about 15 percent of people are accurately self-aware. “Self-awareness is not as simple as introspection, which is fraught with human error,” she adds. “Self-awareness requires intentionality and honesty.” To put this into practice in your daily life, she says, in addition to asking yourself “why” questions, start asking “what” questions. For example: What was I thinking and feeling when I yelled at my spouse? What was the consequence of me not responding to that email? “Self-awareness can positively impact our mood, relationships and career goals,” says Dr. Peacock. “Therapy can help you gain accurate self-awareness and apply that to all aspects of your life.”
Wear Sunscreen
We love being out in the sun and getting our vitamin D, but too often people expose themselves to too much sun, even in winter. “I’m a skier, and the worst burns I’ve ever had have been in the winter when I put nothing on and it’s reflecting off the snow,” says Dr. Boruchov. Wear long sleeves and hats as often as possible, particularly during the hours between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., he advises. And at minimum, wear sunscreen on exposed skin, even in winter. “The sun causes skin cancers, some of which are deadly and some of which are terribly annoying,” says Dr. Boruchov. Also, on your to-do list for this year, be sure to get the required cancer screenings. “Even if you are diagnosed with cancer after a screening, you can reduce your risks of dying from it. Breast cancer, colon cancer, lung cancer: all of those can be found at an early stage with curative results,” he adds.
Cut Alcohol Consumption in Half
The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism advises women should drink no more than one drink a day and men no more than two drinks a day. While reports vary on the threshold at which alcohol consumption becomes detrimental to our health, Dr. Boruchov recommends, whatever you are doing, cut it in half to improve your overall wellness and reduce your risk of cancer. Latest guidelines say, “these light to moderate amounts are not intended as an average, but rather the amount consumed on any single day.” Says Boruchov: “If you have two, try having one. If you have one, try having one every other day.” Whatever you cut back to, do it for the long term. Dry January, the ritual of cutting out all alcohol consumption for a month and then going back to your routines, won’t have lasting benefits for your health, he advises: “It’s like not smoking for a week.”
Turn Off Screens and Lights at Night
Along with nutrition and exercise, sleep is one of the three key elements to wellness, advises Dr. Wright. If you struggle to fall asleep and stay asleep at night, make some changes to your routine. He recommends keeping lights off and keeping screens out of the bedroom for a more restful sleep. Rather than watching TV from bed, turn off screens before you are ready to turn in for the night, so your brain has time to wind down and prepare for sleep. It’s not just the amount of sleep you need (between 7 and 8 hours a night) but the quality you are getting. “If you’re lying in bed and your partner turns on the light, that light is interpreted by your eyes sending a message to your brain that this is daytime. It disrupts your sleep pattern, which can have long-term impacts on cognitive disorders.” While light is bad, music can be good for brain health, says Dr. Wright. If you are the type of person who likes to fall asleep with the TV on, opt for soothing music or sounds, or even an audio book instead, and leave the lights off.
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