A better diet, a little more exercise, healthy living is simple and easy if you take it one tip at a time. Holidays, stress, post-holidays, even more stress. Who has the time to take care of himself? You do! Make your mind up to follow these five diet, exercise, and lifestyle tips, to be good to yourself this winter, and all year long.

1. Enjoy the Benefits of Yogurt
•Helps prevent osteoporosis
•Reduces your risk of high blood pressure
•Aids gastrointestinal conditions like constipation and inflammatory bowel disease
When buying think low-fat, make sure it contains vitamin D, and pay attention to sugar content.

2. Help Holiday Heartburn
Are you getting hit with heartburn over the holidays? No worries! Try these hints so you can stop the burn before it starts:
Nibble: Eat your favorite foods, but in moderation. No need to heap on the goodies. Packing your stomach with food makes heartburn more frequent.
Know Your Triggers: Some foods feed heartburn’s flame. Typical triggers include foods full of fat and sugar. Instead reach for complex carbs like whole-wheat breads and veggies, or at least share that dessert!
Get Up: Stretching out for a nap post-meal is a good way to guarantee you’ll get reflux. Instead, try to keep your head higher than your stomach, or keep right on walking, away from the dinner table. Light exercise is a nice way to prevent heartburn.

3. Kiss Holiday Cold Sores Good-bye
Holidays: That busy time for toasting the coming year, staying up late, savoring seasonal sweets, and cold sores?
If you find you’re more prone to cold sores during the hectic holiday season, you may be your own worst enemy. That’s because lack of sleep, too much sugar or alcohol, stress, and close physical contact, can all contribute to outbreaks.
So, try these tips to have a cold-sore-free year, or to keep from passing your cold sores to others:
•Maintain a healthy and balanced diet, don’t overdo the holiday goodies.
•Wash your hands.
•Get a lot of rest.
•Throw used tissues.
•Don’t share drink or food containers.

4. Start a Winter Tradition: Family Workouts
Grandparents are in town, a flurry of kids is underfoot, and you are wondering where you’ll find time for a quick winter workout. Here’s a thought: Why not get everyone involved with simple workouts like walking, it’s suitable for young or old, with a pace that’s calm or speedy.

5. Try These 3 Simple Diet & Exercise Tips
Go Slow: You don’t need to do a strict diet. If you only cut 200 calories per day you’ll see slow and easy weight loss.Try to skip a cookie here, a pat of butter there and you’re on your way!
Start Small: Cutting junk food from the cupboards or boosting fiber may be your goal, but think baby steps. Switch from potato chips to low-fat popcorn, for example, or put a carrot into your bag lunch.
Just Show Up: You don’t feel like working out today? Wear those exercise clothes anyway. Still not in the mood? It’s okay. But chances are high once you’re dressed; you will feel more motivated and ready to go!

Christelle Bedrossian
Dietitian-Nutritionist
Beirut, Lebanon