Healthful New Year’s Resolutions

Supporting Your Health & Wellness in the New Year

3, 2, 1—Happy New Year! What better time than now to take charge of your health with these simple lifestyle changes? The health experts at Antelope Valley Medical Center are here to share some tips to help you ring in the New Year happy and healthy.

Walking for Wellness

It is recommended that adults aim to get 150 minutes of exercise each week. While many people think of hitting the gym and lifting heavy weights when thinking of exercise, that doesn’t have to be the case.

One of the simplest ways that you can incorporate physical activity into your everyday routine is by just walking. Even just setting aside 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week, you can yield a variety of health benefits. Some of the many health benefits of walking include:

• Improves circulation
• Supports healthy weight
• Prevents joint pain
• Supports cardiovascular health
• Boosts your immune health
• Improves range-of-motion

Eat a More Colorful Diet

For many people, eating a healthy and balanced diet is on their New Year’s resolution list. While this can seem like an overwhelming task, it can be as simple as making your diet more colorful! When it comes to grocery shopping and preparing meals, try to add a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables to your plate to make it as colorful as possible. Eating a wide variety of foods ensures that you’re getting plenty of essential vitamins and nutrients in your diet.

Some other helpful hints to build a better diet include:

• Cut back on takeout and fast food.
• Pay attention to your sodium intake.
• Cut back on sugary juices and sodas.
• Don’t skip out on breakfast in the morning.
• Opt for whole-grain breads and pastas.

Get Better Quality Rest

Whether you’ve found yourself in a good workflow or you want to watch one more episode of your favorite show—everyone is guilty of skipping out on their rest every now and then. While this may leave you feeling groggy and tired the next day, it can also wreak havoc on your body if this becomes a habit.

Getting the recommended 7-9 hours of good quality rest actually helps to support your health and wellness in the following ways:

• Supports your immune health.
• Improves cognitive function.
• Helps regulate mood.
• Lowers risk of heart disease.

Specialty Care in Lancaster, CA

As the only full-service, acute-care hospital in Antelope Valley, Antelope Valley Medical Center is proud to deliver exceptional medical care to the community we serve. Our knowledgeable staff is dedicated to providing our patients with heartfelt, compassionate care and medical excellence.

Call (661) 949-5000 or visit our dedicated services page for more information about the offerings at AVMC.