Get Smarter

GET SMARTER ABOUT YOURSELF

It’s already a month into the New Year and I am sure most of us are having a hard time keeping up with our New Year resolutions.

Well you should get smarter about your health. Knowledge is power. The more you know the better off you are.

Not everyone can look like a ‘super-model’ and neither should they aspire to look like one. Look at your family – your parents, aunts, siblings, cousins, etc. That is the ‘genes’ you are dealt with. You have to work with that and do the best that you can.

Make small changes gradually and it will be much easier to improve your health and life. Except for quitting smoking, alcohol or drugs, all other life-changing decisions have to made slowly but steadily. Even if you want to give up an addiction, you have to work it out in your mind first. You have to convince yourself first, that you need to change. Once you believe, it is much easier.

So here are some suggestions for small changes which are easier to keep, but will improve your physical and mental health in a big way over the long term:

Food:

Avoid packaged and frozen foods as much as possible.

Read all food labels.

Avoid fast food (in the worst case go to ‘healthier’ fast food restaurants, where you can choose the ingredients that go into your sandwich or burrito).

Avoid all-you-can-eat buffets.

Avoid sodas. (If you can’t stand to drink water only because of being used to drinking sodas or juices – think of all the money you will save by drinking tap water {which is as good as bottled water in most of the US} and try adding a slice of lime or orange, or a few fresh mint leaves to the water).

Always eat breakfast, and eat small meals more often. Don’t stay starving for long and don’t eat big meals. Eat healthy snacks between meals. Also spend more time eating and enjoying the meal – the slower you eat, the less you end up eating.

Avoid drive-thru eating at all times.

Cut your sugar intake slowly, for example: if you take 2 teaspoons of sugar with your coffee, decrease it to 1 tsp. Avoid sugar substitutes (you are otherwise substituting one bad habit for another).

Avoid sugary sweets/desserts. If you cannot resist, then set up a reward system, for example: you can have 1 cookie if you walk 30 minutes.

Eat more fiber, which fills you up more and yet you get less calories (think whole wheat bread instead of white bread).

Exercise:

If you don’t do any exercise at all, start simply by going for a walk (either in the morning or before dinner). Start by walking at least 20 minutes 4 times per week. If you hate walking, try any activity that you enjoy (bicycling, running on a treadmill while watching TV, etc.).

On weekends plan some fun outdoor activities for the day, before you go out partying in the evening. In Southern California we are lucky to have mountains and the ocean with hundreds of hiking trails, biking paths, etc., and we are blessed with great weather most of the time, and so there is really no excuse.

If you have difficulty finding the motivation to be active – join a group. Also setting a goal will help, for example: ‘I am going to walk in the Long Beach Half-Marathon this year and complete it’.

Watch less TV.

Sleep:

Americans are among the most ‘stressed’ people on earth and most of us don’t get enough sleep. Try these few tips for a restful night’s sleep:

Avoid heavy drinking and smoking before going to bed.

Avoid spicy foods late in the evening.

Avoid drinking coffee or anything with caffeine after 12 noon.

Avoid watching news programs or crime shows on TV before going to bed.

Turn on soothing music and read a book about half-an-hour before you want to fall asleep.

Go to bed at the same time every night.

Drink a glass of milk before going to bed.

If all else fails – try taking Melatonin (3 or 5 mg) half-hour before going to sleep.