Health Minded New Year’s Resolutions

ZANESVILLE, Ohio – With more than one out of three Americans considered obese, healthcare issues and added stress are on the rise.

Genesis Healthcare General Cardiologist Kunal Shah explained how improving individual decisions can lead to a healthier and happier life. 

“Your body is like this machine you know… that you want for the long haul,” Shah said. “So anything that’s causing it… anything that’s harmful to it and not helping it function better is probably better to cut down completely or avoid. So the big three are smoking, drinking, illicit drug use. These are things that unfortunately have no benefit. You know, I know that sometimes they can help with stress relief for patients but it’s something that unfortunately is only hurting you every time you do it.”

Shah defined stress as a part of life and something we can’t always control. But it often plays a huge role in whether someone will stick to a healthier lifestyle. He noted that finding healthy coping mechanisms to handle stress instead of the unhealthy habits we often choose can really pay off in the long run.

“Ultimately, energy is the biggest currency,” Shah said. “So your food, your diet, your decreased stress levels, avoiding things that are toxic to your body and very importantly, good sleep. All of that together on a consistent basis is what’s going to be a good algorithm for success. When it comes to obesity the most important thing of all is your diet. What you’re putting in your mouth is going to account for about 80 percent of what needs to be done.”

Shah mentioned the Mediterranean and DASH diets as great options for healthier eating but said that cutting portion sizes of what you currently eat and then slowly substituting healthier items over time are more practical baby steps toward following a healthier diet in 2026.