Resolutions You Can Keep
10 Simple Ways to Improve Your Health in the New Year
By Janine S. Pouliot
New Year's Eve is synonymous with several perennial customs: champagne, a kiss at midnight, and a laundry list of resolutions. For most folks, that includes some sort of pledge to live healthier. But, as we all know, the best-laid plans often go astray with the cold light of morning. The reason may be simple, either it's a bit of a hangover ... or the promises are just too grandiose. After all, nobody's going to stick to a regime that demands rigid adherence and Herculean discipline.
But the good news is that there are small doable steps people can take to genuinely improve their health without forsaking every indulgence they love. Following are 10 easy suggestions that can make a real difference, but don't require a complete lifestyle overhaul.
1. Dive In
Chances are if you plan on exercising in a pool, you plan on swimming. But sports experts agree that swimming isn't the only workout you can get in the water. In fact, you don't even have to know how to swim to reap the health benefits of a pool. Water exercises are a great way to vary your usual routine. And as long as you stay interested in your workout program, you're more likely to stick with it.
"Water makes a great medium for exercise because it takes the weight off your joints," said Pat Moorhead, director of rehabilitation services at North Fulton Regional Hospital. Since water is a friendlier environment to the body, the likelihood of sustaining injury is greatly reduced. Instead of all that pounding incurred with aerobics, tennis or running, it's possible to get a first-rate workout without potential damage such as shin splints.
The reason why water is such an ideal medium for movement is its property of resistance. It is significantly denser than air, so it takes more energy to move through it. Consequently, you burn more calories faster in the same amount of time.
2. Prescription Savvy
If you're like most people, your medicine cabinet is filled with pharmaceuticals dating back to, oh, maybe, the Ice Age. There was some reason you filled that prescription, you just can't remember why. "Check the date on your prescriptions and if they go back more than one year, throw them out," counseled Tegest Nega, a CVS pharmacist. That's because medications lose their efficacy as they age. And if you don't know what it's for, dump it.
In addition, take a look at the place where you store your pills. "Temperature can affect the composition and effectiveness of medicine," Nega added. So, if air conditioning is not flowing into your tightly sealed medicine cabinet, consider relocating your bottles elsewhere. Just make sure that "somewhere" is well out of the reach of children.
What's more, make it a practice to always fill your prescriptions at the same pharmacy. "We've seen a lot of problems with people using coupons to save money by going from pharmacy to pharmacy," Nega warned. That's a bad practice because most pharmacies maintain a computerized record of all your medications and automatically check for negative drug interactions. Combining certain prescriptions has the potential to be dangerous.
 3. Eliminate Pet Peeves
The old joke goes a little something like this: an allergist informs his patient that she is allergic to her cat and must get rid of it. The woman retorts that she'd rather get rid of her husband than her beloved Frou Frou. According to a Humane Society of the United States study, only 20 percent of people allergic to their pet are willing to give them up. If animal lovers can't live without 'em, they need to go to Plan B.
The American College of Allergy Asthma and Immunology suggests creating a pet-free zone in the home, preferably in the bedroom. Strictly prohibit the pet's access to it. But if it's impossible to resist snuggling up with Fido, select another room to give your sinuses a break, such as a home office or den. In addition, regular bathing of your pet can reduce the level of allergens on fur by as much as 84 percent.
Then again, your pet may not be the only animal sharing your bed with you. There could be millions and millions of dust mites, a prime catalyst for allergy symptoms. Something as simple as encasing the mattress and pillow in hypoallergenic covers and regularly washing bedding in 130-degree water can reduce exposure by up to 70 percent.
 4. Floss Frequently
If your dentist nags you to floss regularly, there's a good reason. "There is plenty of research directly correlating periodontal (gum) disease to heart disease," stated Dr. Jeremy Rosenberg, chief dentist and owner of Peachtree Dunwoody Dental Group. And since gum disease is frequently stimulated by failure to floss, using that little thread is more important than ever.
"The thinking is that the bacteria in the mouth can travel to the heart, where it builds up," Rosenberg explained. This buildup could potentially lead to a heart attack.
According to The American Academy of Periodontology, oral bacteria enter the blood stream, attaching to fatty plaques in the coronary arteries. The result can be the formation of clots, which obstruct normal blood flow and restrict the nutrients and oxygen required for the heart to function properly.
Another possibility is that inflammation caused by periodontal disease increases plaque buildup, which may contribute to swelling of the arteries, another factor in heart disease.
But the argument for flossing is even stronger. "Periodontal disease in pregnant women can also lead to low birth weight babies and in diabetics, can lead to the break down of jaw bone because of slower healing," Rosenberg noted.
5. Reach Out
Becoming connected with your community can actually be good for your health. "There is a lot of very impressive data from around the world that shows the single most important thing you can do to reduce stress is to have positive social support," said Dr. Charles Raison, director of the Behavioral Immunology Clinic, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science
at Emory University. "We have a lot of fascinating new information about what stress does to your body. It really can make you sick. The solution is kind of grandma stuff; the high-tech solutions fall away."
Basically, having a support network is the key to being happy. "The presence of positive intimate social support is massively good," Raison added. "The reduction of stress lowers blood pressure and heart rate. Stress also puts you at prime risk for Alzheimer's disease, diabetes, stroke and obesity." So there may be a medically valid reason for joining your subdivision's swim and tennis club.
"Research shows that when a person must give a lecture in front of a group, having just one friendly face in the audience, someone nodding in support, can actually reduce the speaker's blood pressure. Cultivating and developing intimate relationships can be the most potent thing you do for your health."
6. Carry Medical ID
Most parents keep meticulous records of their children's inoculations and other critical medical history. But they forget about themselves. A good history, however, is just as important for adults.
"Keep a pocket medical record in your wallet or purse," advised Dr. Daniel Blumenthal, chair and professor for the Department of Community Health and Preventive Medicine at Morehouse School of Medicine. "The record should contain, at minimum, a list of your health problems and medicines you are taking. The No. 1 problem faced by physicians caring for New Orleans evacuees was having to make diagnoses and write prescriptions for patients who didn't know what medicines they were taking, nor why they were taking them. Even without a hurricane, anybody can find themselves in need of medical attention far from home."
And while you're at it, check out your own immunizations. "We tend to think that we're through with shots after we turn 5," Blumenthal pointed out. "But the plain old regular flu is still responsible for about 35,000 deaths every year in people who should have gotten a flu shot." Adults also need a tetanus-diphtheria shot every 10 years, while some require a hepatitis shot. The best bet is to check with your doctor.
7. Safe Travels
Airplane travel is sometimes a painful experience due to changes in air pressure. But there are ways to reduce ear discomfort by preparing ahead of time. The American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) recommends taking a decongestant such as pseudoephedrine even before you step onboard. It will reduce the pressure between the inner and outer ear so your head won't feel like it's going to explode during takeoff and landing.
In addition, because the air circulating within planes is very dry, dehydration can develop without the traveler even realizing it. And dehydration can make you feel weak, dizzy, sleepy, and generally out of sorts. Not a great way to begin a vacation. The AAFP suggests drinking plenty of water or decaffeinated drinks, and avoiding alcohol, which can actually make you feel worse.
Even healthy people can get blood clots in their legs after a long flight. To eliminate this potential risk, walk the aisle every now and then, unless the captain requests that you remain seated during turbulence. When the drink cart blocks the aisle, try stretching your calf muscles. Of course, you can always toss fashion to the wind and purchase a pair of support stockings (just wear slacks so nobody notices).
 8. Intelligent Eyes
When you're down with a cold or the flu, the only thing you may be able to handle is watching television. If you wear contacts, you might not see a problem with blindly wearing them during every sniff and sneeze. Bad idea. "When you have an upper respiratory infection, concurrent with that is pink eye," said Dr. Jim Steward, optometrist with Eye 1st Vision and Laser Center in Alpharetta. "It's common to get an eye infection with a cold or the flu." Nothing is worse for sick eyes than wearing contact lenses.
"Pink eye is common vernacular for anytime your eye gets pink," Steward added. "It could be due to anything: virus, bacteria, fungus." Wearing contacts is inadvisable because the eye needs to be bathed in oxygen, and contacts hold in germs. "And, if you're coming down with a bout of the flu, toss out the pair of contacts you're currently wearing. We're only talking a few dollars and it's better to start again with a fresh pair."
One more piece of advice: Sunglasses, don't leave home without them. "They provide UV protection for the retina," Steward said. "You can get cancer of the skin of the eye, just like anywhere on your body." Dr. Tim Spence of Vision Institute in Snellville adds that wearing sunglasses will help prevent the early onset of cataracts.
9. Develop An Aura
Sometimes it pays to be a snob, keeping people at a 3-foot distance. But only when they're sick, of course. "One way not to get the flu is to have anybody around you who is coughing practice good hygiene," said Dr. Winkler Weinberg, chief of infectious diseases for Kaiser Permanente of Georgia. "They should cover their mouth with a tissue and properly dispose of it after. But if they don't, move yourself 3 feet away. The germs won't spread farther than that."
Kicking it up a notch, go for a flu shot. "The CDC (Centers for Disease Control) recommends that certain people get a flu shot," Weinberg noted. "As far as I'm concerned, everyone should get one." The motive may be a surprise. "The real reason for a shot is not only to prevent the flu, it's to prevent the pneumonia that's common afterward. Part of the reason we don't get pneumonia every day is due to the respiratory system. We have little hair cells called cilia that beat back the germs. These hairs become paralyzed by the flu, and now the germs are carried by gravity into the gut."
 10. Get Tropical
Since you were a little kid, you've been told to "eat your fruits and vegetables!" But, after so many years, the lure of an apple or banana is probably equal to taking out the garbage. Dullsville. However, there are ways to jazz up your fruit intake by thinking outside the box. With winter upon us, start by imagining yourself on some exotic beach, a frosty drink at the ready. What forms the basis of that delicious concoction? Why, tropical fruit, of course: guavas, passion fruit, star fruit, the list is long.
"Mangos are one of the most nutrient-dense fruits out there," said Paula Gilman, a registered dietitian with Kaiser Permanente of Georgia. "In general, bright colors are what you're looking for; that's where the nutrition lies. Mangos, papayas, tamarind are all really high in vitamin A, C and potassium." Not only are they sweet and satisfying, there's only 60 calories in half a cup of papaya.
Remember, when it comes to fruit portions, size matters. "People tend to think of fruit as a free food," Gilman noted about calorie perception. "They're packed with nutrition, but they still need to be respected for their calories. Losing weight is all about portion reduction."
For More Information
American College of Allergy Asthma and Immunology
www.aaaai.org
(click media, click news releases)
American Academy of Family Physicians
www.familydoctor.org
(click Healthy Living, under Travel, click Air Travel Health Tips)
Humane Society of the United States
www.hsus.org
(type in allergies in search, click Allergies to Pets) |
