NoExcusesGym

 In your New Year’s resolutions for 2007, how many of them involve your health? Any ones for healthy eating? Or keeping your blood pressure normal? Or cutting back on all that salt you use?

Try these 10 resolutions from the American Medical Association to raise your chances you’ll ring in 2008:

•  Avoid smoking - the leading preventable cause of death - and exposure to secondhand smoke. The U.S. Surgeon General reported in June there is no risk-free level of exposure to secondhand smoke, while California’s Environmental Protection Agency estimated that it kills 50,000 Americans annually.

•  Eat your fruits and vegetables. As recommend by the federal government’s Food Guide Pyramid, strive to eat about two cups of fruit and two to three cups of vegetables daily to reduce your risk of heart disease, cancer, stroke and high blood pressure.

•  Cut back on salt. Limit your salt intake to one teaspoon per day to help lower blood pressure and decrease your chances of getting heart disease or having a stroke. If you are 50 or older, cut back to about half a teaspoon per day.

•  Limit fat in your eating. Eat meals low in total, saturated and trans fats to reduce your cholesterol levels and risk of heart disease.

•  Check your cholesterol. Have your blood cholesterol checked regularly by your doctor and keep your level under 200 mg/dl to reduce your risk of heart disease.

•  Reduce the amount of sugary soda you drink. Per capita soft-drink consumption has increased by almost 500 percent over the past 50 years. Limit your consumption of regular soda pop and other sugar-sweetened drinks to help you avoid weight gain and decrease tooth decay.

•  Check your blood pressure. Have your blood pressure checked regularly by your doctor to help reduce your chances of heart attack or stroke. If you have high blood pressure, make sure that you keep your blood pressure under 140/90.

•  Get a colonoscopy. If you are 50 or older, ask your doctor about getting a colonoscopy to screen for colon cancer to improve your chances of early detection.

•  Get a mammogram. If you are a woman 40 or older, get a mammogram every one to two years to help detect breast cancer early and if diagnosed, improve your chances for survival.

•  Protect your skin from the sun. Use sunblock with an SPF of at least 30 or protective clothing when you’re in sunlight for a prolonged period. If you frequently get a suntan or sunburn, have your doctor check your skin regularly to detect early signs of skin cancer.

Source: Nubella News

(by Marcela Vanharova)