BE honest: most – if not all – of the New Year’s resolutions you made at the start of the month are foundering a little by now, aren’t they?
It’s a common complaint of the New Year’s resolution and one that often leads people to give up making them altogether.
But don’t be too hasty – there is a solution and it involves this simple piece of advice: be realistic.
Making an achievable small change avoids the guilt and embarassment of making a dramatic proclamation only to go back on it sharpish because it’s just impractical.
And small changes can still be very important changes, as cancer charity the Isle of Man Anti-Cancer Association will tell you.
‘It’s great that people use the new year to consider improvements to their health,’ said the charity’s Theresa Grainger.
‘We would encourage people to be realistic in order to make permanent changes which will reduce their risk of cancer and other serious illnesses.
‘It’s better to start with a smaller achievable change that becomes a regular part of a healthier lifestyle, and build on this; rather than set an unrealistic New Year’s resolution which is broken within a few weeks.’
So, with all that in mind, and as the end of the first month of 2012 draws to a close, it’s time to throw out the old list of resolutions and start another, smaller, one.
Here are some ideas:
• Exercise – Cancer Research UK says just 30 minutes of moderate activity a day, five days a week, can have a positive effect on your health.
And the more active you are, the more you can reduce your risk of cancer. Even small bits of activity are beneficial, and can add up over the course of a day.
It sounds cliched, but you can increase the amount of activity you do by making small changes like taking the stairs instead of the lift, or walking some of the way to work, school or the shops.
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• Healthy Eating – experts think nearly one in 10 cancer cases are caused by unhealthy diets. You can reduce your cancer risk by eating a healthy, balanced diet that is: high in fibre, fruit and vegetables, low in red and processed meat and salt.
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• Alcohol – the consequences of drinking too much alcohol go well beyond the evening’s embarrassing antics or the morning’s hangover. Scientific studies have confirmed alcohol can also cause cancer. The more you cut down on alcohol, the more you reduce your risk of cancer.
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• But if you are female and you only make one resolution this year, it should be to ensure you attend your cervical screening test. Don’t ignore your reminder letter, your appointment could be the most important 10 minutes you make time for this year.
Book your cervical screening test with the Staywell Clinic and you don’t even have to take time away from work to attend with evening, female-only clinics available. Call 642638.
The Isle of Man Anti-Cancer Association works across the island to raise awareness of cancer – its signs and symptoms, and ways of reducing the risk of developing cancer through healthy lifestyle choices. The charity also works closely with various UK cancer-related organisations to fund research into cancer and its treatment.