在忙碌、充满压力的12月注意健康

12月是接待亲戚的季节, going to holiday parties and possibly overindulging in food and drink. 年终工作截止日期和其他压力混杂在一起, 这可能会导致压力和健康问题.

但这不是必须的.

Making healthy choices may lower your risk for illnesses and even prolong your life, said Dr. Frank Hu, chairman of the nutrition department at Harvard University's T.H. 陈公共卫生学院.

Even moderate changes can add up to long-term benefits, 胡表示. "We're not talking about running a marathon or going to the gym every day."

The 美国心脏协会 recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate physical activity per week, 或者每周五天30分钟.

随着身体活动，a 最近的研究 found that a few specific actions can keep you healthy and possibly extend your life: Ensuring a healthy body mass index, 健康饮食, 保持身体活动, never smoking and limiting alcohol to moderate drinking.

Women who adopted all five of the low-risk factors had a projected life expectancy at age 50 that was 14 years longer, according to the study Hu and colleagues published in the journal 循环. 而男性则要多活12年.

Healthy steps such as controlling weight also can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, 癌症和糖尿病, 胡表示.

Many people tend to put on a pound or two a year as they approach middle age, and if left unchecked that can mean a gain of 30 to 40 pounds in the long run, 导致肥胖流行, 他说.

"Once people gain weight, it's difficult for them to lose weight and keep it off," 胡表示.

在节日期间, it's easy to overindulge with high-calorie foods and to be sedentary – "a double whammy."

尽管每年这个时候到处都是食物诱惑, 确保体重不会膨胀是很重要的. 计算卡路里是很困难的. 他说:“站在磅秤上要容易得多.

以下是其他建议:

• When embarking on a holiday meal, select more fruits and vegetables. When preparing cookies and other treats, use less sugar and more oatmeal, fruit and nuts.

• Aim to get active, even during the season's cold weather and action-packed calendar. Consider stepping outside for a brisk walk amid the holiday hullabaloo.

• 限制酒精摄入量. Moderate drinking is considered an average of no more than one to two drinks per day for men and one per day for women.

• Watch out for stress over too many social commitments and too much holiday spending.

压力会导致暴饮暴食, 过度饮酒和睡眠不足, 这些都是导致高血压的因素, 体重增加和肥胖.

“所有这些因素都是相互关联的，”胡说.

It's not too late to get a jumpstart on improving your health and mind, 他说. Consider adding nutrition and physical activity goals for the new year – whether that means cooking more healthy meals at home or starting an exercise routine.