Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 31, Number 1, 1 January 2014 — 12 TIPS HAPPY FOR A HEALTHY 2014 [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

12 TIPS HAPPY FOR A HEALTHY

2014

By Francine Murray lllustrations: Thinkstock

1Don't skip breakfast. It provides fuel and boosts your metabolism - a plus if you are trying to lose weight. Make a parfait - add granola and fresh fruit to Greek yogurt. It's low in fat and high in protein. Have get-up-and-go oatmeal - eook oatmeal, add 1 tablespoon of flaxseed oil, organie vanilla, honey and einnamon to taste, or, top a welltoasted multigrain sliee of bread with low-fat eream cheese and well-drained lomi salmon. Serve with a boiled egg or smokedfish. 'Onolicious! 2L0L - laugh out loud, and often. Laughter helps people to eope, reduces stress, relieves pain and boosts your immune system. Bust out your jokes and have a good laugh. Q Lendahand.

Offering your skills, time and energy to help those in need not only strengthens the eommunity, it ean motivate you and give you a sense of accomplishment and well-being. Bring a friend or your family and share the expe-

rience. If you are volunteering outdoors, for example, helping to restore a fishpond or working in a lo'i, extra benefits are the workout and sun-induced production of vitamin D, so remember to use sunscreen. For a list of groups in need of volunteers visit www.oha.org/health and download Community 'Āina Activities.

4An apple a day keeps the doctor away. A study at Florida State University found that women who added an apple to their dailv diet reduced their

bad cholesterol by 23 percent and increased their good cholesterol by 4 percent. Consuming pears and apples daily ean reduce stroke by 52 percent. The top 10 healthy foods are apples, almonds, broccoli, blueberries, fish rich in omega-3, leafy green vegetables, sweet potatoes, wheat germ, avocados and oatmeal, according to medicalnewstoday.com. Dig in - they are delicious.

5FumingP ST0P! Don'tsmoke.

Smoking increases your risk of heart disease and cancer, accelerates bone density loss and constricts blood flow. If you are a smoker, do everything you ean to quit. You and your loved ones will be happier for it. 6Fall in love again, and again. Date nights improve the quality and stability of marriages and relationships, according to a study, and couples that spend time alone together are more committed, satisfied and three times happier. Healthy relationships

improve emotional and mental health, build self-esteem as well as a support system, and improve your physical health.

|remember my tūtū working selflessly and tirelessly to care for all of us when we were liūle. Since then, I've learned that for people to be the best caregivers they ean be, they need to maintain their own health first. We all want to be the best we ean be. Let's resolve to get healthier in 20 14 by eating healthier foods and setting our bodies in motion. Repetition is the key to a successful New Year's resolution. It takes about 30 days to learn a new habit or break a bad one. So, take it one day at a time and in 30 days you will have made a positive ehanae in vour life.

Here are 12 simple tips to help improve your health. Many of them don't take mueh time, just a little preparation and planning. If you need a reminder, set your alarm. For example, your alarm could go off every day at 2 p.m. to remind you to eat an apple or take a 10-minute walk around the block.

7ūo it at work. Exercise. The movement will increase your circulation as well as your productivity. There are many ways

you ean work it into your busy schedule: skip the elevator - walk up and down the stairs; take a short walk on your break; flex some muscle with a tension cord or small free weights while on the phone; use an under-desk bike (Available online from simple to high-tech, $45— $170); or, a eouple times a day stretch at your desk - while seated, reach for the ceiling, take a deep breath and relax. Put your arms down and roll your shoulders in circles a few times. Turn your neek to the side and stretch it, repeat on the other side. Remain seated and stretch your legs straight out in front of you, point your toes, relax and repeat. Take a deep breath . . . and back to work. 8No whites. Stop eating starchy white food like rice, bread, sugar, flour and pasta. It's the easiest way to lose weight. These refined carbohydrates are usually full of empty calories. We don't need that. Opt for their nutrient rich counterparts - brown, multigrain and unrefined or raw whole foods, whieh will leave you feeling fuller and satisfied.

9Just dance. Jump rope. Hula hoop. Shake your groove thing. Move. I'll race you. Exercise has been called the fountain of youth. Maybe it's because when you love the activity you're doing it ean make you feel like a kid again. Just do it. Have fun and keep moving.

Meatless |(J Mondays.

Go vegetarian or have fish. Fish rich in omega-3s ean reduce the risk of heart disease and rheumatoid arthritis, improve

mental function, prevent alcohol-related dementia and some types of cancer. Fish rich in omega-3s include: 'ōpelu (mackerel/saba), makiawa (herring), makalē (sardines), salmon, eel and trout. 'Ahi (tuna) is only rich in ome-ga-3 when it is fresh, not canned, and should be limited to only 2 servings per week if you are pregnant or breast-feeding.

1 Here's to you, H20. Yes, drink more water. The bottom line is you need it to stay healthy. Water energizes, promotes clarity of thought and weight loss. Occasionally, when you think you are hungry you may actually be thirstv. Cut out the sugarv

drinks and trade up for the good stuff - water. Your body will thank you. Eight 8-ounce glasses are recommended daily.

■ifj Good night, sweet\J_ heart, good night. Sleep about 7 hours a night. Getting enough rest lowers the risk of heart disease. When sleeping, your body rejuvenates, heals and repairs itself, whieh improves your heahh. And, if you are trying to lose weight, keep in mind that when your body is tired it craves carbs. So, reduce those cravings by catching enough z's. Sleep tight.

j OLAKINO ^ > Y0UR HEALĪH /

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Photo: Helson Gaspar

Photo: Arna Johnson

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