By Cynthia York-Camden MS, RD, LDN, SI Nutrition & Wellness.

Our health is something we often take for granted, until we lose it.  Wellness is not a destination or goal but a journey where we have control to make changes that lead to health.  The premise of wellness emphasizes taking care of ourselves in positive ways in order to increase our prospects for an active, energetic, healthy and rewarding life.  Ok, so we all know that we would feel much better, if we could just move more, eat better and take care of ourselves.  Change is not easy, but it is possible.  It takes time and effort to counter old habits and build new ones.  Try these simple steps to high health and discover a healthy new you! 

1.      Set Goals - Set small, achievable goals for the changes that you want to make. Work hard on one or two goals at a time. Once achieved, move to the next goal.  Goals that require you to take action are best.  Example - This week, I will use my lunch break at least three times to walk for 15 minutes each time.

2.      Talk positively to yourself  - Try not to compare yourself to others or focus on body type or size.  Identify your positive likeable traits and remind yourself regularly.  Positive self-talk leads to positive thinking and positive actions.  Example – Yes I can achieve anything I set my mind to!  So just do it! 

3.      Reduce stress – Stress can contribute to poor health and can be caused by many factors.  Do whatever it takes for you to let go of the things in life that you do not have control over.  Some examples of how to reduce stress include: Eat regular meals, get plenty of sleep, take breaks, plan ahead, reduce caffeine use, set realistic goals, practice meditation, take a yoga or tai chi class, learn to say no to projects when needed, read a book, spend time with your family and have fun! 

4.              Take care of yourself – Prevention is the best cure.  Have a yearly physical exam and when you go for your next checkup, talk to your health care provider (HCP) about how you can stay healthy no matter what your age.  Screening tests such as pap smear, mammogram, colorectal exam, blood pressure, diabetes tests, bone density test, chiropractic check up or screening for depression could help prevent small problems becoming big ones.  Don’t forget to get your vision checked, see your dentist, and keep immunizations up to date.  Talk to you doctor about what is right for you. 

5.      Eat more fruits and vegetables – Eating more fruits and vegetables can reduce your risk of some cancers, help lower blood pressure and contain many vitamins and minerals to help support your immune system.  For most people adding these as snacks is the easiest way to achieve the goal of 5 a day! 

6.      Choose low fat - Ounce for ounce, fat yields more energy than either carbohydrate or protein. The body also prefers to burn carbohydrate for energy and saves fat for storage.  Eating a high fiber carbohydrate diet will satisfy energy needs with less chance of excess fat storage.  Lower fat diets are also linked to reduced risk of heart disease and lower cholesterol. 

7.      Eat regular meals and snacks – Skipping meals can leave you with low on energy, irritability, low blood sugar and lead to overeating.  Eating regular meals can keep your engine running and prevent overeating.  Example – pack a lunch box with your planned food for the day.  Reach for your healthy snack or meal instead of fast food. 

8.      Get more fiber – Fiber is important because is yields no calories, yet plays a critical role in gastro-intestinal health.  Fiber also greatly reduces your risk of cancer, helps lower blood cholesterol, helps control weight by helping fill you up and my help lower blood sugar levels in people with diabetes.  Shoot for 25 –35 grams of fiber daily. 

9.      Watch portion sizes - There are no forbidden foods but sometimes the amount you eat can really weigh you down.  Controlling portion sizes of foods is a step we often forget.  When in doubt use half a cup as a serving size – not the whole package… 

10.  Increase activity – Benefits of exercise include:  stress relief, burning extra energy, boosts energy level, allows body to use insulin more efficiently, helps decrease blood pressure, helps decrease cholesterol, increases muscle tone.  The hardest part is just taking that first step.  Try writing down your plan, and identifying barriers to getting started.  Examples include:  walk during breaks, park farther from the store, play with the kids in the back yard, take the steps, use the treadmill, walk in place during TV commercials, or join a gym. 

Balance your beverages - Drink, Drink, Drink but limit the alcohol and caffeine.  Your cells and organs depend on water to function.  If you drink when you are thirsty, you will still only get about half of the fluid that you need for the day.  In general, drink about six to eight 8-ounce glasses of water every day.  To better determine how much water you need, divide your weight in half. The result is the approximate number of fluid ounces you should drink daily. It might help to remember that there are 8 ounces in a cup and 32 ounces in a quart. 

Source:  Originally published in 2007 at http://www.heartlandwomen.com/