Resolve Now to Make to Make Wellness a Goal for a New Year and Beyond

Knowing the Facts Can Bring in a Healthy New Year and a Healthier Generation

The New Year is almost upon us and we continue into a succession of holidays where food is the centerpiece of the gatherings we have with our families. Yet, before you sit down to the dinner table with thoughts of second and third servings of your favorite macaroni and cheese, now is the time to take a moment to contemplate the impact to your overall health and lives.

Today, many Americans are suffering from diseases and conditions, such as diabetes and obesity, which can be aggravated due to poor food choices. To make these gatherings nourishing to your spirit as well as your body, it is time to face the facts about our food and beverage consumption in a new light for a new year and beyond.

In the United States, more than 72 million Americans are obese, a 1 percent increase and an additional 2.4 million people, over the last two years.1 Other recent studies reveal 17 million Americans have diabetes.2 Nearly four million African Americans that are 20 years or older suffer from this disease. Unfortunately, African Americans bear the burden of diabetes and others conditions at higher rates of incidence than any other ethnic population.3

Based on the statistics above, it is essential for African Americans to understand these diseases, its causes, but more importantly how to take preventative measures. The holidays are a good time to start. This season, temptations will come at holiday office parties, Christmas dinners, Kwanzaa celebrations and New Year's Eve festivities. If you go in with a plan, you can maintain control and adhere to your nutrition objectives. At social gatherings or as you sit down to your table daily:

> Choose small portions and limit your favorite carbohydrates such as pasta, breads and dessert.
> Enjoy more vegetables and high protein meats.
> Try baking foods instead of frying and use spices liberally to deepen the flavor.
> Enjoy mini-sized cans of your favorite drinks to manage your calorie intake. You can also choose zero calorie beverages to enjoy with your meals.

Despite all of our busy lives, it's time to stop making excuses and make exercise a priority. It is critical to maintain a healthy weight and incorporate physical activity into your everyday routine. Weight maintenance is about burning the calories we put into our bodies. I recommend:

> Adults and children get in 60 minutes of physical activity a day. This can be broken down into 15-minute increments throughout the day.
> Bike riding, dancing, working in the yard, cleaning the house with music and playing interactive video games such as the Wii are all forms of physical activity that can be fun and help us burn calories.

The holidays are wonderful times to gather with friends and family; making smart choices allows us to share in the true spirit of the holidays and still enjoy the foods and beverages we love. When making your new year's resolutions, resolve to: communicate more regularly with your doctor; choose healthy foods and beverages that fit your lifestyle; and stay active so that you can enjoy many more events with your loved ones.

Rani Whitfield, MD aka "Tha Hip Hop Doc"

Live Positively Ambassador and Consultant to the Food and Beverage Industry

1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC Vital Signs, Adult Obesity. http://www.cdc.gov/vitalsigns/AdultObesity/index.html
2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Agenda for Public Health Action: A National Public Health Initiative on Diabetes and Women's Health. http://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/pubs/action/facts.htm
3. American Diabetes Association, Living with Diabetes, African Americans & Complications, http://www.diabetes.org/living-with-diabetes/complications/african-americans-and-complications.html