Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!  If you have entered 2023 with the desire to make your health and fitness a high priority, we have some basic tips about how to get started on this new year’s resolution. Knowing which techniques work best for you when it comes to looking after your health can be tricky. Everybody is different, so one thing that worked for your friend may not work for you. It is all about finding the balance between good and bad. But there are some fundamentals that apply to everyone seeking better health and wellness.
EATING WELL
One of the key things you can do this year to be healthy is to watch what you eat. Many people start the year with great intentions and the desire to shed pounds after the holidays. More than half the people who embark on this resolution stick with it after January as they like how it makes them feel healthier and cleaner. Be part of that majority and make your wellness a priority!
No matter what type of diet you choose to enjoy, it is all about watching what you eat and enjoying things in moderation. It is not sustainable to eat a lot of junk food each and every day. Not only will you feel constantly exhausted, but you are also putting yourself at risk of weight-related conditions such as diabetes and heart disease. Now is the time to do this if you want to look into healthy alternatives for your favorite snacks. If you would like assistance and support in your journey of eating better, please contact our nutritional consultant, Leighanne Kubec, to schedule an appointment.  She will help create a plan that suits your lifestyle and will be sustainable. More importantly, she will support you and meet with you as often as you like to be sure you stay on track and achieve your goals.  Her services are free to all of our patients. Leighanne can be reached at (843) 295-9114.​

GET MOVING!
Something else to consider when it comes to your health is how much you are moving around during the day. You may think that you don’t have the time to incorporate exercise into your daily routine, but you do. Even if you do little bits of exercise throughout the day, this is still better than nothing at all. You could do a ten-minute workout in the morning, during lunch, and in the evening. This equates to the recommended daily workout you should be getting. The key to exercise working and you sticking at it is finding something you enjoy doing. You can join Leighanne’s yoga class, and her upcoming light weights class, which are conducted via Zoom (we hope to have live classes again soon!) and are recorded for you to enjoy at your own convenience. If you’d like to join the class and/or receive the recorded classes, contact Leighanne at [email protected] so that she can add you to her list. Again, this service is free to all of our patients.
GET ENOUGH SLEEP
Finally, being healthy isn’t just about what you eat and how much you move around. You also need to look after your body, which you can do when you sleep. If you are not getting enough sleep, you will likely feel the effects of being over-tired, lethargic, and less motivated to eat well and exercise. Lack of adequate sleep is connected to weight gain, so you should aim for six to nine hours of sleep each night. If you want to be alert and awake the next day, you will also need good quality sleep during this time. If you are constantly waking up during those times, then you need to address this issue and speak with Dr. Gigante.

Stay tuned for more health and wellness information in our monthly blog! If you have any topics you would like us to explore in this monthly blog, please feel free to reach out to us! We are always happy to have new issues to discuss.