Editorial

Ready to resolve?

Saturday, December 27, 2003

Christmas is a wonderful time, but unfortunately, it can also be a time of excess. We're not talking about exceeding the family budget, although many of us do. Pay off the credit cards as quickly as possible, and start a Christmas Club account to keep the presents off the plastic next year.

We're talking about the eating, drinking or merry-making that can so easily be overdone this time of year.

Did you make New Years resolutions last year? How long did they last?

If you're like most of us, many of those resolutions will be long forgotten by springtime.

That doesn't mean we should give up trying to improve. Indeed, our health and well-being may depend on it. So, between now and New Year's Day, here are a few suggested resolutions for your consideration:

* Exercise. Do you have a regular walking habit? How about a membership to the YMCA? If you have one, when was the last time you used it?

Check with your doctor first, but check into exercises that fall into three main categories: Cardiovascular (30 nonstop minutes, five days a week, such as walking, jogging, cycling or aerobics), strengthening (calisthenics or weightlifting) or stretching, which helps prevent injuries and arthritis.

Regular exercies helps reduce the effects of stress.

* Safety. Wear seat belts. Wear a helmet while bicycling, skating or skiing. Are your smoke alarm batteries fresh? Are your firearms and ammunition locked, unloaded and safeguarded?

* Chemicals. Stop smoking, don't abuse drugs or alcohol.

* Spirituality. More and more is being discovered about the link between this important human trait and health and the treatment of disease.

* Diet. OK, we said it. But when it comes to eating, balance is the key. Try new fruits and vegetables, and if you know you'll be eating higher-calorie foods at dinner, cut back at breakfast or lunch and plan to add some extra physical activity.

No, you probably won't be able to achieve everything you would like this year. But as the old year rolls over into the new, now is as good a time as any to start somewhere.

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