Now that we are in toward the end of the first month of the new year, our resolutions neatly stored away in a drawer, I thought we could focus on some amazing new data which will help us become healthier!

Adopting new habits doesn’t mean going from zero to sixty on the first day. It is a process that should be done over time. This will improve the chances that the changes are permanent.

We also don’t want to concentrate on one element of a healthy lifestyle. Many people vow to either lose weight or exercise more at the start of the new year. But a better option? Adopting a healthier lifestyle means doing both as well as focusing on your mindset. In other words, it’s something you want to do rather than something you must do.

Action Plan

1. Just start moving. It sounds so easy, yet I’ve been at my computer for a few hours! I forget to take breaks, stand up, and move. Best idea? Start walking, even if just down the street and back. I promise you will feel better. Then slowly, walk more and search for places to hike.
   
   A British study of some 400,000 adults found that fast walkers – with a walking pace of more than 3.9 miles per hour – could be expected to live about 16 years longer than slow walkers (I think I’m going to start walking faster!!!).
   
   
2. Have someone to walk/exercise with. It’s good to have accountability. But also, walk at times with just you, your thoughts, and prayers.
   
   
3. Get more sleep. Yes, turn off the TV, and turn off your phone and tablet, in time to get 7-9 hours of good, healthy rest.
   
   Guess what 1 hour away from your phone can do? Researchers found that people who lowered their usage by one hour every day were happier, more physically active, less depressed, and more than 30% reduced anxiety symptoms! Cutting back was more effective than total digital detox: People who had spent one hour less per day on smartphones during the one-week intervention were more likely to successfully change their habits over the long term than abstainers who had put their smartphones away entirely for one week.
   
   
4. Drink more water and eat better food. Keep away from processed food and rich recipes. Fresh salads, vegetables, lean meats, and fruits will make a huge difference in your body.
   
   If you’re eating like a typical American, you’re probably going to die prematurely. This year more than 678,000 Americans will die from diseases or conditions associated with what they eat. These include common conditions such as high blood pressure, high blood sugar (type 2 diabetes), and high cholesterol. It’s been estimated that we lose at least 13 years by eating a typical U.S. diet: One that is heavy on meat, sugar, soda pop, and pizza plus 70 percent of calories that come from processed foods, containing thousands of artificial food additives, many of them know to cause cancer.
   
   
5. Practice gratitude. For me, this is the most important tip. When you focus on what you are thankful for, you begin to shift your mind to one of abundance. You can use a journal to keep a record. Being grateful will help reduce your stress because when you focus on the positive, you enhance your life and create much more room for joy!
   
   
6. Talk to yourself. Yep, tell yourself every day that you are worthy of good things. You are someone to be loved. God sacrificed His Son for you, so you are pretty special! When you do this regularly, your brain begins to accept the statements as facts.

Manna from Heaven

“Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore, honor God with your bodies.” I Corinthians 6: 19-20 NIV I hope and pray 2023 will be a year of joy, transformation, and great health for you and your family!