Creating practical, sustainable health resolutions this New Year

The excitement about the New Year 2025 is almost tangible. Many will have new aspirations. Others may not be too bothered, after all, the transition to another year is mostly a formulated calendar event. Nevertheless, the start of a designated new year has traditionally been linked to many symbolic events. Not least are the popular New Year resolutions. If you are the type that comes up with any resolutions, you could always consider incorporating health as part of your blueprint.

It isn’t difficult to come up with a health plan. Am sure you already know, in broad terms, what’s healthy and what isn’t. Your aims should be to promote a healthy status and do all you can to prevent disease as the year advances. It means being proactive, rather than reactionary, as far as your health is concerned. It means re-looking at your lifestyle, and making plans to accommodate mostly healthy habits.

The list of actions that equate to a healthy lifestyle is pretty long, your health plans should easily capture such actions. Plan to avoid toxic habits, such as smoking and excessive drinking. If you weren’t physically active in the past year, incorporate plans for heightened physical exercises this year.

Eat mostly healthy foods, watch your weight and maintain active social connections. When you combine all these seemingly simple actions, you will fend off chronic conditions and probably influence your longevity positively.

Plan to keep your health screening up to date. There are many cancer screening programmes suitable for both women and men. Check what kind of screening is recommended for your specific circumstances. And plan to adhere to the recommended screening intervals.

Other chronic conditions also render themselves suitable for screening. Think of cardio-metabolic conditions, such as hypertension and diabetes.

As you plan for your own individual health, don’t forget others. If you have a family, they too, should feature in your health plans. Make sure you cater for appropriate health insurance for the unforeseen, and young children get all the recommended preventive vaccines.

Regardless of well laid out health plans, some sort of disease may still catch up with you. Always plan to get your healthcare in facilities where quality comes as standard. Don’t procrastinate if faced with lingering symptoms. If you couldn’t have prevented it, your aim should be prompt treatment.