Health Library

I am not a big fan of New Year's resolutions. They tend to be momentary and transient, often requiring some form of denial (eating less, smoking less, drinking less) or the setting of unrealistic goals (I am going to exercise one hour every day and eat at least eight daily servings of fruits and vegetables!).

I would, therefore, like to propose a new term to replace the New Year's "resolution." It is this: New Year's "evolution." Evolution suggests gradual, sustainable change, in harmony with nature, leading to improved functioning and survival. It means improving our health and well-being over time in a manner consistent with our (fallible) natures, and making sacrifices that become less and less difficult as our health and vitality grows.

Here are a few New Year's "evolutions" to consider, and some hints on how to incorporate them into the new year.

Eat mindfully. Although, as Americans, we seem to spend a lot of time thinking about food, rarely do we seem to eat with awareness. We eat because we are hungry or simply because it is meal time or for comfort or out of boredom or anxiety. Often, we are rushed when we eat, rarely taking time to savor and enjoy a meal. Eating mindfully means taking time to truly taste what we are eating (this usually means chewing more slowly and taking smaller bites than we usually do). Once we do this, several things start to happen.

First, this leads to a deeper, more complex taste experience and, over time, the more mindfully we eat, our bodies naturally begin to crave food that is nutritious and wholesome and reject unhealthful food overpowered with salt, fat or sugar that only satisfies our need for short-term comfort.

Try eating a supermarket tomato mindfully, then try one grown locally from a farm stand or one you picked from your own garden, and you will notice the difference. Even better, try eating a fast-food burger mindfully and soon, I predict, you will find most fast food unpalatable, as your body rejects what is not good for you.

Eating mindfully also means eating less. As we eat more slowly and deliberately, our stomachs register a sense of satiety sooner than if we shoveled down a plate full of pasta over half an hour. Getting fuller sooner means taking in fewer calories and leads to healthy, sustainable weight loss (in case that happens to be anyone's resolution). One more hint: eat smaller, more frequent meals throughout the day. Eating smaller portions at breakfast, lunch and dinner and supplementing that with a mid-morning and late-afternoon snack (such as a small handful of almonds, a cup of yogurt or an apple), maintains your blood sugar throughout the day and allows your body to utilize calories more efficiently. It also can aid in sustainable weight loss.

Practice breathing. Breathing, like eating, is another activity we tend not to think about, but when done with awareness, it can significantly improve our health and well-being. Deep, deliberate breathing expands the lungs more fully and also can help keep the sinuses open and flowing. To practice breathing, inhale slowly and deeply through your nose and down into your abdomen to a count of eight, hold for a count of four, then exhale through your mouth to a count of seven. Repeat this cycle over several minutes.

Since the breath is so central to life, practicing deep breathing can be centering, energizing and healthful. It is difficult to feel anger, anxiety or other negative emotions when you are breathing deeply and deliberately. Breathing deeply prior to going to sleep can reduce tension in the mind and body and can be a great aid for people with insomnia.

If quitting smoking is on your agenda this year, once your mind and body begin to experience the benefits of regular breathing practice, it is likely that it will be easier to quit. As your lungs come alive and as your mind calms and your body moves toward health, unhealthful practices begin to become less desirable, even intolerable.

Live in the present. So much of our time is spent inside our heads consumed with thoughts about the future or regrets about the past. Since we can't predict the future or change things that have already happened, we spend a lot of our waking moments dwelling on things beyond our control. This can lead to increased stress, anxiety and anger. When we focus on the present moment, the future and past fade away and, with them, much of our stress and fear. We are left with a fuller experience of life as we are living it.

We awaken to the world around us, and our senses come to life as they take in sensations that we usually take for granted. The smell of snow, the taste of a well-cooked meal, the sound of music we love -- these can become gifts that we give to ourselves throughout the day. And what better gift can we give to the important people in our lives than our total, undistracted presence?

Stay active. Despite many attempts in the past, I have come to the conclusion that I am not ever going to be a regular attendee at a gym or fitness club, nor will I be one of those intrepid souls that I see running on the street at 7 a.m. while I am running into Starbucks. But that does not mean that I can't benefit from exercise and stay active. If increasing healthy activity is part of your plan this year, and if you are not going to be waking up at 5 a.m. to go running or head to the gym before work, then finding activities that you do enjoy and that will keep you active and help you gain the benefits of exercise is key.

Activities such as yoga, swimming, walking, dancing and gardening all count. A class in karate or tai chi also counts, as does parking your car farther away from your destination and taking the stairs instead of an elevator. The point is to incorporate activity into your daily schedule that you truly enjoy and that you will keep doing. Over time, these activities become part of your daily routine, and the healthy benefits show up almost automatically.

Cultivate self-compassion. While I think it is always important to have compassion for others, it is equally important to have compassion for oneself. No one is perfect, and self-compassion allows us to go easy on ourselves when life does not go our way. In fact, a study by Duke University and Wake Forest University researchers has shown that self-compassion can help us weather life's challenges without turning to anger, getting depressed or overly blaming ourselves. It is a state of mind that helps us persevere and stay positive despite challenging times.

If, for example, you try to quit smoking and are not successful the first time, do not get down on yourself. Forgive yourself, accept that you are trying to accomplish something that has been very difficult for millions of people, take some deep breaths, go for a walk and try again.