Thursday 31 December 2015

Five Simple Resolutions for a Healthy = Happy New Year!

by Dr Parul Chopra Buttan

It's that time of the year when we will all bring out our buckets full of lists-to-do next year! The truth is that many of us know already that we won't be able to make them all. But have we paused to wonder why? It's not our resolve that is weak; in many cases it's our bodies.

A healthy body keeps a happy heart and a happening life. Commit to these easy-to-follow health tips and prepare yourself for a spectacular sixteenth year of the century...


1. Plan your day

The first 30 minutes of your day - spend with yourself. Meditate, concentrate, stretch. Use the time to plan your day. Could be a list of to-do tasks you'd like to accomplish or qualities you'd like to manifest. E.g. I'll be kind today. Visualise yourself living the day of your choice and strengthen your self to do the same. Have a similar ten minute 'me time' in the afternoon to check on progress and adjust; and then have another quick one before you go to bed to gather the learnings the day brought, savour the joys and offer thanks. Immensely helpful for reducing stress!

2. Drink plenty of water


Water is the elixir of life, yet we so often do not hydrate ourselves enough. Less water intake contributes to ineffective metabolism, low concentration, obesity, voice abuse, low concentration, urinary infections, tendency to stone formation. Women, because of their body structure are especially prone to urinary tract infections which can be recurrent and troublesome. It's helpful to have set times in the day when you replenish your body with a glass full of clean drinking water. E.g. on waking up, 11am snack time, reaching home from office etc.

3. Say no to smoking


With stress levels going through the roof, smoking in women is on the rise. The new year is a good time to 'kick the butt'. Smoking, besides causing lung cancer, throat cancer, mouth cancer, stomach cancer, bladder cancer amongst other damages is especially harmful to women.
Unbeknown to most youngsters, smoking is associated with ovarian decline and infertility. In pregnancy, it can cause miscarriage, premature birth, growth restriction and stillbirths.

4. Work out


Incorporate some fitness routine into your day. Be it walking, cycling, jogging, running, zumba, pilates, swimming, gymming. It's great to have a fitness buddy to keep up your motivation and add value to your workouts too. You could choose your neighbour, friend, your husband or even your smartphone! It's never too late to begin.  If you are not accustomed to exercise before, do consult your doctor before starting. Start with age and current fitness-level appropriate workout regime and build up gradually.

5. Sign up for health


We ever so often postpone our appointment with the doctor even for a discomfort. Somehow, suffering the tooth sensitivity or the nagging backache seems more tolerable than making the effort to fix it. The woman of the house can hardly afford to fall sick as she carries the whole family through the day, juggling a dozen things! A 'well woman check-up' according to your age and needs is highly recommended. Certain annual checks like the breast examination, pap smear are a small step that go a long way in preventing dreaded diseases like breast and cervical cancer.

Let's make 2016 a healthy one. Let's give our body and mind the care they deserve. Let's take charge of our happiness and start afresh!


Happy New Year!

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