Health Strategies for 2024: What 10 Resolutions Do Experts Recommend?

(Dennis Thompson – HealthDay News) -Are you still wondering whether to make a decision? New Year? Or maybe you regret that you gave up your healthy habits during the holidays? vacation?

Anyway, American Medical Association (AMA)abbreviation in English) has ten recommendations to help Americans improve their health by 2024.

“After the holidays, it’s quite common to think about how much you’ve eaten or your lack of physical activity and become despondent,” said AMA President Dr. Jesse Ehrenfeld.

“But the good news is that You don’t have to make big health changes right away.. “You can make small positive health decisions now that can have long-term consequences,” Ehrenfeld added in a WADA press release.

The AMA’s recommendations for a healthier new year include:

Increase physical activity. Exercise is essential for physical and mental health. Adults should get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity each week.

Eat healthier. Reduce your intake of sugary drinks and processed foods, drink more water, and eat more nutritious whole foods, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts and seeds, low-fat dairy products and lean meats.

Stay up to date with vaccine news. Vaccines are available to protect people against COVID, flu and RSV during this winter’s cold and flu season. Make sure everyone in your household gets all recommended vaccines.

Get routine medical checkups. Researchers estimate that millions of screening tests for breast, colorectal and prostate cancer may have been missed due to pandemic-related disruptions. Check with your doctor to find out if you need to be tested.

Know your blood pressure numbers. Controlling high blood pressure can reduce your risk of heart attack or stroke.

Find out your risk of developing type 2 diabetes. A simple two-minute online self-assessment test at DoIHavePrediabetes.org can indicate your risk of developing diabetes and empower you to take steps to prevent developing the chronic disease.

Drink in moderation. Follow guidelines that recommend two drinks per day for men and one drink per day for women.

Do not smoke. Tobacco and vaping can cause nicotine addiction and affect your health. Your doctor can offer you resources and advice on how to quit smoking.

Use prescribed medications safely. Follow your doctor’s instructions when taking prescribed medications, especially antibiotics. Failure to complete a full course of antibiotics may contribute to the emergence of antibiotic-resistant microbes. Also store prescription opioids safely, take them as directed, and properly discard any leftover pills.

Control your stress. Get seven to eight hours of sleep a night and, if necessary, seek help from a psychiatrist.

Another tip for a healthy New Year: make sure you have health insurance.

The AMA encourages people to visit healthcare.gov to sign up for health insurance as recent changes have improved access and affordability. The deadline to sign up for coverage for 2024 is January 16th.

More information. Harvard Medical School has more information on how to make your New Year’s resolutions a reality.

SOURCE: American Medical Association, press release, December 19, 2023.

*Dennis Thompson, HealthDay Reporters © 2023 The New York Times.