Small changes that we make in our daily lives could help prevent a chronic disease such as diabetes, heart disease, or cancer. A recent National Institutes of Health study showed that walking 30 minutes a day, five days a week can significantly improve your health. In fact, this walking regimen helped reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes by nearly 60 percent. If just 10 percent of the population engaged in this schedule, we could significantly improve the health of our nation!

If you’ve made a New Year’s resolution to lose weight this year, the following are some small steps that could yield big rewards:

• Park a little farther away from your destination - whether at work, the mall or the grocery store, parking in the back or even the middle of the lot means more exercise.
• Take the stairs, instead of the escalator or elevator - and you don’t even have to buy expensive exercise equipment!
• Take the dog on longer walks - it will mean more exercise for you and a worn out dog at home.
• Get off the bus a stop earlier - the walk will do you good, and you’ll get to know your neighbors better.
• Play with your children - you’ll spend more time together and burn calories.
• Walk during the lunch hour - after lunch, take a quick walk around the building. You’ll have more energy for the rest of the day.
• Eat just half of your dessert - pies and cakes taste good, even in moderation.
• Drink plenty of water - it’s calorie free.
• Snack on fruits and vegetables - think of the vitamins gained and the calories saved.
• Take time out of your busy schedules to make a list of activities that you could engage in with your friends, family, co-workers and neighbors in 2004 to increase the level of activity in your lives. It will make for a healthier, happier lifestyle for everyone around you.