Monday, December 28, 2015

 

A new way to ring in the new year


The year is coming to an end and with it comes the notorious “New Year’s Resolution.” Let’s be honest. How many of us make a resolution, start out strong and confident on January 1st and by January 4th our resolution is long forgotten? This year, let’s take a new approach to the age old “New Year’s Resolution” that will be more meaningful and strengthen our connections with others.

Instead of making an individual resolution this year, try to make a family or group resolution. It doesn’t matter who comprises your family, what ages they are, or where they are living. Making a family resolution can not only strengthen your connection, but can also help you be more successful in your goal because everyone is responsible for holding one another accountable. Need some ideas? Try taking these for a spin.

Have dinner as a family 3-4 times a week or more. Eating dinner as a family is an obvious way to build family connection, but it also has physical and mental health benefits. The Journal of Adolescent Health reports that eating dinner as a family can lower the risk of obesity, substance abuse, eating disorders, depression, suicidal ideation, and pregnancy in teenagers. In addition, family dinners have been associated with an increase in self esteem, better school performance, and a greater sense of resilience in teenagers. Studies in younger children and adults have yielded similar findings. The Family Dinner Project is a great resource for implementing family dinners. Their website offers tips for getting started as well as numerous ideas to make the most of the experience. There are general conversation starters as well as “Pickles and Predicaments” which presents tough situations that the family can discuss. There are also dinner games and recipes to try broken down by age group. Visit the Family Dinner Project at thefamilydinnerproject.org for more information.

Go for a family walk after dinner. Psychology Today reports that going for a light walk within fifteen minutes of a meal improves glucose tolerance and weight control. Walking every day has also been linked to decreased blood pressure and heart problems. In addition, the Journal of Alimentary Pharmacology and Therapeutics reports a reduced risk of GERD in patients who walked following a meal. Aside form physical benefits, getting outside has been linked to improved mood and better sleep. Try to set a specific goal with your family regarding how many days a week you would like to walk or grab a group of friends or neighbors and start an after dinner walking club. Your body and brain will thank you.

Communicate better. Learning how to communicate is an important skill. For young children frequent communication within families has been linked to improved verbal and nonverbal communication later in life as well as improved listening ability. Teenagers who are encouraged to express their ideas within their families are also more adept at dealing with interpersonal problems outside of the house. Even if your family is spread out, communication is easier than ever with today’s technology of Skype, FaceTime, Google Hangout and cell phones. Set a goal of the number of times a week or month you want to talk. Set specific dates using a calendar. In our family, all three kids are away at school so it is even more important for us to schedule time to talk both between siblings and with parents. We will be making this our family resolution for 2016.

Volunteer together once a week, month (or whatever works in your schedules). Volunteering has numerous health benefits. In adults it has been associated with increased life satisfaction and physical health and has demonstrated lower levels of stress. Children, teens, and young adults all report increasing levels of happiness following volunteering. Volunteering allows children to appreciate what they have and get the satisfaction that they can make a difference. Children learn to focus on others and witness what is present in the “real world.” A study released by the UnitedHealth Group and the Optum Institute found that teenagers and adults who had volunteered as children found that the experience gave them direction for their lives and led to careers helping others such as teaching and social work. In this way a family resolution now can benefit your children now and in the future.

Implement or increase exercise.
While many of us make implementing an exercise program or increasing our amount of exercise an individual resolution, making exercise a family goal can also have benefits. The American College of Sports Medicine reports that individuals who work out in a group are less likely to quit due to boredom. In addition, individual effort increases when that person is working out in a group (a little competition never hurt anybody). While it can be hard to find one type of exercise the whole family enjoys, many gyms offer family memberships, making it easier than ever to work out as a family without breaking the bank.

So grab the eggnog and Christmas cookies, and sit down as a family to discuss your resolution. 2016 is officially the year of health and happiness. Happy New Year.

Katelyn Cusmano is a Backus Hospital Volunteer and a UConn Medical School MD Candidate for the class of 2018. This advice should not replace the advice of your personal health care provider. To comment on this column or others, visit the Healthy Living blog at www.healthydocs.blogspot.com or e-mail Ms. Cusmano or any of the Healthy Living columnists at healthyliving@wwbh.org.

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