The new year is a great time to start new healthy habits, and our experts are here to help you get started. People always think about their health when they start a new year. During the COVID-19 pandemic, that’s even more important.
One-quarter of people who made New Year’s resolutions in 2022 said they wanted to live a healthier life People at NewYork-Presbyterian told Health Matters how to make healthy habits.
Regularly work out
People who stay physically fit are better able to keep their heart and muscles healthy, and they can fight off disease. The American Heart Association recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity every week, as well as two days of muscle-strengthening activities, in order to reduce stress and enhance your overall mood.
New York-Presbyterian Queens nutritionist and NYPBeHealthy well-being coach Maria Biondi, RDN, CDN explains that practicing self-care every day will help you feel calmer and reset your body and mind. “.
People on the NYPBeHealthy wellness team have come up with a few simple ways to break down the exercises into 30-minute chunks.
At least twice a week, take a 30-minute stroll at lunchtime or organize a walk-based meeting. Use hand weights or a kettlebell for 30 minutes of strength training while you watch TV.
In the morning, you should jump rope for 15 minutes. When you get home at night, you should do it again for another 15 minutes.
Take 10-minute breaks three times a day to do squats at your work station.
Do not be afraid to work out in the winter. Exercising outside delivers all the benefits of indoor exercise, plus many more, says Dr. Morgan Busko of NewYork-Presbyterian Lawrence Hospital.
Being in the sun boosts your vitamin D production, which protects you from a wide range of health issues, says Dr. Busko of Columbia University’s Vagelos College of Medicine, who is also an assistant professor of primary care sports. And working out outside may give you a boost to your mental health.
Natural endorphins and dopamine are released by the body when exercising in nature, according to Dr. Busko. People who work out outside get more of these neuromuscular transmitters that make them feel happy.
Outdoor exercise may also be better for your body. The doctor says that when you’re outside, you don’t realize that you’re walking up hills or over uneven ground.
When you’re on a machine in the gym, you might stay at that same level of resistance or intensity for the whole time.
Working from home? Try moving about a little bit every hour or so to keep your joints and muscles loose and your back pain at bay. The director of interventional spine at New York-Presbyterian Och Spine, Dr. J. Ricky Singh, says that “motion is medicine when it comes to the health of your spine.”
For example, you can do 10 squats, 10 tricep dips on a chair, and wall pushups every day. To counteract the hunching over a computer, get up from your desk every two or three hours to walk about and do some gentle stretching, such as back bends.
Eat the Right Way
It’s important to have adequate protein in the morning, says Dr. Rekha B. Kumar, an endocrinologist at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital and an assistant professor of medicine at Weill Cornell Medical Center in New York City.
Your blood sugar and “hunger hormones” will stay more stable if you start your day with a protein-packed breakfast. Protein smoothies, omelettes made with egg whites, and Greek yogurt are all examples.
Besides not eating too much sugar, Dr. Kumar also says not to eat too much high fructose corn syrup, which can make you fat. Having a high blood sugar level can lead to insulin resistance, which can lead to diabetes type 2, fat accumulation in the liver, and other health problems.
The liver illness cirrhosis has also been linked to a number of other conditions, including neuropathy, kidney disease, general inflammation, and even malignancy.
Shilpa Ravella, M.D., an assistant professor of medicine at Columbia University’s Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons and gastroenterologist at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center, says cutting back on red meat can have a number of health benefits if those calories are replaced with complete plant meals.
In the long run, you’ll have lower blood cholesterol levels and you’ll be less likely to get chronic diseases like heart disease and cancer. You’ll also be less likely to get diabetes and obesity.
There are many ways to avoid red meat, including the Mediterranean diet, which is low in carbohydrates and high in “good” fats like nuts and seeds. According to Dr. Altaf Pirmohamed, the site director of cardiology at the NewYork-Presbyterian Lower Manhattan Hospital and an assistant professor of clinical medicine at Weill Cornell Medicine, this diet has been clinically demonstrated to reduce our risk of heart disease.
“Focus on eating veggies cooked in olive oil with natural seasonings, fruits, complete grains and good fats,” he recommends.
Doctor Alessio Pigazzi, the colorectal surgery chief at New York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center, concurs, pointing out the diet’s positive effects on colon health as well. Food can promote inflammation in your intestines and gut, which increases your risk of developing colorectal cancer.
According to the findings, the following are the primary food substances that produce inflammation in the body and may raise the risk of colon cancer: sugar, animal fats, red and processed meats. Having a healthy colon isn’t easy. There isn’t one vegetable that can do everything.
It’s more about eating a wide range of healthy foods and focusing on a colorful, plant-based diet. There’s a good chance that the best diet is a Mediterranean diet “on steroids,” says Dr. Pigazzi. “We need to eat more fruit, vegetables, legumes, nuts, and berries, and we need to cut down on red meat and animal fats.”
Keep Getting Enough Sleep
Many people have had their sleep schedules thrown off by the COVID-19 pandemic. Some people have even had what’s called “coronasomnia.” It’s important to keep a regular sleep schedule and get about eight hours of sleep a night, says Dr. Daniel Barone, a neurologist and sleep medicine expert at the Center for Sleep Medicine at New York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center and an associate professor of neurology at Weill Cornell Medicine.
People who have a strong immune system are less likely to get a COVID infection, so it’s important to get enough sleep, says Dr. Barone, a doctor.
As part of his advice, he recommends sticking to a normal sleep and wake-up schedule and avoiding coffee later in the day. He also recommends shutting off gadgets an hour before bedtime, creating limits on how much media you may consume, getting regular exercise, avoiding naps, and avoiding alcohol altogether.
Avoid COVID-19 and the Flu.
Dr. Melissa Stockwell, a pediatrician and expert on immunizations, says that last year’s flu season was mild because many people stayed inside because of COVID. This year, we are afraid it will be a lot worse than last year.
The best way to keep yourself safe from the flu and COVID-19? Get both vaccines, and if you’re eligible, get the COVID booster if you can. That’s what Dr. Stockwell says you should do. Tests have proved people can get both shots at once and it won’t hurt their antibody response.
Fortunately, the same things you should do to avoid COVID-19 also work for the flu: stay away from crowds and gatherings, wear a mask, keep your social distance, wash your hands often, and stay at home when you’re sick.
Doctor Ting Ting Wong says that when you’re sick, “a lot of people might be coughing and sneezing, which makes it more likely that you’ll get the virus from them.” The following steps are all ways to stop the spread of both COVID and influenza.
Pregnant women should get vaccines to protect them from the flu and COVID-19. NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center’s Dr. Laura Riley, an obstetrician and gynecologist-in-chief, believes that the flu vaccine is both effective and safe for the newborn, especially during flu season, which spans from October to April.
Pregnant moms can minimize their baby’s risk of influenza hospitalization by roughly 70% with flu vaccines. It’s not good to take COVID-19 and be pregnant at the same time, says Dr. Riley.
As a group, pregnant women have been going to the hospital more often, needing to be kept alive with mechanical ventilation, and dying, even though the total number is still very low. On the other hand, you have a vaccine that can help you avoid getting very sick.
Stick to the Plan You’ve Made
According to psychiatrist and psychoanalyst Dr. Gail Saltz of New York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center and Weill Cornell Medicine clinical associate professor of psychiatry, there are easy tactics you may use to remain with your plan, no matter what your objective is: losing weight, becoming fit, staying in touch with loved ones, quitting smoking or drinking. She thinks:
- It’s time to face the truth about what needs to happen.
- In weekly parts, write down your goals and the steps you need to take to reach them.
- Start by writing in your journal: “Why?”
- Incentives: Make them.
- Tell another person.
