Written by: Drs. Melissa and Shimon Rubinstein • November 1, 2021• Ask the Expert

Finish 2021 Strong with Healthy Habits

This time of year, there seems to be more gatherings, more family get-togethers, more parties, which for me usually means more and more food — and don’t get us started on all the yummy desserts.

It’s an easy time to allow many aspects of health to slip away or take a back seat to the “fun,” then POW!!! It’s the start of a new year, and suddenly, there is a sense of urgency to create resolutions that are usually focused on eating habits and physical activity (which are fantastic, by the way). The holiday season is approaching, and 2022 is just around the corner. For this very reason, we feel that now is the perfect time to increase your health habits. Make these last weeks of 2021 the starting-off point. That way, there are less obstacles to overcome at the start of the year.

Why wait to achieve better health? Plus, if you start now, all the pumpkin pie, latkes, cookies, eggnog, coquito, meats, cheeses, breads and beverages won’t have as much of an effect on you, making your New Year’s resolutions easier to achieve.

Here are some healthy ways to finish strong in 2021:

Drink water. Everyone has heard that you should drink 8 cups of water a day, which is 64 ounces of water. But that is only enough water if you weigh 122 pounds. I know that’s not good enough for me! Better advice is to drink half of your body weight in ounces. Staying hydrated will increase energy levels and concentration, helps your bones and muscles work at their best and can even help you avoid headaches, which might come more frequently with all the increased sugar intake. Get yourself a new favorite water bottle (we like to cover ours in stickers — it makes it fun), carry it with you and drink up! If you need a refill, you can always stop by the office and ask for one. It would be our pleasure. We even installed a bike rack and have bike locks for you.

Increase/maintain activity levels. Don’t let the end of the year be a distraction or an excuse. Regular exercise has been proven to reduce stress, increase heart health and decrease pain levels. It is also an effective way to decrease or maintain a healthy weight. Not every exercise is for every person. Some like to run, and others despise it or simply cannot. Some like to swim, and others might not even know how. And the gym scene is not for everyone either, but there is the right exercise for the person reading this article. We encourage you to find a physical activity that you enjoy and will be able to do consistently. With the ability to go on YouTube and find yoga and workout videos, Peloton, Tonal and other ways to exercise at home, the consistency should be much easier to obtain. Please remember that you should consult your physician before making any drastic changes in your physical activity levels.

Eat healthy but cheat a little. As much as you can when you are in control of your meals, eat healthy. By eating a healthy diet most of the time, it makes those occasional big get-together meals not have as bad an effect on you and your body. Remember, food is fuel for the body, and we should treat our bodies like a Ferrari. As a friend once said, “You wouldn’t put cheap gas in a Ferrari and expect it to run as it should. And your body is a Ferrari.” Enjoy yourself and eat some of your favorite foods. Just try not to go up for seconds every time.

Go for chiropractic care. Chiropractic adjustments increase overall nervous system function, which helps all systems of the body function better. By decreasing stress on the nervous system, the body becomes better self-healing, putting less stress on your body and giving you more energy. Chiropractic care improves biomechanics, increases range of motion and improves posture, and allows your body to adapt, reorganize and develop new, healthy patterns which will serve you well overall.

We hope that this article inspires you to finish 2021 strong and start 2022 off in the right direction.

Wishing you peace, love, health and happiness. #liveahappylife

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