Ways to stay healthy, fit and organized this year

New Year, new you.” It sounds very cliché doesn’t it? Hefty new year’s resolutions can lead to overwhelming goals, failures and ultimately disappointments. This year, instead starting a dramatic overhaul, lets focus on prevention and planning to make simple changes so we can have attainable goals for a great 2024!

Focus on whole foods — “longevity” is a very hot topic right now. How do we live our healthiest and longest lives possible? An antiinflammatory diet is probably one of the most important things you can do for yourself and it doesn’t have to be that difficult. If you focus on not eating any man-made foods, that is a huge first step. Processed foods contain chemicals and additives that create inflammation in your body. Inflammation ultimately causes you to feel bad and your body to age. Start thinking about food as fuel for your body and only put clean, nonprocessed foods into it! Lean meats, eggs, fruits, vegetables, nuts and beans - these are whole foods. It’s very simple. Avoiding anything processed or man-made is your first step to a healthier lifestyle. Refined sugars, seed oils, and simple carbohydrates are the enemy. They create inflammation in our bodies which ultimately results in aging and potentially even cancer-causing effects

Move your body! People have become stagnant. We sit at our desks. We sit in our cars. We sit on our couches. We stare endlessly at our cell phones. Our bodies are made to move! Take a walk. Join a gym. Join a tennis class. Take the dog to the park. Do anything, just don’t be still. Personally, I enjoy attending weightlifting group class every day. It makes me feel strong, energetic and the endorphins released after a workout put me in the best mood possible. If you’re new to weightlifting I recommend joining a class or getting a trainer to make sure your form is on point to prevent any injuries.

Sunscreen – The aging process is dramatically accelerated from sun damage. What can you do to prevent wrinkles? Prevent sun damage! Very simple: First, you should be using an antioxidant serum on your skin daily. The sun’s rays causes oxidative damage to your skin’s DNA which ultimately causes aging and cancer. Vitamin C is an antioxidant which can help prevent the oxidative stress from sun damage when applied to the skin. Secondly, you should wear sunscreen every day.

Whether you work inside an office or not, it is important to wear sunscreen. It is a simple step that takes five seconds in the morning to apply. It can mean the difference between looking flap or fab when you’re 40!

Save: Whether you want to start planning for retirement or your facelift fund you have to have a plan. Sit down and evaluate your financial situation and decide how much you can put away. Create a habit of putting a small amount every month into savings or investments and you will thank yourself later!

Self-care – our lives are so busy. Each day is spent racing to work, caring for the kids and meeting deadlines. We often let our own self-care fall to the wayside. Planning your own self-care forces you to actually take time to do it. I always block an afternoon once a month for my own self-care. Whether it’s doing my own botox and fillers, micro needling or a hair appointment I plan ahead to make time to take care of myself.

Heal yourself from within – many medical conditions can be cured with preventative medicine. Vitamin D deficiency can be associated with chronic fatigue, muscle aches, dementia and osteoporosis. Certain people cannot properly metabolize folic acid leading to early onset heart disease and depression. Adding a methyl-folate supplement to your diet can be a simple fix. Many autoimmune processes are associated with a leaky gut — proper gut health with probiotics and an anti-inflammatory diet can heal many ailments. Seeing a functional medicine practitioner can identify holistic alternatives to healing the cause of your ailments rather than just treating the symptoms.

So, this year, allow yourself some grace.

Make small changes that you can sustain throughout the year to live your best year yet!

Paige Bundrick M.D., is a double board certified facial plastic and reconstructive surgeon at 2210 Line Ave., Shreveport, 318-221-9671.