It’s common to focus on being fit in the new year, but only 28% of adults in the U.S. are meeting the recommended physical activity guidelines. You can boost your health by focusing on one area per month. Here are the first steps to being overall healthier this year:
- Make an appointment for a physical
- Structure your nutrition needs
- Personalize your exercise routine
- Assess your “DRESS” code. It stands for:
- Diet: Prioritize whole foods with color and fiber to lower inflammation at the cellular level.
- Relationships: Protect your relationships, as strong social ties can extend lifespan as much as quitting smoking.
- Exercise: Start with a 15-minute moderate-intensity daily walks, which can reduce your risk of early death by nearly 20%. (Moderate intensity while walking means you can talk but can’t sing easily during the activity.)
- Stress: Practice slow breathing for one minute throughout the day to help your body recover from stress.
- Sleep: Guard your sleep like medicine. Just one night of poor sleep can raise stress hormones, increase cravings, and accelerate aging pathways.
Source: Today