The month of January is known for a lot of things, but arguably the most notorious one is those dreaded New Years Resolutions. As the fresh year rolls around many of us are tempted to put hard goals on paper to magically improve our entire lives, if only we can stick to hard set goals. Not surprisingly many of those resolutions fail to last the first week or month. The idea of making changes and improving things in our lives is a great one, but perhaps we can find easier ways to achieve them and stick with them if we simply try to make small, attainable changes that allow us to be more gentle with how to approach the concept. Often big changes are achieved with baby steps, especially when it comes to your health – considering that there is no one size fits all solution for everyone. Our bodies and minds are very complex and finding the perfect balance that works for you might require changes in one or two areas, or perhaps small changes in many areas all at once.

In this post we want to highlight a few tips to make 2023 your healthiest year yet by making small strides in the direction of a healthier and happier new you. Are you ready to dive right into 2023 with a new outlook on change? Lets get started.

Get Your Gut Health Under Control

One of the most important changes you can make in the new year is getting your gut health under control – not to worry, it is not as scary as it sounds. More and more research is done to understand the connection between your gut health and your overall health, including mental health, immunity and various skin conditions. Small changes such as adding a great probiotic, eating more prebiotic foods and reducing stress all have big impacts on your gut health. Conditions such as leaky gut or IBS may require some more drastic changes, in which case it might be beneficial to speak to your healthcare provider. Either way getting your gut health under control is a wonderful way to improve your health in general.

Get Moving – Any Way You Can

This comes as no shock to anyone, but a great way to get healthier is to get more exercise. I am sorry to say but all the doctors, personal trainers and well meaning relatives are all right – getting more exercise does actually work wonders to get healthier. Is it recommended to get 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity a week? Yes. Would taking a walk outside daily, stretching a few times a week or lifting weights once a week also help to improve your health? Absolutely! Do what you can, when you can now, because thinking and planning for the perfect regimen is great on paper, in reality doing little things now will actually make you feel better and get you moving in the right direction.

Find Ways to Improve Your Sleep

Sleep can sometimes feel a bit like a guilty pleasure as many of us sacrifice sleep to get more done, or simply cannot sleep well with all things we have going on. However, good sleep should in fact be a top priority for a healhier you. “Getting enough sleep every night can improve immune function, memory, cognition and mood,” said Jasprit Takher, MD, Associate Program Director of the Internal Medicine Residency Program at MountainView Hospital.

Find ways to improve your sleep naturally, consider taking supplements or speak with your healthcare provider if you think you need a little extra help.

Drink More and Less

This one is actually pretty simple – drink more water and less alcohol. Drinking proper amounts of water is vital to good health; it helps to flush out toxins, carries nutrients and aids in cell renewal. Increasing amount of research suggests that no amount of alcohol is actually good for you, and excessive drinking can increase your risk of serious health problems, including: pancreatitis, liver disease, stroke, high blood pressure and others.

Limit Consumption of “Bad” Things

There are quite a few things that are considered “BAD” and should be avoided and we would suggest limiting them. Sugar is a good one to stay away from, it is found in a surprising amount of everyday foods – salad dressings, coffees, crackers, and smoothies to name a few. Too much sugar can lead to weight gain and increase your risk of diabetes. Unplugging from our screens and social media is another great way to limit the negative influences in our lives. Looking at screens close to bedtime can have negative impact on our sleep patterns and constantly mindlessly consuming social media has been shown to negatively impact our mental health. Setting time limits, going on social media breaks and having a no screens in bed rules are all great ways to put you back into control of your screen time.

Find Compassion

Making changes, no matter how small, is not easy and with that in mind the best change you can make in 2023 is simply to have more compassion and love for yourself. Speak to yourself and about yourself the same way you would to your best friend.