HEALTHY LIVING

Make this year different. Put aside over-blown resolutions and commit to making small changes all year to make this year your lightest ever. The benefits: Lose weight, put a bounce in your step, get some calm in the kitchen, and become a healthier you without feeling deprived.

Many factors affect your health. Some you cannot control, such as your genetic makeup or your age. But you can make changes to your lifestyle. By taking steps toward healthy living, you can help reduce your risk of heart disease, cancer, stroke and other serious diseases:

• Get the screening tests you need
• Maintain a healthy weight
• Smile always
• Eat a variety of healthy foods, and limit calories and saturated fat
• Be physically active
• Control your blood pressure and cholesterol
• Don't smoke
• Protect yourself from too much sun
• Drink alcohol in moderation, or don't drink at all
• Avoid high-risk sexual behaviors
• Avoid unprotected sex (sex without barriers such as a condom) outside an established, committed, monogamous relationship.
• If you plan to have sex and are unsure of your partner's health status, use a condom.