10 Simple Actions to Take NOW for a Healthy Start to 2012

1. Drink more water - purified if possible. Take water with you wherever you go in a BPA free bottle. Create the habit of drinking a glass or 2 first thing in the morning to get a healthy start on your water intake. Benefits include reduced hunger, flushing of toxins from your body, fewer headaches, improved energy and muscle tone.
2. Start the day with a cup of hot water with fresh lemon, pulp included, to contribute to a more alkaline environment for your body's cells. The benefits include body fat loss, good bone health, and likely improved immunity to cancerous cell growth.
3. Avoid heating food in plastic containers in the microwave to prevent toxins from the plastic being leached into your food.
4. Eat 5-6 smaller meals throughout the day, rather than 3 larger ones, to help stabilize your blood sugar, resulting in more even energy.
5. Move! Walk, exercise, take the stairs. Every bit of movement counts.
6. Replace refined carbohydrates with whole grains. Cut back on or eliminate the white foods: flour, sugar, rice and potatoes.
7. Eat healthy fats like nuts, flax, avocados and their oils. Cut back on, preferable eliminate, saturated fats from non vegetable sources, and hydrogenated vegetable fats.
8. Increase your Vitamin D by: getting at least 15 minutes of sunshine daily, eating foods such as fatty fish, eggs, and taking high quality nutritional supplements. Get your blood levels checked with a Vit D 25-OH test.
9. Choose foods that are low glycemic - meaning they won't spike your blood sugar. You will feel better, normalize your weight, and take a huge step towards prevention of Type II diabetes. 
10. Check out the RESET program to help you jump-start a healthy lifestyle, including freedom from carbohydrate cravings.