No, we don’t just make resolutions in New Year’s Eve. We can do it more often and commit to keeping them.
You generally take care of your health. We agree, we all probably do so. Let’s just dwell a bit on the “generally”. Is it too… generic? Does our health need more specific actions to be good every day and as the years go by? The following 4 resolutions are simple but super effective and if you commit to them, they will reward you even more.
1. Walk 10 minutes more during the day
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We hardly get the famous 10,000 steps every day, but it turns out that it is worth adding even 1,000 extra steps to your daily activity. Studies show that even a 10-minute brisk walk (roughly equivalent to 1,000 steps, depending on your pace) each day can impact your health in many ways: Reducing your risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, dementia and even for some types of cancer.
2. Add a fresh vegetable and fruit to every meal
Research has shown that people who eat at least 470 grams of fruit and vegetables a day also have 10% lower stress levels than those who consume about half that amount. And if 470 grams sounds like a lot to you, consider that it is enough to eat 100 grams more at every meal and snack during the day. Now doesn’t that sound so much better?
3. Do not postpone the visit to the ophthalmologist
We know, it’s tiring and difficult to organize: check-up appointments with the GP, the gynecologist, the dentist… You pretty much do all of this. But do you consider the check-up of your eyes to be less important? Wrong! The best timing for eye checkups is every two years until age forty and every year thereafter.
Don’t forget that even simple diseases like presbyopia – which will naturally happen to each of us – can be treated in time and prevent its annoying consequences. However, regular eye check-ups are even more important as you get older as they can prevent more serious conditions such as macular degeneration, glaucoma and cataracts that become more common after 50.
4. Laugh more
The benefits of laughter are universal and we’ve all experienced the feeling of well-being after a good – maybe up to tears – laugh! Research has shown that laughter can reduce stress levels, release endorphins in our body that make us feel happier, relieve tension and stimulate our internal organs. In the long run, regular laughter can even improve our immune system and help relieve pain. How about picking a comedy for tonight?