New Year Resolutions
New Year’s Day is a time for new beginnings for a lot of people and beginning a diet is probably the #1 resolution you hear being made. But within a couple of weeks or a month or so, this resolution is usually broken. Instead of committing yourself to a “diet” or other major lifestyle change for the New Year, try resolving to make healthy changes this year which will help lead to a healthy weight, a better feeling of well being, and a lifelong way of living.
When most people start a diet, they drastically change their eating habits in a way they’ll never be able to keep up long term, sometimes practically starving themselves in the process. Instead of making sudden drastic changes, start making smaller changes which you will be able to continue in order to maintain a healthy way of living. Cut out caffeine and sugar-loaded sodas by gradually adding fresh fruit-flavored water and decaffeinated coffee or herbal teas to your regimen. Add an extra vegetable or two to your meals, or even add vegetarian meals to your week. Instead of telling yourself you will never again eat a slice of chocolate cake, just be sensible and lower your portions. Even better, if you can, substitute more fresh fruit when you feel the craving for something sweet, maybe strawberries dipped in dark chocolate, and gradually work towards eating more fruit, less white sugar products altogether. Just making small changes such as these can cut out a lot of empty calories without any effort. And don’t forget to add in some daily exercise. You might just find yourself losing weight without having to spend time logging calories and paying for diet programs you’ll stop using within a few months.
Look at your health. Are you taking vitamins regularly? Do you load your body up with medications for simple ailments which could be treated with natural remedies? If you suffer from leg cramps at night causing loss of sleep, look into adding a magnesium and calcium supplement before bedtime — both act as mild sedatives, are a great combination for the cramps, and are much healthier than taking sleep aids or pain relievers every night. Have a sore throat? Use honey or slippery elm instead of chemical-laden throat drops. Have pollen allergies? Try using bee pollen to build up your resistance. Maybe your headaches are caused by an irregular eating schedule — change your eating habits and don’t let yourself skip meals. Making sensible changes may improve your health and save money in the long run.
Next, work on your well being. Are you so stressed you can’t sleep at night and rarely take time for yourself? Look at your schedule and habits and see if there is a way to reduce the tension and take back your life. Chances are there are things cluttering your day that you can change or get rid of entirely. Maybe you have dozens of newsletters coming into your E-mail in-box you just don’t have time to read, or magazine subscriptions just gathering dust. Stop subscriptions you just don’t care about or set up another E-mail account to use just for that purpose, saving you time and money. Do you end up making too many trips to the grocery store every week just because you never write down things you run out of and then forget to buy them? Put a grocery list somewhere handy and try to keep the list updated. Be sure to take breaks during the day, even if only for 15 minutes, to meditate, read, play with your dog, go for a walk, or just sit outside and stare at nature. It’s amazing how a short break can revitalize you and give you energy to complete your work or chores. Take some time to read at night before bed and listen to soothing CDs such as ocean waves or classical music, or do gentle stretches or yoga to help relax your mind and clear it from the chaos of your day.
Instead of making resolutions this year, resolve to NOT make resolutions you can’t keep. Instead think of the New Year as a time to begin a new healthier way of living.
Michelle lives in Appomattox. To learn more about herbs and their properties, visit her Web site, Herbs are Greener.
