West Valley Medical Center - January 06, 2016

2 min Read Time

The New Year is here! It's time to make New Year's resolutions why not include your health in the list?

We all know the “big three” when it comes to maintaining your health:

  • Stop Smoking
  • Maintain a healthy weight
  • Exercise regularly

If you are doing those three things keep it up! But suppose you want to do something else, maybe something different this year that could have a big impact on your health.

Here are five healthy things you can do that you may not have considered:

  1. Stay current on your adult vaccinations We grow up, but we never really outgrow the need to be properly immunized. Most of us get an annual flu shot, but you can catch other really nasty things that can be easily prevented. Here's a quick link to a handy chart that tells you what you need and when.
  2. Manage your stress Remember: EVERYONE has some sort of stress in their lives and your body WILL manage stress in one way or another. It's best to have a good, healthy way to burn it. Here are 7 fun tips to help from TV's Dr. Oz that really work! There are also many other online sites with good advice.
  3. Sleep better: Learn about how and why you (specifically YOU) sleep the way you do and what can be done to improve it. Did you know that most people can have more restful sleep by just sticking to a regular sleep schedule?
  4. Maintain your relationships: Studies show that people who make the effort to maintain long-term, quality relationships enjoy tremendous benefits related to health and overall happiness. Call your pals. Play with your children. Spend time with your siblings. Find and cultivate new, beneficial and enjoyable friendships. Your best friend can be your health's best friend.
  5. Drink more water: Water is vital to a healthy diet! Drink half your body weight in ounces every day. ï_Not a fan of flavorless water? Add a lemon or lime. There are zero calorie flavored water options on the market, but be careful; they may contain extra sodium or caffeine you don't need in your diet.

Here's to a happy and healthy new year!