Making Your Resolutions Stick

New Year’s resolutions—they’re easy to make but easier to break. Why is it so hard to make the healthy changes that we know can help us feel better and live longer? And why is it so hard to make them last?

The UCSF Patient Health Library has compiled the following tools that can help you remove the barriers to making good habits a part of your life:

How to Create Healthy Habits
From the National Institutes of Health's News in Health Newsletter
http://newsinhealth.nih.gov/issue/Dec2010/Feature1

Healthy Lifestyles, Healthy Outlook
From the UCSF Medical Center - Patient Education
http://www.ucsfhealth.org/education/healthy_lifestyles_healthy_outlook/

Behavior Modification Ideas for Weight Management
From the UCSF Medical Center - Patient Education
http://www.ucsfhealth.org/education/behavior_modification_ideas_for_weight_management/index.html

Passing on Healthy Habits to Your Children
From FamilyDoctor.org
http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/healthy/food/kids/781.html

The Healthy Habits of Good Sleep
From the American Academy of Sleep Medicine
http://www.sleepeducation.com/Hygiene.aspx

Healthy living
From MedlinePlus
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002393.htm

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MedlinePlus: Online Health Information

MedlinePlus is a free, easy-to-use health information service of the National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health.

Resources and tools include:

• Health Topics: Over 800 topics on conditions, diseases and wellness
• Drugs & Supplements: About your prescription and over-the-counter medicines, herbs and supplements
• Videos, Tutorials and Cool Tools
  
• Medical Encyclopedia and Dictionary
• News: Current health news and press announcements
• Directories: Find doctors, dentists and hospitals

You can find the MedlinePlus website on the UCSF Patient Health Library's Health Information Websites page along with many other health information resources.

Need more help? Contact the Patient Health Librarian by email, telephone, or in person.

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Consumer Health Information from the FDA

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is the government agency responsible for protecting the public health by assuring the safety, efficacy, and security of drugs, medical devices, food supply, cosmetics, and products that emit radiation.

The FDA's consumer health website provides a wealth of useful information.  Check out the following:

• Consumer Updates
• Timely and easy-to-read articles covering all FDA activities and regulated products
• Free Print Publications
• In addition to offering consumer materials online, the Food and Drug Administration will mail or fax brochures, articles, and other print publications at no cost. They also provide many downloadable, printer-friendly documents.
• Multi-Media Consumer Information
• Videos, photo slide shows, podcasts and audio

You can find the FDA website on the UCSF Patient Health Library's Health Information Websites page along with many other health information resources.

Need more help? Contact the Patient Health Librarian by email, telephone, or in person.

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Toxic Substances in the Home and Out

Have you ever wondered what those chemicals in your household cleaning products are?  Or wondered what effects you might suffer living near an oil refinery, a power plant or on a former industrial site?  Use the following websites to learn about toxins, household products, and environmental health risks.

UCSF Toxic Matters Website 

Toxic Matters is a nontechnical website filled with scientifically verified tips and suggestions for avoiding toxic chemical exposure.  The website and downloadable brochure include specific tips on reducing exposure to metals and synthetic chemicals in everyday life—at home, at work, and in the community—and provide links to other sources with more detailed information.

Household Products Database

What's under your kitchen sink, in your garage, in your bathroom, and on the shelves in your laundry room? The NLM Household Products Database helps scientists and consumers learn about ingredients in brand-name products.  Learn about what's in these products, about potential health effects, and about safety and handling.

Tox Town

Tox Town, the National Library of Medicine interactive guide to commonly encountered toxic substances, gives an introduction to toxic chemicals and environmental health risks you might encounter in everyday life and in everyday places.

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Holiday Food Safety

• How long do I need to cook a 20-pound turkey?
• What should I know to safely cook for a large group?
• How long will my leftovers still be good?
• Are there any tips for making a "turducken"?
• How can I keep my stress level down while trying to prepare a perfect holiday meal?  

If you are asking questions like these, take a look at the following sites to help keep everyone safe and happy this holiday season:


Seaonsal food Safety Tips for Healthy Holidays
[Source: US Department of Agriculture]

Are You Storing Food Safely?
[Source: US Food and Drug Administration]

Food Safety During Cancer Therapy
[Source: UCSF Ida & Joseph Friend Cancer Resource Center]

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