Staying healthy in the new year: tips on fitness, eating right and easing stress

Staying focused on health and wellness during the COVID-19 pandemic has been a challenge for people of all ages, experts said.

Aside from taking steps to avoid the disease, many people have neglected their overall health, health care experts said. They may have skipped vital health screenings or dropped out of an exercise regimen.

The new year is a perfect time to jump-start your daily routines and make a plan for a healthy 2023, experts said. Newsday got some tips on how to focus on better eating, exercise, mental health and overall wellness for the next 12 months and beyond.

Focus on prevention

To start 2023, make sure you set up an annual physical examination with your primary health care doctor. That should serve as the starting point for blood tests and referrals for screenings.

“Health screenings are very important as they can help one to detect a problem before it you start exhibiting signs and symptoms of that problem,” said Sandra Lindsay, a registered nurse and vice president of Public Health Advocacy for Northwell Health.

Lindsay said getting men to schedule annual doctor’s visits and health screenings can be a challenge.

“Most men are not excited about doing that, but when it comes to screening for prostate cancer, it is very important because early detection can really prevent the long-term consequences of prostate cancer.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, all men are at risk for prostate cancer, and out of every 100 American men, 13 will get it during their lifetime.

Both men and women should be tested for cholesterol as a screening for heart disease, Lindsay said. High cholesterol can lead to a buildup of plaque in your arteries, increasing the risk for heart disease and stroke.

The U.S. Preventative Services Task Force recommends that adults age 45 to 75 be screened for colorectal cancer.

“The doctor is looking for small growths on the colon that may or may not be cancerous,” Lindsay said. “These polyps can be removed before they develop into cancer.”

Women should discuss with their doctors when to begin mammograms to screen for breast cancer and cervical cancer.

“Sometimes having these screenings done earlier require advocacy from your physician, so it’s key to have a physician you trust and that you have a relationship with,” Lindsay said.

Mental health, wellness

Managing stress and taking time to decompress can lead to better mental health.

“Developing a daily relaxation and mindfulness practice is very helpful,” said Dr. Adam Gonzalez, a licensed clinical psychologist and founding director of the Stony Brook University Mind-Body Clinical Research Center at the Renaissance School of Medicine.

“We can elicit a relaxation response through deep-breathing exercises, meditations and guided imagery,” he said. “That really helps our mind and our body develop a greater sense of resilience to stress.”

People should set a regular time for a daily practice, whether it’s first thing in the morning or right before bed. Gonzalez said guided exercises are especially helpful and are available through several smartphone apps and on YouTube.

Learning how to relax and slow down your mind can help people think more clearly, especially when it comes to planning goals for the new year. Gonzalez said people interested in setting goals for 2023 should make sure they are specific and realistic.

“We have learned with COVID-19 that life can change at any moment,” Gonzalez said. “In this new year, I would also promote embracing life and really trying to live in the moment to reflect on what's important to us, what do we value, and what are some things that we would really like to accomplish in this new year? So I think really being able to, to embrace each day and each moment is, is really helpful.”

Routines are also helpful for getting a better night's sleep.

"Our body likes routine," Gonzalez said. "Sleep helps us to recharge and recuperate and get back the energy that we need for the next day."

He said people should keep the televisions and smartphones off as they prepare to go to bed. If you are anxious about the next day, write in a journal to get the worries out of your head.

"Do something that prepares your mind and your body for sleep," he said. "It might be taking a hot shower or bath, listening to relaxing music or lighting a fragrant candle so that you're creating a very welcoming environment and space so that you can go to sleep and actually enjoy that process."

Eating right

Eating healthier in the new year doesn’t mean cutting out your favorite foods, but instead adding some new ones.

“First off, change the mindset that you are starting a new year and you take out X, Y and Z,” said Melissa Darlow, registered dietitian at Nao Medical, which has facilities on Long Island and in New York City. “Use the frame of what you can add this year to your diet and to your life.”

Darlow suggested starting with the alphabet, adding apples and then broccoli to your meals with the starting goal of adding a fruit or vegetable to every meal.

“It doesn’t have to be intricate, it doesn't have to be fancy,” she said. "Just really adding something new to your grocery list going week by week … as people adding new things, they will notice how they are feeling, and it will have a domino effect.”

The building blocks of a good meal include protein, as well as fiber in a vegetable or complex carbohydrate and a health fat, such as that found in olive oil or in an avocado.

“I tell my patients to imagine their plate cut in half, and if they had half the plate with some source of fiber, veggies, squashes, zucchini, a vegetable of choice, and then using the other half of the plate for protein and carbohydrate,” she said.

Darlow also advises people who drink several sugary drinks every day to replace one with water, which adds hydration but reduces sugar.

Here's some good news for people who like their treats: Darlow said sweets are not off-limits.

"Sweets become an occasion," she said. "... Sweets are part of life, and they bring us joy in some sense. But it's just balancing it out with other nutrient dense foods."

Staying fit

Starting a fitness routine doesn’t have to be complicated or stressful. It can start with a walk around the block.

“First of all, just make it happen,” said Melanie Gilbert, a certified personal trainer who works at Fountaingate Gardens in Commack. “Set a routine and commit to that routine.”

Gilbert said people should find something that is easy to incorporate into their daily activities, such as walking. 

Walking 30 minutes a day is a worthy goal, but not everyone will be able to do that right away, she said. That should not discourage people from walking a little bit every day.

Strength training also should be an important part of an exercise regimen, Gilbert said.

“It’s great for bone density and joint health,” she said.

If people don’t have access to a gym, they can exercise at home using resistance bands, soup cans or even their own body weight.

She admitted that staying on track and keeping with a routine can be challenging for people. One suggestion is partnering with a friend also interested in walking and exercising.

“Setting a goal and figuring out what you want to achieve will help with motivation,” she said.

By Lisa L. Colangelo

lisa.colangelo@newsday.com@lisalcolangelo

Lisa joined Newsday as a staff writer in 2019. She previously worked at amNewYork, the New York Daily News and the Asbury Park Press covering politics, government and general assignment.