Happy New Year!
If you’re like many people, you’ve set some goals for 2026 — and most people’s lists include health-related resolutions.
Unfortunately, we tend to abandon turning over a new, healthy leaf because our goals are less than realistic, too challenging, or hard to attain.
The team at Primary Care Walk-In Clinic wants to see you succeed in your efforts to become healthier in 2026. That’s why we’ve put together a list of the top five game-changing habits you can adopt for the coming year that will leave you happier and definitely healthier!
Dr. Pankaj Chopra and Dr. Neha Maheshwari are committed to sensitively delivering the best care to their patients, and they believe it’s important to educate them so they can be empowered in supporting their own health.
You might be concerned that what we’re going to tell you to stay healthy will be overly complicated, time-consuming, or simply too difficult — but prepare to be pleasantly surprised! You can develop these habits quickly, and seamlessly incorporate them into your life.
The holidays are usually synonymous with lax eating habits. Between holiday festivities and having an endless to-do list, the frequency of healthy meals can dip considerably.
It’s time to get back on track, and that means opting for lots of fresh fruits and veggies, legumes, healthy fats like olive oil, nuts, and seeds, and good-for-you proteins like salmon, which is high in omega-3s.
What you definitely don’t need are processed foods, trips to the fast food drive-through, and “convenience” foods. A frozen dinner may take only minutes to prepare, but is bound to deliver minimal nutrition.
It’s neither difficult nor inefficient to make quick, simple meals that are both tasty and nutrient-dense.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), we should aim for at least 150 minutes of exercise each week, which works out to 30 minutes of physical activity, five days a week. This is doable!
The secret is just that you need to engage in activities you truly enjoy, whether it’s a brisk walk with your dog, a refreshing swim, or a lively dance class.
And more good news: When done with purpose, even cleaning your house, mowing the lawn, and playing with your kids count!
Getting sufficient rest is a foundation for good health, but many factors conspire to rob us of the rest we need. If you’re a woman, menopausal symptoms can wreak havoc with your rest (hot flashes and insomnia, for example, keep you awake), we might use the wee hours as our “me time,” and our addiction to tech doesn’t help either.
It’s important to develop healthy sleep hygiene.
This looks like getting as many hours of sleep as is advised for your age group, incorporating comforting routines into your nighttime rituals — think a cup of soothing tea or listening to music — and enforcing a “no screens” protocol the last couple hours before you go to sleep.
Though none of us can avoid stress entirely, we can take steps to manage it well. Family obligations, work duties, and other demands eat up our energy, but being intentional about taming stress yields positive results.
Practical and straightforward solutions include taking time to pursue the hobbies you love, grabbing a coffee with a close friend, getting out in nature at least once a day, engaging in a mindfulness practice like meditation, and saying “yes” to only the activities you truly want to do.
The other habits we’ve talked about also go a long way in reducing stress — maintaining a healthy diet, moving every day, and getting sufficient rest.
We can also respond to stress by choosing activities that aren’t good for us, like zoning out with the TV, drinking too much alcohol, and smoking. None of these helps our stress and, in fact, makes us feel worse.
Did you know that focusing on all we have — rather than all we yearn for — is good for our health and may even help extend our lives?
It’s true: keeping a gratitude journal, saying daily affirmations, and otherwise focusing on all the good in your life — your relationships, your home, the food you eat, and meaningful work — all support your well-being.
Everyone at Primary Care Walk-In Clinic hopes that your 2026 is the best year yet, and we’re invested in helping you build healthier habits so you can feel your absolute best.
Contact one of our four conveniently located offices to schedule an appointment, or book one with us online.
