1. Have you had your medical, dental or optical check for this year? If you are past due for one of these then call your health practitioner now and make your appointment. Of course we all know we should schedule these checks regularly but most of us forget to do so. It helps if you schedule them for the same time each year. The start of the academic year may be a good time to schedule these visits. You can build them into your getting ready for school routine.

2. Sweeping changes in diet can be overwhelming and are not likely to be long lasting. A better approach may be to select one or two aspects of your diet to change gradually. Some ideas:
- add a fruit to at least one meal every day
- drink fruit juices rather than carbonated drinks. Even better (and less expensive), drink water
- cook with more spices and herbs and less oil
- substitute wholegrain products for “white” ones in at least some meals
- use more vegetables and ground provisions when preparing a meal
- read the nutritional information on prepackaged foods and compare brands

3. It is better to contribute to the common welfare of our community than to think only of ourselves. It is better to live in harmony with others and our environment than to live in conflict with them. (Bill Hettler – National Wellness Institute). How have you contributed to the “common welfare” at UWI this week? What can you do today to raise the harmony level at UWI? Remember that it may be as simple as a smile, a “thank you” or a genuine complement.

4. Make exercise part of a routine – schedule the time for it. For many of us this is a real challenge so here are some tips:
- remember that if you do exercises you enjoy, you will be more likely to do them
- exercising with company will help you to keep going on those days when you feel like giving up your routine
- choose the time of day that works best for you
- if for some reason you stop, make it temporary; don’t get upset with yourself for stopping, just restart your routine as soon as possible.