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Health & Fitness Guide CARE

Living Healthy in 2023

Resolutions to get in shape, exercise more and eat healthier foods are popular each January. Optimism reigns when making resolutions, but for many, the difficulty lies in keeping them. Individuals looking to get healthier in the year ahead can try these strategies to stay the course.

7 fitness resolutions that are easy to keep

• Wake up earlier. Waking up a half hour earlier each day can have a substantial impact. That small amount of extra time can be devoted to meditation, deep breathing exercises or even some yoga stretches.

• Move around more frequently. Many people with office jobs spend hours sitting in front of computers. A sedentary lifestyle can have an adverse effect on overall health. Set a timer or use a reminder on a fitness tracker to remind you to get up and move around for a little bit every hour.

• Eat more vegetables. Vague goals like “eating better” are difficult to maintain because there is no specific goal to achieve. Rather, a resolution like eating a fruit or vegetable each day at every meal is something measurable. Vegetables can be hidden in favorite foods, such as desserts. Swap pasta noodles for spiralized zucchini as another easy fix.

• Stand straighter. Posture tends to decline with age, advises AARP. This can cause the spine to lose flexibility. Stretches to maintain posture can help anyone stand straighter and improve long-term health.

• Add “bursts” to your walk. Researchers at the Mayo Clinic tout the benefits of interval training. While high-impact workouts may not be appropriate for everyone, adding little speed bursts to a daily walk can provide significant health benefits. Aim for 30 to 60 seconds of rapid walking at regular intervals to shake up the workout.

• Drink more water. Increasing water intake can help you feel fuller, thus reducing the likelihood that you will overeat. Gradually increase your water intake by adding a few ounces each day until drinking water becomes rote.

• Take a workout outside. Switch up your normal routine by making use of the great outdoors to exercise. Instead of three miles on the treadmill or elliptical machine at the gym, opt for three miles on a local hiking trail. Healthy resolutions are easier to keep when you have firm ideas and choose reasonable goals.

How to overcome a fitness plateau

Each individual has his or her own fitness goals when beginning an exercise regimen. Perhaps the plan is to lose a set amount of weight or lift a certain amount of weight? Goals help people assess their workouts whether or not they are achieving the desired results. At some point in just about everyone’s fitness routine, it may seem like progress has stalled. Changes in the body may no longer be noticeable or the scale says the same weight each week. It’s easy to grow discouraged when exercise gains plateau. But recognizing this phenomenon can help people get their workouts back on track.

What is a fitness plateau?

The exercise resource GymBet says a fitness plateau is a phase when the body adjusts to a workout routine and stops progressing further. The body has become accustomed to the stress and changes an exercise routine has put on it in order to grow muscles, reduce fat or improve in training.

What causes a plateau?

The human body is incredibly resilient and can adapt to the physical demands of a workout. That means a workout initially can produce noticeable results. But over time, the body will adapt and something that was challenging will become easier. As a result, a familiar and once effective workout will no longer produce the desired results. Some call this General Adaption Syndrome. Even though hitting a plateau may seem frustrating, it is a good sign that an individual is making progress in a fitness program.

How to overcome a plateau?

The American Heart Association says one way to overcome a plateau is to follow the F.I.T.T principle of exercise. This stands for Frequency, Intensity, Time, and Type. Once a plateau has been reached, a person will have to change one or more components of F.I.T.T. to once again get desired results. That may mean increasing frequency and/or intensity, spending more time in an exercise session, or changing the type of workout. If the plateau involves a lack of weight loss, then tracking food for a week or two can show just how many calories are going in versus how many are expended. Often, hitting a plateau can be traced to dietary changes.

Banish boredom

Another factor in hitting fitness plateaus that people may not realize is mental motivation. An individual who is becoming bored in a workout may not put forth the same level of effort, and that can manifest itself in a lack of results. Modifying the workout or attending a new program can be a small trigger to reach a new fitness level.

A fitness plateau is something active people need to consider. Modifications can be made to get progress back on track.

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Consumers familiar with the disparity in price between organic fruits and vegetables and conventional alternatives may be curious if that difference in price pays off with healthier foods. According to a 2014 study published in the British Journal of Nutrition, it does. Researchers behind the study concluded that the antioxidant compounds in organic fruits and vegetables deliver between 20 and 40 percent higher antioxidant activity. That’s a significant benefit, as the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health notes that antioxidant-rich fruits, vegetables and legumes are associated with a lower risk of various diseases, including cardiovascular diseases and cancer, and deaths from all causes. In addition, the Mayo Clinic notes that organically grown produce has traditionally had lower levels of pesticide residue than conventionally grown alternatives, though safety measures governing conventional produce and residue levels have changed in recent years and reduced that gap.

Habits that affect cognitive health

Various changes to appearance and health are associated with aging. Issues such as diminished vision, waning muscle strength and gray hairs are among the more common and noticeable side effects of aging. Cognitive decline is another symptom often associated with aging, even if that needn’t be the case.

Certain lifestyle choices can protect against cognitive decline and dementias. While there is no surefire way to prevent dementias, here are some good habits for maintaining cognitive function well into your golden years.

Exercise frequently

Harvard Health reports that exercise, in addition to the many other benefits it provides, may help improve cognitive function in people who have already experienced memory issues. Exercise may be particularly advantageous to people who carry the APOE4 gene variant, which makes people more susceptible to Alzheimer’s. Speak with a doctor about how much exercise is needed and what is safe for your age.

Enjoy video games

Playing a favorite video game may improve long-term cognitive function. Researchers at Cambridge Brain Sciences found study participants who played non-cognitive-training video games were associated with better performance in several cognitive domains, but only for younger (age 18 to 64) participants. Cognitive training games, on the other hand, were not associated with any cognitive improvement.

Stay socially engaged

According to a study published in the journal Experimental Aging Research, seniors who have high levels of social engagement also have better cognitive function. Getting together with friends, participating in a club, attending religious studies, and any other activity that gets you out with other people can help with cognitive function.

Eat a healthy diet

Eating a diverse array of healthy foods is beneficial. Nutritious diets can help reduce the risk for illnesses that may affect cognitive ability. Eating well also helps keep the brain healthy. A Mediterranean diet appears to lower the risk or slow the progression of dementia in people who have the condition.

Get help for sleep disorders

Lack of sleep can affect memory and learning. By getting help for sleep disorders, you may reduce your risk for cognitive issues.

While it is not possible to prevent or cure cognitive conditions like dementias with lifestyle changes, certain behaviors can lower the risk of developing these illnesses or reduce their severity.

Calfresh Healthy Living

CalFresh Healthy Living (SNAP-Ed) supports healthy, active and nourished lifestyles by teaching Del Norte residents about good nutrition and how to stretch their food dollars while also building community partnerships to make the healthy choice the easy choice. Healthy eating is important at every stage of life. Start simple with MyPlate today. https://www.dietaryguidelines.gov/sites/default/files/2021-03/ DGA_2020-2025_StartSimple_withMyPlate_English_color.pdf

CalFresh Healthy Living Program provides nutrition education based on Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020-2025 and physical activity promotion targeting CalFresh eligible populations and promotes leadership toward healthy community initiatives through the Champions for Change program. The aim of the Dietary Guidelines is to promote health and prevent disease.

The guidelines are a customizable framework of core elements within which individuals make tailored and affordable choices that meet their personal, cultural, and traditional preferences. Here is the link to the “Customizing the Dietary Guidelines Framework” https://www.dietaryguidelines.gov/sites/default/files/2021-11/ DGA_2020-2025_CustomizingTheDietaryGuidelinesFramework.pdf

CalFresh Healthy Living Program is recruiting Champions for Change. Champions for Change are real people like you – moms, dads, grandparents, healthcare workers, clergy, and even store owners who have made healthy changes. They talk the talk and walk the walk. Champions for Change prioritize good health for themselves and their families and want to inspire others to make healthy changes for a better life. You, too, can become a Champion for Change! Join us for a movement for healthier lifestyle changes! Please check out our local Champions for Change at our website, https://delnortecalfresh. org/champions-for-change/ and contact us for more information.

We have free resources available promoting nutrition and physical activity, including cookbooks, recipe cards, and educational materials to all the residents of Del Norte County. Please visit our program website, https://delnortecalfresh.org/ for more information and contact us, https://delnortecalfresh.org/contact-us/ Phone; 707-464-3191 x2820, Address; 420 L Street, Crescent City, CA, 95531. Follow us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/ChampionsforChangeCrescentCity/

Tobacco Use Prevention Program

The Tobacco Use Prevention Program (TUPP) provides outreach and education to the public on the harms of tobacco use as well as supporting local coalitions working to create a healthier community. TUPP’s program objectives are centered around reducing exposure to secondhand smoke, limiting tobacco promoting influences, limiting where tobacco products can be obtained, and promoting cessation services such as Kick It California.

Through TUPP’s support of the Tobacco Free Del Norte Coalition and the S.T.O.R.M Youth Coalition, Crescent City adopted a Smoke-Free Multi-unit Housing Ordinance (Ord. 825) and Del Norte County recently adopted a Tobacco Retail License Ordinance (Ord. 2022-010). With the implementation of these ordinances, TUPP is helping to create a healthier environment for the community to thrive.

California has recently passed a new tobacco law, Senate Bill (SB) 793, which took effect on December 21, 2022. This law prohibits the sale of most flavored tobacco products and stops the tobacco industry from preying on and profiting from adolescents and other targeted communities with flavored tobacco products. As this law is now effective, tobacco retailers in California are no longer allowed to sell certain flavored and menthol tobacco products as specified within the law.

For anyone looking to start their quitting journey, Kick It California is a great place to start. Visit the website at KickItCA.org, call 1-800-3008086, or Text “I Can Quit” to 66819 to quit vapes or “Kick Tobacco” to 66819 to quit cigarettes.