A LITTLE EXERCISE GOES
A LONG WAY
Tam T. Huynh, MD, a vascular surgeon at Memorial Hermann Hospital, encourages her patients to use the new year as an opportunity to start exercising.

“Even walking a little more can help,” says Huynh, who was born in Vietnam and completed her residency in Canada. Huynh vows to spend more time at the gym and on the slopes this year.

“One of the best ways to stick with your resolution is to do it as part of a team. Get a friend to do it with you, and tell your friends, family and doctor that you’re ready to make the change. It will help keep you motivated.”

THINKING POSITIVE HELPS REDUCE RISKS
If you want to have a healthier heart, reduce your risk factors by controlling your blood pressure, blood glucose, cholesterol and weight. Mazen S. Ganim, MD, an interventional cardiologist at Memorial Hermann Hospital, who resolves to be a good role model for his own patients, emphasizes the power of having a positive attitude and avoiding discouragement in reducing risks such as being overweight.

“It’s so easy to get discouraged when you’re trying to lose weight,” Ganim says. “That’s why I don’t recommend weighing yourself every day. In fact, only weigh yourself on days when you know you’ve lost — when you can tell your clothes are a little looser.”

PREVENT A COMMON DIGESTIVE DANGER
Not smoking, eating right and staying slim are all good resolutions. Plus, they can help you reduce your risk of many cancers, including colon cancer.

“A low-fat, high-fiber diet can lower your risk of colon cancer, the second leading cancer killer in the U.S.,” says Natarajan Bala, MD, FACP, FACG, a specialist in digestive diseases at Memorial Hermann Southeast Hospital. This year, Bala hopes to spend more time traveling.

“Besides being a time for making lifestyle changes, the new year can be a good time for people to ask their doctor what screening tests they might need,” he says. Screenings can help catch cancer early, when it is most treatable.

PROTECT YOUR FAMILY
When it comes to making healthy resolutions, you can make changes that help protect the whole family, says Stephen A. Fletcher, DO, chief of pediatric neurosurgery and associate professor at the University of Texas Medical School at Houston and chief of pediatric neurosurgery at Memorial Hermann Children’s Hospital. One of Fletcher’s own resolutions this year is to promote child abuse awareness. “It’s a growing epidemic, and we can all do something to keep our kids safe,” he says.

Each year, Fletcher also sees scores of young trauma patients, many who are victims of preventable accidents. “The number one thing that parents can do to protect their kids is to buckle them up in the car,” says Fletcher. “This also includes properly buckling babies into their car seats.” Fletcher, a bicyclist himself, also recommends bike helmets for all riders.