At the beginning of each New Year, countless people make New Year’s resolutions to improve their health. Some resolve to lose a few extra pounds. Others want to add exercise into their daily routine. But not too many weeks pass, and the resolutions made for a healthier lifestyle are broken. Old habits die hard, or at least that is how the saying goes.
Instead join Deaconess Faith Community Nurse Ministries in celebrating “Healthy Weight and Lifestyle” Month. Healthy Weight and Lifestyle celebration is a welcome antidote to the dieting and binging that typically starts the New Year. It focuses on three Healthy Living Tips, which are easy to do and help everyone get, and stay healthy for a lifetime.
First, being active with others in a community, such as a church, mosque or synagogue, promotes relationships that are deep, rich and full of meaning. Loneliness and depression can be lessened by engaging others in a community of faith as you exercise. Indeed, exercise is more fun when it is done with others. Finding a walking buddy or exercise partner improves the accountability of those who struggle to do exercise alone. Many communities of faith have ongoing exercise programs such as walking, yoga or arthritis exercise. It is in those programs that people gather together to not only improve their bodies but stimulate their spirits and minds.
Second, eating healthy nourishing three meals a day and two snacks feeds your body with the energy and nutrients it needs to be healthy and active. Our bodies respond to what we put into them. If we put fast food and junk into them, we will get tired and fat. If we put nutritious foods into it, we will have energy and a leaner body mass. “My Plate” guide from the USDA can make wise choices easier by providing a visual guide to the right portion of whole grains, fruits and vegetables, fats and proteins one needs to eat daily to stay healthy.
Lastly, finding moments that reaffirm you are beloved. Everyone needs to have times when they feel good about themselves. Sitting at the end of the day and saying “Thank You” for what went well during the day can help one affirm the goodness in life. A gratitude journal helps to reflect and express all the good things that you have been and experienced during a single day. Remember that God loves you and wants you to know that love is there for you always and provides you with opportunities to have joy, peace and hope in life.
To learn more about “Healthy Weight and Lifestyle” month and ways a faith community nurse can help you, contact Rev. Donna Pupillo, RN at dsmith-pupillo@eden.edu.