Eugene He

With another year ending, we tend to ponder on the year that has gone by, and start making plans for the year to come. It is only human to set landmarks and goals; we use birthdays, personal significant dates, and the end of the year to take stock of our progress and adjust ourselves to the changing environment. And oh boy! has this environment changed these past two years!

Normally, coming December, we would all be planning on how to become billionaires within the next year and retire to our private tropical island accompanied by famous, gorgeous people, but the reality of the current pandemic is forcing us to cherish the routines we lost, all those little mundane things that we grumbled about, but now miss with nostalgia; the things we took for granted but were forced to part: a cup of coffee with friends, a leisurely meal with the extended family, a trip abroad. For most, the chore of supermarket shopping became the cherished outing of the week! Even work has changed, became more reclusive, more introverted; for some it has, sadly, become a past memory. The pandemic that nobody foresaw, or even wanted to believe it would last, has reached the second year in full blow, and goes in flares for the third. An invisible miniscule enemy, a virus, brought humanity to its knees and taught mighty nations humility and vigilance. 

Most reports state that, especially for people under 18, the pandemic caused a deteriorated mental health and the strain amongst family members has increased. If anything, the pandemic made HEALTH, on all levels, a priority. We need a healthy, serene Additionally, we need to implement healthy regimes that fortify us against pathogens.

Now that 2022 is upon us, here are a few healthy ways to welcome it

1. Exercise, go for a nature walk

Daily exercising increases metabolism by burning extra calories and by preventing muscle loss. Better yet, walking can lessen your risk of type 2 diabetes, lower your blood pressure, and ward off cardiovascular issues. It improves our mood and can help boost our morale, after these two long years of confinement. 

2. Try new forms of self-care

You need to take care of your basic needs first if you want your stress relieving activities to be effective.  It helps promote physical, mental, and emotional health. Some ideas to help you get started are reading a new book, exercising, sitting in nature, mindfully sipping a drink or even taking care of your skin care routine on a regular basis. So set aside a few minutes for yourself. 

3. Take the stairs

In a 2017 study, researchers found that just 10 minutes of stair-walking was more effective than 50 mg of caffeine (about half a cup of coffee) in helping sleep-deprived women feel more energized. So apart from burning more calories and contributing to your overall fitness, climbing the stairs daily could keep you awake, too.

4. Remember taking  your supplements

Dietary supplements can improve overall health and help manage some health conditions. They help you get adequate amounts of essential nutrients if you don’t eat a variety of nutritious foods. With our recent lifestyle changes and eating habits probably we do not even get the optimal amount of nutrition essential for our body. So prioritize your health and  remember to take them!

5. Meditate more often

Meditation and vacation time have roughly the same outcome on overall wellbeing. Practicing mindfulness and meditation may help you manage stress and high blood pressure, sleep better, feel more balanced and connected, and even lower your risk of heart disease.

6. Follow a healthy dietary guideline

We have to eat right to feel right. Dietary guidelines are crucial in helping people to adopt healthier food consumption habits. It helps improve health and lower the chances of developing chronic diseases.

7. Practice generosity

Generosity may be a ‘magic pill’ for happiness and longevity. The benefits of giving are significant, according to various studies: lower blood pressure, lower risk of dementia, less anxiety and depression, and overall greater happiness. A 2013 study discovered that at least 200 hours of volunteering per year is linked with lower blood pressure.