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A do-over for
good health
Have you strayed
from your New Year’s reso-
lutions? Here are three strategies for successfully
reviving health goals gone awry.
Reflect.
Think about why your resolution
fizzled out. Ask yourself:
● ●
Was it realistic?
If you never exercise, decid-
ing to hit the gym every morning probably isn’t
realistic. Attainable goals—like “I’ll get off the
bus three blocks before my stop and walk the
rest of the way”—are steps you can build on.
● ●
What got in the way?
Boredom, lack of time
and not having a plan are common obstacles.
● ●
What worked?
Every time you try a new
behavior, you discover two things: what doesn’t
work—and what does. That’s valuable knowledge
to apply to your next try.
Refine
.
Make your resolution specific. You
might refine “Exercise more” to “Walk more
this week” or “Take two 10-minute walks every
day.” Or “Eat less junk food” might become “Freeze
grapes for afternoon snacks.”
And write down a plan for meeting each goal.
Redesign
.
Does the treadmill bore you? Try
kickboxing or rowing. Is a time crunch sabo-
taging your efforts to eat more veggies? Switch
from fresh to frozen.They’re equally nutritious.
Does driving tempt you to smoke? Stock your car
with toothpicks to nibble on instead.
As you redesign resolutions, consider adding
strategies that help with motivation:
● ●
Track your progress in a journal.
● ●
Partner with someone who shares your goal.
● ●
Program an electronic device to send you remind-
ers, such as “Schedule a health screening,” “Meet
your exercise buddy” or “Take time to de-stress.”
Finally, if your resolve dissolves again, go easy
on yourself. You can always take what you learned
today and try again tomorrow.
Sources: American Institute for Cancer Research; American Psychological
Association; Mental Health America
Lexie Zuver, DO,
is one of Samaritan’s
primary care providers and is ready to
see to the health and wellness of your
whole family.
myth
T
myth
myth
High blood pressure
4 myths
debunked
There's a lot
of misinformation
about high blood pressure—and
that’s potentially dangerous. When
high blood pressure stays high, it raises
your risk of heart attack, stroke, kid-
ney disease and other serious health
problems. And a wrong assump-
tion could jeopardize your ability
to keep your blood pressure in a
healthy range.
So don’t be fooled by the fol-
lowing four myths about high
blood pressure:
If I had high blood
pressure, I’d know it.
More than 78 million
adults in the U.S. have
high blood pressure, and many don’t
realize it. In fact, it’s sometimes called
the silent killer because it usually
doesn’t cause symptoms. You can have
high blood pressure and feel fine, even
though it may be damaging your
arteries, heart and other organs.That’s
why you need to get your blood
pressure checked regularly.
fact
Since high blood pressure
runs in my family, I’m going
to get it too.
If your parents or a close
relative has high blood
pressure, you are at higher risk of getting
it too. But that’s hardly a given. Healthy
habits help many people with a family
history of high blood pressure avoid it
themselves. Here are key ones:
● ●
If you smoke, stop lighting up.
● ●
Trim down if you’re overweight.
● ●
Eat a heart-healthy, low-salt
diet with plenty of fruits and
vegetables.
● ●
Get regular exercise, and do your
best to manage stress.
fact
My doctor checks my blood
pressure, so I don’t need to
check it at home.
Blood pressure can
fluctuate. Home
monitoring, if your doctor advises
it, may help your doctor determine
if you really have high blood pres-
sure or if your treatment plan is
working.
fact
Though I was di-
agnosed with high
blood pressure, it’s
down now and I can
stop my medicine.
High blood
pressure can
be a lifelong disease. And controlling it may mean
taking medicine every day for the rest of your life. To protect your health,
never stop taking your medicine unless your doctor tells you to do so.
Sources: American Academy of Family Physicians; American Heart Association
myth
fact
2
1
3
Before beginning any new
fitness regimen it’s always
a good idea to consult your
primary care provider. In
need of a primary care
provider? Call
793-9780
.
Spring 2017
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