Wishing All a Happy and Healthy 2025

As 2024 ends and 2025 begins, I wanted to share a timely article written by two emergency medicine physicians titled “Addicted to Productivity, Doc? Holidays Are a Time to Reflect.”? Adaira Landry, MD, MEd, and Resa E. Lewiss, MD write about professions where productivity and long hours are required to be successful and how it can take a toll on one’s health and well-being. They note four health habits that healthcare professionals (applies to all) should follow to “maintain their well-being in a demanding career.”?

Following are their four health habits and some strategies to implement them. I have edited for size. (The entire article is in the link below). They write:

“The holidays and New Year are an opportune moment to reflect on how we balance time devoted to work and to personal health. In this article, we highlight four preventive health habits.”

1.????? Nurture Healthy Relationships - A social network impacts our physical health.

Strategies to implement: -Spend time with your partner, your children, your neighbors, your chosen family, and other people who can support you. -Invest in relationships through meaningful conversation. -Give back to others. -Spend time with people to foster long-lasting memories.

2.????? Prioritize Nutritious Eating-Long hours, stress eating, and uncontrollable schedules make it difficult to prioritize.

Strategies to implement: -Replace sugary beverages with water or herbal teas. Explore non-alcoholic alternatives. -Focus on consuming whole, fresh foods. -Incorporate fiber-rich foods to support digestive health and regular colon functioning.

3.????? Establish a Long-Term Relationship with a Doctor- Do not wait for an emergency. Over 40% of physicians expressed fear of seeking help for their mental health.

Strategies to implement: -Be proactive and make an appointment today that fits your schedule. Have an annual check-up with your primary care doctor.

4.????? Move Your Body Regularly- This helps muscles, joints, heart, lungs, and brain. Exercise can boost our mood and outlook. It helps us to be able to manage stress, anxiety, and hardship.

Strategies to implement: Start with 150 minutes of walking each week and 2,000+ steps a day. -Use under-the-desk equipment for circulation. - Move remote meetings, to walking, audio-only.

Physicians see the “full spectrum from health to illness and they note that the social, mental, and emotional,” are as important as our physical well-being. If you choose to make resolutions for 2025, be ”compassionate with yourself and recognize that transformation does not happen overnight. However, every effort you put forth today can ease your life tomorrow.”

Words to live by…Wishing a Happy and Healthy 2025 to all.

Adaira Landry, MD, MEd, is an assistant professor of Emergency Medicine at the Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women's Hospital, Resa E. Lewiss, MD, ?is a professor of Emergency Medicine at the University of Alabama ???????????????????????https://www.medpagetoday.com/opinion/second-opinions/113249?xid=nl_secondopinion_2024-12-08&mh=be733b0eaa53ac01b0f0312a2b7cade0