New year resolutions

Does anyone bother to make New Year’s resolutions anymore? Have you ever actually kept one of those resolutions? I know I have tried on many occasions to firmly say to myself that I will or will not do this or that, but I cannot recall a single time I was successful. Do resolutions ever work? Apparently not very much. Research shows resolving to change our behavior works only about eight percent of the time. These are not very good odds.

According to University of Texas psychology professor, Art Markman, we set ourselves up for failure. He says in order to succeed with altering our behavior, we need to get a head start and then have staying power. Dr. Markman suggests focusing on positive not negative goals and creating new patterns of behavior, since one cannot unlearn a habit. He summarizes his online article by stating “real behavior change is hard” and reminds us to be kind to ourselves when we fail. https://news.utexas.edu/2015/12/22/to-succeed-with-new-year-s-resolutions-start-early.

Now what does this have to do with plants? Eating a plant-based diet has been shown to be beneficial for our health. What about utilizing Dr. Markman’s suggestions for how to have a successful resolution and use that information to improve our health in the coming year?

According to cardiologist Dr. Francine Welty, research shows there are numerous benefits to a plant-based diet. Dr. Welty says most people are beginning to realize that consuming a lot of red meat has its downside. It has been linked to a higher risk of heart disease and cancer.

How much red or processed meat can you eat? Dr. Welty suggests limiting your intake to a few servings per month. Were you thinking maybe a few servings a week? If we were back home in Oklahoma having this conversation, folks might say they could try to limit their intake to a few servings a day!

So does a plant-based diet mean I have to stop eating animal products entirely? No. It means to incorporate more vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts, and legumes into your daily diet. There is a handy chart showing Harvard University’s idea of a healthy dinner plate here: https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/plant-based-diets-that-protect-your-heart.

Harvard Medical School’s recommendations for healthy eating are very similar to the Mediterranean diet which has been proven to lower the risk of heart attacks and stroke. Of course, if we follow the Italians and Greeks, then we get to include “olive oil, nuts, and moderate amounts of seafood, poultry, eggs and dairy” as well. You can take a quiz to find out how your current diet lines up with the Mediterranean plan at the Harvard link listed above.

Are you wondering if all the cookies and fudge you just ate over the holidays are a welcome part of a plant-based diet? Dr. Welty reminds us that even though the two main ingredients in a cupcake, flour and sugar, are from plants, they are not necessarily healthy. This is unwelcome news for me, because I definitely consumed more than my fair share of sweet treats recently.

How about making a resolution to eat some black-eyed peas on New Year’s Day? Legend says they’re lucky, so don’t forget to pick some up at the grocery store this week!

Kelley Rawlsky has an M.S. in horticulture and is the director of Bringing People and Plants Together, an organization dedicated to bringing horticulture education and therapy to the community. For more information: PeopleAndPlantsTogether@gmail.com or follow us on Facebook.

 Originally published in the Broomfield Enterprise - Dec 31, 2017