For immediate release: December 22, 2004 (04-146)

Contacts:
Kate Lynch, Communications Office 360-236-4072
Jan Norman, Community Wellness & Prevention 360-236-3686

Make getting healthier one of your New Year’s resolutions
Quit smoking, eat healthier, and get moving a little every day

OLYMPIA ¾ All that eating, drinking, and making merry often leads to making lists of unrealistic New Year’s resolutions. The Department of Health recommends taking small steps that are more likely to result in lasting change – quitting smoking, eating healthier, and increasing physical activity.

"The New Year is a great time to quit smoking, and you don't have to do it alone," says State Health Officer Dr. Maxine Hayes. "Excellent assistance is available online, through free counseling on the phone, or from your health care provider."

For help quitting smoking or using other tobacco products, call the Department of Health’s toll-free Quit Line at 1-877-270-STOP (7867) or visit http://www.quitline.com.

For those who are motivated to change their eating and activity habits, Dr. Hayes recommends taking small steps. "We have all heard of friends or family members – or maybe it’s us – who embark on an ambitious diet and exercise program after the holidays, only to lose interest or lose some weight, and regain it and then some," she said. "It would be better to start with 10 minutes a day of walking, and then gradually increase the time and distance. Instead of going on a crash diet, cut back on portion size and snacks between meals."

The three leading contributors to a healthy life are physical activity, good nutrition, and avoiding tobacco use. Someone who is 20 years old today can expect to live about 60 more years but only about 50 more years in good health. As baby boomers approach retirement age, preventing disease and injury and delaying onset of disease will enable people to stay healthier longer and minimize health-care costs. Recent research has found that lifestyle habits such as physical activity and nutrition can have a significant impact on health later in life.

Here are some simple suggestions to help you to be good to yourself this New Year and start the year with positive lifestyle changes:

1. Buy yourself a pedometer, wear it to track your steps, and gradually increase steps each week.
    
2. Rent and watch the documentary "Super Size Me" with the whole family.
    
3. Treat yourself to a new pair of walking shoes and an umbrella to get out more during the rainy winter.
    
4. Increase your intake of fruits and vegetables a little each week toward a goal of at least five servings per day.
    
5. Meet the New Year with more energy by starting your day with breakfast. If you're not typically a breakfast eater, begin small, with a low-fat yogurt or whole-grain cereal, and then add a banana or fresh fruit as you become more accustomed to this most important meal of the day.

The Department of Health recommends that people age 45 and older make a habit of Steps to Healthy Aging to reduce the risk of leading causes of disability including heart disease, cancer, diabetes, obesity, arthritis, depression, falls, complications from medications, and others. For more information, visit the Steps to Healthy Aging Web site:  http://www.doh.wa.gov/cfh/OHP/HealthyAging/stepstohealthyaging.htm.

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