Small Changes Add Up to Big Benefits

When reading the headlines, it’s easy to get the impression that you have to revamp your entire diet or hit the gym every day to improve your health. Actually, even small changes in lifestyle can make you feel better and lower your risk for heart disease, diabetes, stroke and cancer. Here are some examples of small changes that can make a big difference.

Eating better

Fewer than one in five people consumes the 2 cups of fruit and 2-1/2 cups of vegetables a day that health experts recommend for good health.

The change needed: Toss a half cup of berries on cereal and add one or two pieces of lettuce and tomato to a sandwich.

The payoff: For a few seconds of effort, you’ve added nutritious fruits and vegetables, with their cancer-fighting vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fiber. You don't have to stick with just fresh produce; fresh frozen fruits and vegetables are just as good for you -- and they last longer in the freezer.

Staying trim

Most adults gain at least a pound of weight a year. That might not seem like a lot, but that’s 10 pounds in 10 years and 20 pounds in 20 years.

The change needed: Eliminate at least 100 calories from your daily food intake. You can do that by cutting out 2 teaspoons of butter or a chocolate bar a day.

The payoff: You’ll consume between 26,000 and 75,000 fewer calories a year, the equivalent of more than 7 to 20 pounds of fat.

Exercising more

Only about half of adults exercise for 30 minutes on most days, which is the minimum recommended amount to prevent disease.

The change needed: Take a 10-minute walk three times a day.

The payoff: You’ll log 182.5 hours of exercise by the end of the year, have more energy, and lower your risk for heart disease, some cancers and diabetes, and possibly stroke.

Quitting smoking

About 90 percent of lung cancer deaths are caused by smoking. Smokers have twice the risk for death from heart attack as nonsmokers.

The change needed: Quit smoking. There’s no way to call this a small change. But if you’ve tried to quit and failed, try again. It takes most people several attempts to quit for good.

The payoff: Within a few months of quitting, lung function improves. One year after quitting, your risk for heart disease is half that of a smoker’s. After 15 years, your risk for heart disease is the same as that of people who have never smoked.

Focus on what you can change

You can’t control everything that affects your health. For instance, you can't do anything about the genes you've inherited or about your age. You can control what you eat, how much you exercise and whether you smoke. By making simple, healthier choices every day, you can feel better today and lower your risk for disease in the future.