Take Some Simple Steps To a Healthier You

By Angela Marshall, MD

As a new year begins, lots of women will resolve to improve their health; unfortunately, actually making it happen can be overwhelming. But that doesn't need to be the case. A few simple steps can have lasting benefits.

Take a Walk

“Walking is a gentle, low-impact exercise that can ease you into a higher level of fitness and health. Walking is a form of exercise accessible to just about everybody. It's safe, simple and doesn't require practice. And the health benefits are many,” explains the health experts at Mayo Clinic.

Physical activity, such as walking, has been shown to help maintain a healthy body weight, maintain healthy bones, muscles and joints, promote psychological well-being, and reduce the risk of certain diseases, including some cancers.

A team of researchers led by the National Cancer Institute also found that people who engaged in leisure-time physical activity for just 2.5 hours each week, or an average of about 20 minutes each day, had life expectancy gains of as much as four years.

Color Your Plate

Eating fruits and vegetables of different colors gives your body a wide range of valuable nutrients, like fiber, potassium, and vitamins A and C. And according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, healthy diets rich in fruits and vegetables may reduce the risk of cancer and other chronic diseases.

It is recommended that half of your plate each meal should be fruits and vegetables. To find out the amount of each food group you need to eat daily, visit ChooseMyPlate.gov.

And while there is often discussions about whether or not fresh, frozen or canned produce is better for you, the simple fact is that fruits and vegetables in any form is better than eating none at all.

Don't Skip the ZZZs

Making sleep a priority in your schedule is important to your mental and physical health.

Multiple studies have found that we don't get enough shuteye. And a lack of quality sleep has been linked to such serious conditions as high blood pressure, weight gain and depression. In addition, many workplace and traffic accidents are caused by people being drowsy.

There is no magic number for how many hours of sleep you should get; however, the National Sleep Foundation generally recommends that you aim for seven to nine hours each night.

If you find that you have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep, you should speak to your physician. Approximately 50-70 million American adults suffer from a treatable sleep disorder.