I love the New Year. It is a great time to reflect and gives us a “new start” date. How can you be healthier in 2024? When we get to my age (50s), health becomes such a focus. What I do now is going to affect what I am like at age 70. What are small incremental changes I can make? If you are younger, if you make these changes now, you will be much better at 50.
I don’t want to fill my New Year with resolutions I can’t keep. Small successes are better.
The American Medical Association published a 10 recommendations to help “Americans make the most impactful, long lasting improvements to their health in 2024 and beyond.” They are focused on small positive health choices which will have long lasting impact.
So what are they?
- BE MORE ACTIVE. Exercise 75 minutes a week if vigorous or 150 minutes a week of moderate intensity. I have seen this talked about extensively. Diabetes risk goes down if you walk 2-5 minutes after eating. Just incorporating activity into your day- walking down the hall, taking the stairs, housework- is helpful.
- REDUCE SUGAR SWEETENED BEVERAGES AND PROCESSED FOODS. We all know this. Salt and sugar are bad. Try to replace this with water and whole foods/fruits/vegetables/nuts and grains, low fat dairy, and lean meats. Drinking sugary beverages (even 100% fruit juices) is associated with higher all cause mortality risk (Study published in JAMA)
- BE UP TO DATE ON VACCINES. Vaccines help prevent serious sickness. Flu, Covid, RSV.
- GET SCREENED. Covid caused many to delay their normal screening tests, and the age of onset of cancers has been coming down. Don’t delay- Breast, colon and prostate.
- KNOW YOUR BLOOD PRESSURE. The number for high blood pressure has decreased. I find tons of people at their pre op who are young and athletic who have high blood pressure. If you were told you have “white coat hypertension” or if over 130/80, you have elevated blood pressure and are in Stage 1 Hypertension. See this chart here for more in depth understanding BLOOD PRESSURE
- LEARN YOUR TYPE 2 DIABETES RISK. Do you have a family history? Did you have gestational diabetes? What is your HBA1C? High blood sugar is linked to so many health issues, from heart to cancer risk. Take the test at the link HERE.
- LIMIT ALCOHOL. The new recommendations are no more than 2 drinks/day for men and 1 drink/day for women.
- NO CIGARETTES OR VAPING. There is no safe smoking. I would add THC to this. Many studies are coming out showing THC (smoked or in edibles) causes atherosclerosis. Think of your family too- don’t smoke in your home and car to protect your loved ones from secondhand smoke.
- FOLLOW YOUR DOCTOR INSTRUCTIONS for pain medication, antibiotics, and other meds
- MANAGE STRESS. Good mental health relies on sleep (7.5 hours or more a night) and exercise.
* To this list I would add an 11th focus: CONNECTION. When researching aging, dementia, depression, and lifespan in the blue zones, the one thing I see cited again and again is connection. Having close friends. Being social. Talking to people at work and in the check out line at the store. Family. I think our time during Covid was terrible for this, as everyone retreated to their silos and people stopped having the daily interactions and connections which help us.
My thoughts?
These are good easy to implement changes. Many of them require you to just get an evaluation. Get moving. Check your blood pressure. Do labwork. Are you at risk for diabetes? Have you done your yearly screening mammogram if over the age of 40?
Many of us in the Bay Area are working and have kids and are going a mile a minute. Take a breath and focus on you. Schedule that doctor visit and labwork. Leave work a little earlier so you can ride the peleton or go for a hike or walk the dog. Try to sleep better. (I do laugh at the “manage stress” one- in our current world, that is sadly a big ask for many.) My goal this year is to stop drinking a diet coke. Studies have shown diet sodas are terrible and increase the risk of stroke and heart attacks by up to 30%. Small steps for better health.
If considering plastic surgery, do these prior to surgery. Surgery is a stress. Optimize yourself before you go in (and it’s just good for your health in general.)
Happy New Year 2024!