To lose weight effectively, it's important to focus on small, sustainable changes you can make every day. Key tips include drinking more water, preparing healthy meals ahead of time, and making plans that don't involve eating or drinking. You can also find quick ways for exercise like taking the stairs, doing a workout video, or going for a walk outdoors.

The benefits of physical activity and exercise have been demonstrated across the lifespan. We are meant to move and many of our body’s systems work better when we are consistently physically active.

As Covid-19 continues to surge throughout our region and nation, another concerning trend has appeared in Western New York – decreased engagement in preventive care.

The first time I went hiking, I thought I was going to die. 

OK, that’s an exaggeration. But before this outing near my home in upstate New York, I hadn’t given the particulars too much thought. To me, the word “hiking” inspired images of strolling along paved paths through the peaceful woods. Boy, was I wrong.

By AACOM

BETHESDA, Md., Jan. 11, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Long before COVID-19, decades of societal, systemic inequalities have contributed to health disparities and educational inequities for ethnic minorities and communities of color. Now, results from a first of its kind, national medical education empathy study, co-sponsored by the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOM), could provide medical schools with an evidence-based assessment to help them not only improve diversity in admissions, but also help address the long-standing health disparities plaguing our nation and harming patient health.