For 2020, take an upgrade

It’s a new year, a good time to improve upon old habits. We humans are amazing in our endless desire to work towards a better self and a better future, but most resolutions are hard to keep, because resolve is in short supply. Instead, I suggest picking a goal that will enhance your life and elevate your sense of wellbeing almost straightaway.

A few suggestions:

Do some yoga

Yoga is great practice for your body and your mind, and although I don’t think everyone needs yoga in their lives, I think that it can enhance the life of anyone who gets into it. Seriously.

The reason I’m mentioning yoga now is because I have a low-cost/almost free plan for you ­– I know, access to a yoga studio and time for full sessions is a luxury not everyone has, and the pre-recorded TV sessions are repetitive and hard to follow in my humble opinion.

I finally found the app that makes yoga practice easy to start, easy to follow (you can place your phone where you can see it), customizable, and extremely variable in both practice and music – you get a new sequence and playlist practically every session. It’s called Down Dog and it's available for all devices. The app is free to download and is free of ads; subscriptions are $34.99 year when bought through the website, there’s a new year's sale going on now: $19.99 / year, (60% off the in-app price.) They also offer financial aid; send a note to [email protected] explaining your circumstances and the good people at Down Dog may give you a long free trial.

Eat less meat

Although the Golden Globes 2020 served a totally animal-products free meal, the world isn’t going vegan, not anytime soon, and I’m not suggesting you giving up foods you love as an upgrade.

What I do think we can all do with little sacrifice is eat less meat. It’s absolutely clear that our current food system is a major contributor to climate change. A UN climate-change report, compiled by 100 experts from around the world, includes dire predictions, and a policy recommendation to reduce meat consumption. It’s also quite clear that eating a more plant-based diet can improve your health.

Eating less meat has become much easier, and it’s super fashionable.

And the best way to go about it is to focus on what you can eat more of, because as you clear some space on your plate you’re going to load it with colorful veggies, whole grains, pulses and beans, nuts and seeds, aromatic spices and herbs and sweet fruit.

Perhaps a better name for this goal is Eat More Plants. And while you’re at it, remember that there’s plenty of vegan junk food out there. The benefits of plant-based diets are seen with whole plant-based foods, not with highly processed animal-product-free ones.

Give eating a (short) rest

Another current trend for weight loss and fitness is Intermittent Fasting, which at its severe end can’t be any fun. 

Time restricted eating – the practice of consuming daily meals within a limited time window that can range anything from 3 to 14 hours – is often lumped together with Intermittent Fasting. When the window narrows to just 3 hours it does resemble intermittent fasting, but when the window is 10-14 hours it actually resembles what life used to be like for most of humanity until just recently.

Studies show that longer nighttime food abstinence, with meals spread to 10-12 hours of the day, lead to an involuntary and effortless cut in calories and to weight loss.

Try for a 10-14 hour window with no food overnight. Brush your teeth after dinner – that seals the day’s meals, and if you’re like me, sheer laziness about brushing shuts my appetite – see what happens.

Go outside

I believe we need contact with nature for our wellbeing. Every child and every dog demands a steady dose of this powerful elixir, yet too many people deny themselves this essential pleasure. I know this to be true, and there’s also plenty of evidence that greener living circumstances are associated with better health: It lowers the risk of heart disease, obesity, diabetes, asthma, anxiety and early death. It’s even been shown that fewer kids need corrective glasses when there are more green open spaces in the neighborhood.

Find your green spaces and visit them, frequently.

Drink less sugar

Sweet drinks pack lots of calories, and tend to go uncounted and unnoticed.  Choose water, sparkling water, or other non-caloric non-sweet drinks. Sugary drinks should be a rare special occasion treat. This little tweak will shave your added sugar tally and will benefit your health.

Have a peaceful and healthy 2020!

Dr. Ayala