The new year brings with it the chance to set new health goals. But bettering your mental and physical well-being does not need to involve sweeping changes all at once.
In fact, setting health goals that are too ambitious can leave you feeling overwhelmed and lead to failure. “A lot of people want to jump feet first and not take just one step through the process of change,” said Mary Bonner Davis, a nurse practitioner with Bon Secours St. Francis Primary Care Downtown.
Instead, you can improve your health by looking at your lifestyle and “changing your habits altogether, which will take time,” she added. She suggests starting with some simple steps:
- Move more, aiming for 10,000 steps a day and 150 minutes of exercise per week. “On your lunch break, do 10 minutes of walking. Or maybe walk after work or first thing in the morning. It doesn’t have to be these long gym routines,” Davis said.
- Eat a balanced diet with more fiber. “Fiber is good for colon health and cholesterol. It also can give you that sense of fullness, and usually, if your diet has high fiber that means you’re getting enough fruits and vegetables,” Davis said, adding that limiting your intake of sodium, sugar, and simple carbohydrates also is important.
- Drink 1 to 2 liters of water per day. “A lot of people I treat drink sodas. I see a lot of diabetes, and I think it’s because of the sugar,” Davis said.
- Take time for self-care and find ways to support your mental health. Praying, meditating, speaking with a counselor, and connecting with friends and family are all ways to ward off depression and anxiety, which Davis said she often sees in her patients. “A lot of times people sacrifice self-care, and I think overall that contributes to health problems,” she said.
- Keep up your healthier habits, even if the benefits are not immediately evident. Those changes will come with time, Davis said, adding to “think of it as a lifelong journey.”
Beyond preventing diseases like diabetes and hypertension, becoming healthier “sets you up for success in everything you do,” Davis said. Seeing your primary care provider is a great way to get started, she added.
If you need help finding a provider near you, Bon Secours makes it easy with their “Find a Doctor” tool at bonsecours.com. The health system also offers a Well Walkers program at the Bon Secours Wellness Arena on most Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Head to https://www.bonsecours.com/about-us/classes-events for a listing of specific dates. Their website also offers more details about their membership-based HealThy Self gym at the St. Francis Millennium campus. To learn more, visit https://www.bonsecours.com/locations/fitness/greenville/healthy-self
