Staying healthy & strong

5 Tips for a Healthier 2022

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is always a priority at the start of a new year, but with the COVID-19 epidemic, it is more crucial than ever. In a survey of Americans' New Year's resolutions for 2022, one-quarter of those who made resolutions stated that they wanted to live a healthier lifestyle. With wellness at the forefront of people's minds, doctors, nurses, and dietitians from NewYork-Presbyterian shared their advice with Health Matters.

1. Exercise on a regular basis

Physical fitness enhances cardiovascular and muscle health and aids in illness prevention. Exercising has also been proved to lower stress and improve overall mood, so aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity per week, plus at least two days of muscle-strengthening activities, as advised by the American Heart Association. "Making a daily commitment to exercise, stretch, meditate, or practice any other sort of self-care may help you feel calmer and allow you to reset," says Maria Biondi, RDN, CDN, a NewYork-Presbyterian Queens NYPBeHealthy well-being coach.

The NYPBeHealthy wellness team has provided several simple ways to divide down the activities into 30-minute increments:

Take at least two 30-minute lunchtime walks per week, or organize some walking meetings.

While watching TV, do 30 minutes of strength training with a kettlebell or hand weights.

When you get up in the morning, jump rope for 15 minutes, and then again when you get home at night.

Squat for 10-minute increments at your desk three times per day.

Don't be frightened to work out in the cold during the winter months. Dr. Morgan Busko, attending physician at NewYork-Presbyterian Lawrence Hospital, says, "Exercising outside delivers all of the physical benefits that we get from indoor exercise — cardiovascular health, strength, flexibility, and endurance — but it also provides many other vital benefits."

According to Dr. Busko, who is also an assistant professor of primary care sports at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, simply being in the sun enhances your body's production of vitamin D, which protects you from a variety of medical issues. Exercising outside may also deliver a psychological boost.

According to Dr. Busko, "studies have shown that exercising in nature enhances the levels of dopamine, serotonin, and natural endorphins released by the body." "You get a higher dose of these neuromuscular transmitters that promote a joyful mood if you do the same exact workout outside than indoors." Outdoor activity may also provide you a more effective workout. "You don't realize you're tackling hills or uneven terrain when you're outside, as opposed to being on a machine in the gym, where you may stay at the same resistance or degree of intensity for the entire workout," Dr. Busko adds.

Regular activity during the work day might also help people who work from home reduce aches and pains. "When it comes to spine health, movement is medicine," says Dr. J. Ricky Singh, head of interventional spine at NewYork-Presbyterian Och Spine and vice chair and assistant professor in the Weill Cornell Medicine Department of Rehabilitation Medicine. Add 10 squats, 10 tricep dips on a strong chair, and wall push ups to your regular program, for example. Also, get up from your desk two or three times an hour to walk about and perform some simple stretching, such as back bends, to help counteract the effects of being bent over a computer.

2. Eat Healthily

Dr. Rekha B. Kumar, an attending endocrinologist at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center and an assistant professor of medicine at Weill Cornell Medicine, recommends focusing on protein in the morning in addition to obtaining enough fruits, vegetables, and whole grains throughout the day. Including protein in your breakfast will help regulate your appetite by keeping blood sugar and some "hunger hormones" consistent throughout the day. Examples include egg white omelets, Greek yogurt, and protein drinks. Dr. Kumar also warns against consuming too much sugar, particularly high fructose corn syrup. Excess sugar consumption leads to insulin resistance, which is a precursor to type 2 diabetes, fatty liver disease, and cardiovascular disease.Cirrhosis, neuropathy, renal illness, general inflammation, and cancer have all been linked to it.

Dr. Shilpa Ravella, a gastroenterologist at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center and an assistant professor of medicine at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, says that replacing red meat calories with whole plant foods will result in a slew of health benefits. Your blood cholesterol levels will decline, and your risk of chronic diseases, such as heart disease, cancer, stroke, diabetes, and obesity, will be reduced.

The Mediterranean diet, a plant-based, low-carbohydrate diet rich in "healthy" fats like nuts and seeds and clinically proven to lower our risk of heart disease, is one easy-to-follow diet that avoids red meat, according to Dr. Altaf Pirmohamed, site director of cardiology at NewYork-Presbyterian Lower Manhattan Hospital and assistant professor of clinical medicine at Weill Cornell Medicine. "Eat veggies cooked in olive oil with natural seasonings, fruits, entire grains, and healthy fats," he recommends.

Dr. Alessio Pigazzi, chief of colorectal surgery at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center and Weill Cornell Medicine, agrees, pointing out that the diet is also good for colon health. Inflammation in the intestines and gut can be caused by what you consume, and inflammation is a risk factor for colorectal cancer. Sugar, animal fats, and red and processed meats are the main food items that produce inflammation in the body and may contribute to an increased risk of colorectal cancer, according to researchers.There isn't a single vegetable that can cure everything when it comes to maintaining a healthy colon. It's more about focusing on a colorful, plant-based diet and consuming a variety of healthful meals. "The greatest diet — and I'm a little biased because I'm Italian," Dr. Pigazzi says, "is probably a Mediterranean diet on steroids." "We need to eat more fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, and berries while reducing our intake of red meat and animal fats to a bare minimum."

Do you require some motivation? Emilie Berner, chef and coordinator at NewYork-Presbyterian Hudson Valley Hospital's Chef Peter X. Kelly Teaching Kitchen has created these healthful and tasty vegetarian soups and stews.

3. Get Plenty of Sleep

Dr. Daniel Barone, a neurologist and sleep medicine expert at the Center for Sleep Medicine at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center and an associate professor of neurology at Weill Cornell Medicine, says that while the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted many people's sleep patterns — some have even suffered from "coronasomnia" — it's critical to maintain a regular sleep schedule and get about eight hours of sleep per night. "Having a good, healthy immune system gives us a little more of a barrier against acquiring a COVID infection," Dr. Barone explains, "so it's vital to prioritize sleep."

He recommends sticking to a normal bedtime and wake-up time, avoiding caffeine later in the day, shutting off gadgets before night, setting media intake boundaries, exercising frequently, avoiding naps, avoiding alcohol, and watching for signs of sleep apnea.

4. Be Protected Against COVID-19 and the Flu

Dr. Melissa Stockwell, chief of the Division of Child and Adolescent Health at NewYork-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital and NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center, says, "Last year's flu season was low because many people stayed isolated due to COVID." "We are apprehensive that this year's season may be more severe."

What is the single most effective approach to avoid the flu and COVID-19? Dr. Stockwell recommends getting the vaccines for both, as well as the COVID booster if you're eligible. "Studies have shown that people can have both shots at the same time and their antibody response will not be affected."

Fortunately, the flu prevention strategies are the same as for COVID-19: avoid big crowds and gatherings, wear a mask, social distancing, frequent handwashing, and stay at home while unwell. "A lot of folks may be coughing and sneezing," says Dr. Ting Ting Wong, an attending physician and infectious disease specialist at NewYork-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital. "The chance of transmission is considerably higher when you're having active symptoms." "All of these are COVID and influenza transmission preventions."

It's extremely crucial for pregnant women to have flu and COVID-19 vaccines to protect themselves. According to Dr. Laura Riley, obstetrician and gynecologist-in-chief at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center, the flu vaccine is not only effective and safe for the infant, but it also protects babies born during flu season, which spans from October to April. For infants under the age of six months, flu vaccinations given to pregnant women reduce the risk of hospitalization by roughly 70%."We do have a lot of epidemiologic data that suggests that pregnancy with COVID-19 is not a healthy match," Dr. Riley adds of COVID-19. "Pregnant women have experienced a higher rate of ICU admissions, mechanical ventilation, and deaths, despite the fact that the absolute number is modest. On the plus side, you have a vaccine that prevents serious sickness."

5. Stick to Your Schedule

Dr. Gail Saltz, a psychoanalyst and assistant attending physician at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center and clinical associate professor of psychiatry at Weill Cornell Medicine, says there are simple strategies you can adopt to stick with your plan, whether you're looking to lose weight, get in better shape, stay in better touch with family and friends, quit smoking or drinking, or have another goal in mind. She proposes:

Accept responsibility for what needs to be fixed.

In weekly installments, write down your goals and action plan.

Begin with a "Why?" entry in your journal.

Incentivize people.

Tell someone else about it.