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Surprising ways to have a healthier new year

By Michael Roizen, M.D. and Mehmet Oz, M.D. on

If your New Year's resolution is already a forgotten promise, you're not alone. Surveys show that by the end of the second week in January, 88% of folks have abandoned their promises to themselves.

Chances are your resolution(s) were designed to make you healthier and happier. So, we thought you might love these three surprising -- and surprisingly simple -- ways to boost your health and happiness throughout the year.

1. Get a dog. Studies show that pet owners are more satisfied with their lives than folks without a pet. And if you're walking a dog, it ups your step count substantially and increases social interaction with other dog walkers -- a vital part of overcoming all-too-common, health-damaging loneliness.

2. Volunteer. You'll build a network of folks that provide you with a supportive posse. And volunteering helps develop feelings of gratitude and caring for others -- essential for mental and physical well-being -- while it lets you know that you have what it takes to encounter new people and activities. That builds resilience that helps you cope with whatever the year brings. It can also improve your health if it involves physical activities like gardening or team sports.

3. Take a cooking class. Americans are cooking less frequently, despite the health harms of eating highly processed restaurant and prepared foods. That's a shame since around 80% of chronic diseases are related to negative lifestyle choices such as diet. And cooking at home even two days a week upgrades your nutrition -- and health. For great tips, read "The What to Eat When Cookbook."

 

Dr. Mike Roizen is the founder of www.longevityplaybook.com, and Dr. Mehmet Oz is global advisor to www.iHerb.com, the world's leading online health store. Roizen and Oz are chief wellness officer emeritus at Cleveland Clinic and professor emeritus at Columbia University, respectively. Together they have written 11 New York Times bestsellers (four No. 1's).

(c)2025 Michael Roizen, M.D.

Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.


(c) 2025 Michael Roizen, M.D. Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.

 

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