How to Have a Healthy Start to the New Year

How to Have a Healthy Start to the New Year

Reviewed on October 28, 2022. 

Every December, we start coming up with a list of goals we want to achieve in the new year. These resolutions can range from quitting smoking to starting a new business, but two of the most common goals are to live healthier and lose weight. Luckily, by concentrating on the former, you can also achieve the latter.
Of course, the problem with New Year’s resolutions is that most people break their promises to themselves by the end of February. So, how can you stay committed to your healthy lifestyle goals? Here are five ways you can have a healthy start to the new year.

5 Ways to Have a Healthy Start in the New Year

  1. Keep Your Body Hydrated

Dehydration is dangerous for the body. It causes you to suffer painful cramping, feel lightheaded and fatigued, and if it isn’t resolved, it could cause a range of serious health problems. This year, you should focus on keeping your body hydrated if you want to enjoy optimum health. Water helps rid the body of toxins; it lubricates your joints; it energizes your muscles, and it helps you lose weight.
Keep in mind that hydrating your body doesn’t just mean drinking a lot of water. You can also increase your water intake by eating fresh fruits and vegetables instead of salty or sweet snacks. In fact, some fruits and vegetables like cantaloupe, watermelon, strawberries, cucumber, celery, lettuce and other leafy greens, zucchini, tomatoes, and bell peppers are comprised of 90% water!

  1. Manage Your Stress

Stress is one of the largest obstacles in the way of you reaching your goal of good health. Stress causes you to crave unhealthy foods. It raises the level of cortisol in your body, thus causing your body to hold onto fat. It also has a negative impact on your cardiac health, your sleep quality, your memory, skin and hair quality, and it has been linked to health problems like seizures, asthma, high blood pressure, stroke, and cardiac arrest.
Therefore, this year you should find a method of stress management that works for you. This can be anything from meditation and other relaxation techniques to breathing exercises and taking a short, calming walk. Or, you can start journaling or see a therapist. There are several ways to manage stress. Finding the strategy that works for you and making it a part of your life is what’s important.

  1. Improve Your Gut Health and Magnesium Intake

The intestinal flora (or lack of it) that’s found in your gut can have a significant impact on how your immune system works. Believe it or not, it also affects your mood. The truth is; maintaining a healthy gut is the key to living a healthier lifestyle.
Most Americans also suffer from magnesium deficiency. This is risky because magnesium plays an important role in more than 300 metabolic functions. Therefore, if your lab work results show that you’re low in magnesium, you need to start eating more magnesium-rich foods or take a supplement. To improve your overall gut health, try eating or drinking fermented foods. These types of foods help enhance the level of “good” bacteria. If you don’t like the taste of fermented foods like kombucha, sauerkraut, and kimchee, just to name a few, then you should find a good probiotic supplement to help regulate your gut bacteria.

  1. Exercise More

Along with losing weight and eating better, exercising more is a top resolution. And it’s no wonder because it is another important factor in improving your health. Keep in mind that exercise doesn’t always mean lifting weights. You can incorporate low-impact exercises like Tai Chi, yoga, Chi-Gong, or plain old walking into your weekly routine for a well-rounded exercise regimen.

  1. Drink Pure, Clean Water

In far too many parts of the country, the drinking water is laced with all manner of illness-causing particles. Even tap water that’s been fortified with fluoride should be avoided. Instead, consider using a reverse-osmosis system or at least a very high-quality water filter to filter your drinking water. These types of products will remove most if not all the dangerous metals and chemicals from the water you drink. Another option is to fill up your drinking containers at your local grocery store if you have one that provides carbon filtering and reverse-osmosis water stations to its customers.
 Additional Tips
Looking for even more tips for getting healthy this year? Here are a few more for you to think about:

  • Replace your makeup with non-toxic cosmetics
  • Avoid prepackaged and processed foods
  • Eat organic as often as possible
  • Make getting good sleep a priority
  • Have gratitude for your daily blessings
  • Strengthen your social (offline) relationships

By adopting these strategies into your daily life, you’ll be starting the year off right and on the right path to a happier, healthier life.

The information contained on this page is for informational purposes only. The purpose of this blog page is to promote understanding and knowledge of various health topics. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment and before undertaking a new health care or fitness regimen, and never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.

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