The New Year is right around the corner, and we all know that this is the perfect moment to think about our long-term health plans and the steps we can take to be kinder towards our minds and bodies. Whether you’d like to shed some unwanted weight or increase your energy levels, starting with a clean slate called 2023 is a great place to start. 

On that note, we all have trouble deciding which goals to pursue. When it comes to health, all these goals are important enough. So, how do you even begin to prioritize? Chances are, by focusing on a specific set of health resolutions, you’ll inadvertently also support a whole host of other health goals that are on the proverbial back burner. Here are a few resolutions that you can safely add to your 2023 list to start improving your health over time!

Give your immune system a boost 

Nothing can be more important than strengthening your body’s overall ability to fend off infections and illness. That decision alone can completely alter all aspects of your life, including your sense of strength and vitality, energy levels, and the sheer chance to experience more in life.  

Such a noble goal is one without an actual ending, so you can focus on doing small things that can make a huge difference: 

• Get an insulated water bottle to keep your hydration in check – you’d be surprised how much of your immune system depends on your water intake. 
• An apple a day – it can be an orange, a carrot, a banana, anything you like, just be sure to start eating more plant-based wholefoods each day. They’re loaded with vitamins and minerals, easy to find and consume, require minimal to no preparation, and they are delicious! 
• Stick to a sleep routine that will get you those 7-8 hours of sleep each day. 
• Lean protein is your best friend – it will keep you full for longer, help you build lean muscle, strength, and support your fitness goals, while allowing you to avoid cravings. 
• Check if you have any nutrient deficiencies (one of the more common ones being vitamin D), and get the right supplements to reinforce your diet.  

Focus on prevention with Galleri testing 

It’s simple enough to recognize you have a cold or that your belly is giving you trouble – the symptoms are there, and you know what to do. However, some of the more sneaky health troubles can fly under the radar for long enough to have a tremendous detrimental effect on your life, such as cancer.  

Fortunately, we live in an age of significant scientific breakthroughs, and you can now have the opportunity to leverage early cancer screening tests such as Galleri. Early detection can help improve your chances of survival, but also enable you to potentially avoid drastic treatments that are necessary at later stages. To get this year off to a great start, we’re setting up Galleri testing at our own office on January 20th from 10 am to 12 pm, helping you screen for over 50 cancers in the earliest stages. 

You can use the sign up form here, but as always, if you have any questions or concerns, our staff is there to provide you with any further information, so feel free to get in touch with us directly.  

Through a partnership with Forum Health, GRAIL is offering this test to our patients for $1049. The cost includes the cost of the test, blood draw, and interpretation fee. The test itself is a simple blood test, and you can speak directly with a GRAIL representative if you have any questions, and enjoy the complimentary food and drinks while there, as well! 

Build up your stress resilience 

In addition to early detection, prevention, and your immune health, one of the best things you can do for your mental and physical wellbeing is to learn how to better cope with stress triggers. We can all agree that it’s impossible to eliminate stress in its entirety. So, why not learn how to manage stressful situations better from the get-go? 

• Set up dedicated work breaks to do something healthy for yourself, be it your healthy meal, a walk, or to listen to your favorite music. Breaks are essential for your mental health! 

• Try a self-care routine that will help you relax, such as weekly massages, yoga, simple stretching exercises at home, meditation, or taking a bubble bath.  
• Ask for help: if you find it too difficult to deal with your issues on your own, speaking with a mental health professional can be a great way to expand your support system and get better at managing stress. 
• Make time for healthy connections – prioritizing your mental health also means spending quality time with people you love. This kind of socialization will also give you a new perspective, reminding you of all the things that truly matter when you’re facing stressful situations. 

Reduce your screen time 

We might sound like a broken record saying this over and over again, but cutting down on your time using various devices such as your phone, computer, tablet, and your TV can cause a chain of positive reactions in your life that will contribute to your health.  

For starters, by setting aside your phone more often, you’ll have more opportunities to connect with the people around you. You’ll also find that you have much more time to get active (walk your dog, tidy up your rooms, do some redecorating, prepare meals for a few days in advance to make sure you’ll eat healthy, and so much more). 

You will also save countless hours for other activities, and you’ll take a step back from all the dark and bleak news that somehow always find their way to our newsfeed. It will help you reduce stress, improve activity levels, and dramatically boost your quality of sleep. A single habit can make a huge difference! 

Schedule regular checkups  

Finally, in the spirit of the aforementioned Galleri test – let prevention be the theme for 2023. At the start of the year, think about when the right moment would be to schedule all those annual appointments we tend to put off for way too long. Consider this one of those long-term healthy habits that require so little time and have such a major impact on your life. 

For example, when was the last time you had a dental checkup? How about a visit to your gynecologist? What about a dermatologist? Add those visits into your calendar, make the calls, and you’ll be doing yourself a tremendous favor, not to mention that your 2023 resolutions list will be shorter by one goal within a matter of minutes – so long as you honor those appointments!  

It’s never too late (or too early) to think about ways to improve and protect your wellbeing. Now that we’re on the verge of another beginning, all the more reason to think about your future and how you can slowly build your resilience. Let’s work towards a healthier, more holistic 2023, and brace ourselves for all of its challenges, focusing on healthful self-care and building a mindful attitude towards our choices!