It’s a new year. The perfect opportunity to refocus energy on health and mindfulness. Cancer has been on your mind, and you may feel drained.
You might also feel out of control.
With health, we’re always sure what cards we’re dealt and the feeling of uncertainty can be draining in itself.
In the spirit of a new year, we’d like to offer a few resolutions to help guide you and your loved ones on a path to taking back control. Despite how it may feel, your decisions play a key role in how you tackle your wellness from this point forward.
Be mindful and take care of yourself
It might be the most important resolution on this list. The day-to-day responsibilities of life are stressful and this stress isn’t good for your health. Take time each day to unwind and indulge yourself in the activities you enjoy most. Spend time with loved ones, take walks, stretch, meditate and take up the activities that are meaningful to you.
Don’t drink your calories
Starbucks Chestnut Praline Lattes are delicious. Soda is too. But drinking these beverages introduces excess calories and extra sugar that increase the likelihood of weight gain. Make it a point to cut back on the creamer, syrup, and soda by swapping these out with seltzer or plain water. Your waistline will thank you for it.
Take a walk!
In the spirit of reducing excess calories. Make it a point to go on a brisk walk at least three times a week. Do it every day if your schedule permits and enjoy the many health benefits of this activity. Physical activity has the added benefit of protecting against certain cancers. Start with every other day, and build up to exercising every day. After a month of regular activity, it’ll be hard to skip it and you’ll feel better each day.
Switch to a mostly whole food diet
This doesn’t have to be an all-or-nothing process. Whole foods are the types of foods where you recognize all the ingredients on the list. Foods where you can pick them up and inspect them at the farmer’s market, grocery store, or wherever you do your shopping. Start small and replace a few items on your shopping list with a portion of whole food. If you’re already working with a whole food diet, add more whole grains and vegetables to the mix. These foods are not only nutritious, but they also help protect against certain cancers.
Eat-in more often
Despite how delicious these foods are, it’s difficult to know what restaurants put into your food. They also tend to be higher in fats, salts, sugars, and all the stuff our bodies don’t need more of. This doesn’t have to be an all-or-nothing process. Replace one additional meal per week with a home-cooked one so you can be sure what’s in your food.
Drink less
And by drink, we mean alcohol. As nice as it is to unwind after a long day with a few glasses of wine, excess alcohol could lead to a cancer recurrence. Drinking less alcohol will also improve sleep quality, speed up weight loss and boost immune function. Everything you need to feel healthier and seize each day.
These are a few resolutions to get you started but this list isn’t exhaustive by any means. Healthier choices come in a variety of shapes and sizes, each with its benefits. We hope that with each resolution you commit to, you’ll look forward to better wellness. We know it’s hard to feel in control through this difficult time, but by taking little steps and working on each goal, you’ll be on track for a brighter new year. Full of healthier choices and greater mindfulness.
Pretty in Pink Boutique
Pretty In Pink Boutique is a Christian-based ministry that seeks to support women and their families in the journey with breast cancer. Whether you’re working through breast cancer or have developed lymphedema through other means, Pretty in Pink Boutique is here for you.
Pretty in Pink Boutique
719 Thompson Ln Ste 25010, Nashville, TN 37204
Questions? Interested in scheduling an appointment? Check out Pretty in Pink here –