Legend has it that New Year’s resolutions originated in ancient Babylon more than 4,000 years ago. Some experts say the resolutions of ancient Babylonians may have included promises to pay off debts and return borrowed items. While those continue to be honorable resolutions, others have taken center stage in our modern society. The Southern Nevada Health District (SNHD) stands ready to help with those current concerns, by way of its Get Healthy Clark County website.

Nowadays, typical New Year’s resolutions include losing weight, improving your diet, increasing physical activity and quitting smoking. GetHealthyClarkCounty.org can help you reach goals like these by providing useful tips, tools and programs in a comprehensive, interactive and user-friendly site. Whether you want to quit a bad habit, start a good one or otherwise improve your lifestyle, the site is an excellent place to start.

Take, for example, the Walk Around Nevada program, featured on the site. It can help you reach your activity goals by tracking your daily physical activities. Taking things a “step” further, the Neon to Nature mobile app spotlights the 1,000-plus miles of trails in Southern Nevada, providing maps, trail information, amenities and photos. Lace up your shoes and hit the trails!

Good nutrition provides needed fuel for your outdoor activities, and that’s where the Nutrition Challenge comes in. It’s a free, eight-week online program to help people increase their intake of fruits and vegetables each day.

Smoking continues to be the single largest preventable cause of death and illness in the world. If quitting the habit is on your list of resolutions, the Get Healthy website provides a roadmap for doing so. It also provides links to valuable resources including the Nevada Tobacco Quitline and the American Lung Association.

The Get Healthy website also is a great place to learn about diabetes, the seventh-leading cause of death in the United States. The Diabetes Prevention Program helps people reduce the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes by helping them understand risk factors and learn how to make simple lifestyle changes that can improve their health.

Finally, if you want to keep better track of your blood pressure in 2023, check out the Barbershop and Beauty Shop Health Outreach Programs. This section of the Get Healthy site includes information on local barber and beauty shops where people can obtain free blood pressure screenings.

Centuries ago, in the Middle Ages, knights had a post-holidays tradition of solemnly taking a vow to reaffirm their commitment to chivalry. While this tradition has faded into history, the new year presents many new opportunities to pursue better health.