A new leaf in 2009

Hope your body stays strong all year long? Then follow these five suggestions, courtesy of Sara Bernstein, a dietitian and personal trainer at Ways to Wellness, a program at Woodwinds Hospital in Woodbury.

• Exercise. Work out 30 minutes or more most days of the week to maintain a healthy weight, improve cardiovascular health and reduce stress.

• Destress. Stress leads to abdominal weight gain, heart disease, some cancers and other chronic health problems. Incorporate regular relaxation, such as yoga, which is a mood-booster that also lowers blood pressure and cholesterol.

• Eat good fats. Stop eating saturated and hydrogenated trans fats, which cause inflammation. Instead, eat the mono- and polyunsaturated fats found in fish, avocados, flax and walnuts.

• Add antioxidants. Fresh fruits and vegetables are packed with antioxidants, which prevent harmful free radicals from damaging cells and causing cancer and heart disease.

• Fiber up. Instead of eating processed snacks and white bread, eat oats, peas, beans, barley and flax to prevent absorption of bad cholesterol and to control blood sugar.

 
Boost your brain

Boosting your brainpower can be as simple and fun as having dinner with an old friend or learning to play piano. Susan McPherson, a neuropsychologist and associate professor of neurology at the University of Minnesota Medical School, shares her suggestions for staying sharp.

• Physical exercise. A fit body makes a fit brain, so get regular exercise.

• Mental exercise. Play games that make you think, problem-solve and remember, including Trivial Pursuit, bridge, crossword puzzles and Sudoku puzzles.

• Socialize. Friends help your brain stay young, so shoot for socializing a few times a week. Face-to-face is best, but calling an old friend works, too.

• Learn something new. Take guitar lessons, start knitting or learn a new dance. Learning keeps you sharp by increasing the connections between brain cells and helping brain cells communicate more effectively.

• Eat well. Stay away from junk food and fast food and focus on eating lots of vegetables and fish or other lean meats. Anything that helps your body helps your brain.

A sense of place

We’re pretty much stuck indoors, so improving our home spaces is all about a place for everything and everything in its place, says Heidi Preslicka  of In the Right Place Organizing (www.intherightplaceorganizing
.com ):

Place names: If everything has a home and a label, finding things — and putting them away — will be easier.

Looped in: A child who is given input on organization will be more inclined to maintain the system.

“One in, one out”: Don’t buy anything for your home without a spot in mind for it. And for any item you buy, another item should be tossed, recycled or donated.

Control center: Allocate a spot for all home-management tasks (to-do lists, family schedule, checkbook balancing, etc.).

Optimize storage: Look for “hidden” spaces (under a bed, beneath hanging clothes in a closet). Use open-top bins to store related items on shelves.

 
Fashion sense

These style tips will help you look better:

Shop your own closet. See if you can’t make some new outfits from clothes you already own.

Only buy what you love. Don’t shop just to pick up your fifth pair of the same jeans. Wait until you fall head over Crocs for that dress or pair of boots that you must have. Use this philosophy to clean out your closet.

Wear it better. Check your posture and make sure your clothes fit properly. If your pants are too long or your shoulder seams a little off, go to a tailor. You probably have at least one thing that would look better with an alteration. Then take your shoes in for polishing and new soles.

Try one new thing. Find an inspirational photo from the runway or a magazine, and then push yourself out of your comfort zone to try it.

Find your signature. Determine your favorite single item, either a category such as black pants or a single item such as a bright handbag, and plan three outfits inspired by it.

Save more, spend less

Think of 2009 as “back to basics.” Even if you can’t bring yourself to do a budget, at least know where your money is going. Decrease your debt and discover your inner thrift.

• Pay less interest. Call your credit card companies and ask for a lower interest rate if you’re carrying a balance.

• Track your spending for a month. It’s easier to trim expenses once you’re sure where the money is going.

• Quit comparing your family to those with more “toys.” Volunteer at a soup kitchen or a homeless shelter to learn to be happy with less.

• Use Pricegrabber.com . Sites that do the comparison shopping for you save you time and money on major or minor purchases. Ask local stores to match an advertised price.

• Spend less than you make. It’s that simple.  

Connecting

Partners, parents, neighbors, co-workers, kids. So many opportunities to screw up. Isn’t it great to have a fresh chance to try again? Here are a few ways to strengthen relationships in the new year.

• In a relationship? Make time for sex once a week. That’s not asking a lot of you, but it will mean a lot to your partner.

• Want to be in a relationship? Then leap, finally, into online dating. Stop looking for the perfect mate and start learning about people. And remember: It’s a numbers game. You might have to meet a dozen people or more before you find a good fit.

• Be a better neighbor. Shovel early and often. Mow your lawn. Show up for the block party even if all you can afford are hamburger buns.

• Got teens? Learn to text-message. It’s easy and it’s becoming the only way they’ll communicate with you.

• Regularly ask yourself: “What if I’m wrong?” Wrong about what I thought she said? Wrong about what he was thinking? This simple phrase can save you heartache and build bridges.

A hipper you

You can’t make yourself hip, but these tips can help you acquire a bit more pop-culture savvy.

• Get in on trends. Even if you’re not trendy, knowing what is could be a boon. Trendcentral’s free e-mail updates make it easy to keep up. Sign up at www.trendcentral.com .

• Start time-shifting. The convenience of adding the DVR/TiVo service from your cable or satellite provider is worth the few bucks a month it costs.
• Join the social scene. Networking in the 21st century begins at Facebook.com.

• Expand your horizons. Find new music at Pandora.com or tune in to the Current (89.3 FM or www.mpr.org/thecurrent). Immerse yourself in new art by joining Walker Art Center, in person or virtually at www.walkerart.org.

• Buy Converse high-tops. This has nothing to do with being fashionable; it’s all about geek chic. Find deals at Albertville Premium Outlets or www.converse.com/outlet.

Feed your soul

Nurturing your soul doesn’t always mean stepping back, but pursuing a change of pace, finding an artistic outlet, or creating a moment to become reacquainted with ourselves.

• Play music. Minnesota is home to a huge number of community bands and other groups. So dust off that trumpet. Buy a new clarinet reed. Find a group by going to http://mcbrc.us /

• Retreat. A number of centers here offer time for reflection, physical nurturing and spiritual sustenance. Google Minnesota and “retreat centers” for ideas.

• Volunteer. Sometimes nourishing your inner person happens while reaching out to help another. Inquire at a local church, hospital or community center for options.

• Make something from scratch. Anything. Simmer a soup that starts with chicken bones. Dig out an old family recipe. Take all day if necessary. Then share it with someone.

• Go a day without the Internet. Some who have tried this say that their day seemed less fragmented, their mind more focused. Consider what you might find within yourself by closing the screen on others’ lives and living your own.

-- Contributions from Sarah Moran,  Bill Ward, Sara Glassman,  John Ewoldt, Gail Rosenblum, Randy A. Salas, Kim Ode.