10 Ways to Be Healthier in 2013

Add these to your New Year’s resolutions.

Healthy Resolutions - While many of us are planning our New Year’s Eve parties, don’t forget about resolutions. If being healthier next year is your goal, here are 10 resolutions that can help you achieve it. (Photo: GettyImages)

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Healthy Resolutions - While many of us are planning our New Year’s Eve parties, don’t forget about resolutions. If being healthier next year is your goal, here are 10 resolutions that can help you achieve it. (Photo: GettyImages)

Getting My Om On! - Recently, I went to Cali to visit a friend and we went to yoga twice when I was there. I felt more calm and relaxed than I had been in a really long time. Thankfully my new gym offers yoga classes. No gym membership? No problem. Try taking classes in your living room online via Hulu or On Demand. (Photo: Getty Images)

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Get to Sweatin' - You don’t need a gym membership to be active on a consistent basis. You can take free workout classes such as yoga, dance and strength training in your own home with websites such as Hulu and your cable network’s on-demand services. (Photo: GettyImages)

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Up Your Vitamin D Intake - Ninety-seven percent of African-Americans are Vitamin D deficient. This puts us at risk for asthma, flu, bacterial vaginosis, osteoporosis and multiple sclerosis to name a few. Try increasing your intake with vitamin D3 supplements, 1,500 to 2,000 international units a day. Eat more tuna, eggs and salmon.  (Photo: Charlotte Observer/MCT /Landov)

Photo By Charlotte Observer/MCT /Landov

Key Ingredients - Take your smoothies to the next level with these health-boosting ingredients that add great flavor and vitality to your favorite blended drinks. By Britt Middleton  (Photo: Getty Images/STOCK) 

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Try Juicing - Many of us don’t get our five-eight servings of fruits and vegetables a day. An easy fix? Juicing. By squeezing out the juice, you are getting a good source of minerals, vitamins and enzymes. Throw in an apple, pear, spinach and a few beets and it can taste really amazing. Try these recipes! (Photo: GettyImages)

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Electronic Health Records - Insurers will be required to provide electronic health records, which will reduce paperwork and costs and make it easier for health care providers, from physicians to pharmacists, to access a patient's information.  (Photo: Getty Images/STOCK)

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Schedule a Physical/Pap Smear - A physical will check for cholesterol, vitamin D levels, diabetes, HIV (make sure to ask for that test), syphilis and other ailments. A Pap smear (for women) will check for abnormal cervical cells and other STDs. (Photo: Getty Images)

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Cook a Special Meal - A bit cliche but if you're not used to cooking a meal it can really impress your mate. Of course, you have to jazz it up with fine wine, slow jams and candles.  (Photo: Getty Images/STOCK)

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Cook More at Home - By making your own meals, you can monitor what goes into your food and save a bit of money. To break up the monotony of making the same dishes, try delicious low-fat recipes from the Internet. One of my favorite sites is Skinny Taste. Also, check out healthy meals for less than $10. (Photo: Getty Images)

On Yoga and Satan - “The purpose of such meditation is to empty oneself. … [Satan] is happy to invade the empty vacuum of your soul and possess it."(Photo: JGI/Tom Grill/Getty Images)

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Get Your Om On - Whether it’s praying or sitting still in a quiet room, meditating has some serious health benefits, especially for Black folks. It can reduce your risk of heart disease, increase your focus, lower stress and even improve your grades. All you need is 15 minutes a day to focus and relax. No chanting required. (Photo: Getty Images)

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Start Flossing - “Flossing is even more important than brushing when it comes to preventing periodontal (gum) disease and tooth loss,” according to WebMD. Flossing helps remove the plague in between our teeth that brushing just can’t reach, especially in our back teeth. (Photo: GettyImages)

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Start Flossing - “Flossing is even more important than brushing when it comes to preventing periodontal (gum) disease and tooth loss,” according to WebMD. Flossing helps remove the plague in between our teeth that brushing just can’t reach, especially in our back teeth. (Photo: GettyImages)

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Get More ZZZs - Studies have shown that we are less likely to get the required eight hours of sleep each night. But this lack of sleep can cause increase our risk of heart disease, diabetes, obesity and certain cancers. Try turning off the television and making a cup of chamomile tea before bed — that can help you sleep better. (Photo: Stuart O'Sullivan/ Getty Images)

Photo By Stuart O'Sullivan/ Getty Images

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Love Yourself More - Being healthy isn’t just about the body, it’s also about the soul. In 2013, block out negativity and celebrate the awesomeness in you. Because when you feel better, you do better. (Photo: GettyImages)

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