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Health resolutions for the New Year

by Flavia Kreis

America is out of shape physically and mentally. Most of us have busy lives, which is OK, but sometimes with that comes negligence about personal and family health.

So how can we start this New Year in a healthy way? Here are some tips:

Eat less

Let's say in 2006 you ate out for all your meals. This year, have just one meal out per day. Or maybe last year you ate French fries almost every day. This year, have them only once a week.

You don't have to give up everything at once, but certainly you can be in charge and reduce the amount and frequency of unhealthy foods and drinks.

Exercise more

Start by degrees. Most people give up exercising because at the beginning they work too hard. The body gets too sore and exhausted, and pain and exhaustion do not motivate people to persevere; this unfortunate loop is statistically proven.

To help you do it right, find a trainer who understands the importance of stretching before and after exercising, and encourages you but doesn't make you immobile for days after exercising. As always, check with your doctor before starting or changing any exercise program.

Keep it up

Nobody said it's easy to keep your body healthy — or if they did they're in denial. Do you take your car for an oil change or tune-up? Do you fix up your house and garden? Well the body is the same, and needs healthy food and exercise in order to function optimally.

The biggest difference is that we wear the body, so we feel bad when something doesn't work right (also, we can't just change the parts!). Therefore, make exercise part of your daily routine.

Reduce stress

Stress is the No. 1 cause of all sorts of discomforts that can be physical, mental or both. But what exactly is stress? One of the definitions given by the Thorndike-Barnhart dictionary describes stress as tension, pressure, or strain, which affects the mind and body.

But where does this pressure comes from? Once a person can identify or spot where this pressure originates from, opposition and conflicts can be resolved. The trick is getting the correct cause of the stress, because if a wrong one is taken stress will not resolve.

Here's an example: At work, "Joe" is stressed and overworked. He leaves the office at 8 p.m. every day, picks up fast food on the way home, and does not sleep well. Joe talks to his boss about the project. The boss is out of his mind, the project deadline is very close, and the company will lose money if the product is not ready. Joe is one of few people working on it.

In this example, following the incorrect source of stress would lead to more stress: Joe gets mad at his boss, blows his top, argues with the other employees and ultimately becomes afraid to lose his job.

The correct source of stress, and solution, is where Joe arranges things — by proposing to his boss, say — to move some other employees that are not very busy at the moment onto this project, relieving his workload. Joe gets to go home earlier, makes his own food and sleeps soundly. The project is done before deadline. Joe has a happy New Year.

I hope you do too!

Flavia Kreis is a certified nutritional consultant and the owner of Integrative Nutrition and Wellness Center, located in downtown Mountain View. For more information, visit www.integrative-nutrition.com.