It isn’t as fabulous or as challenging as it reads. To be sexy is premised upon one basic truth and a non-negotiable principle: You have to be healthy. If you want this for yourself, read on.

This bears repeating, if your intention is to be a better version of yourself in 2016.

Self-analysis—review your 2015 routine. While you’re at it, observe your life as it was lived this past year. Be honest about criticizing yourself. Who could be a better critic? With self-analysis comes the most natural consequence.

Self-talk—you may not realize it, but in order to have a breakthrough, it is imperative that you connect with the inner you. So, talk to yourself. Declare what areas of your life need improvement—body, mind and spirit.

Get real—if you cannot get organic food, eat more naturally grown food. Reduce intake of processed foods. Scrutinize all processed foods you have purchased. They could contain dangerous chemicals like preservatives. To prevent Alzheimer’s disease, stay away from pesticides in food and home products.

Fighting dementia

Exercise. Too lazy to have a regular gym routine? Try any kind of activity that keeps you moving for 20-30 minutes daily. Why exercise? Because it keeps the brain young. John J. Ratey, a psychiatrist, wrote in “Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain” that overwhelming evidence suggests the benefits of exercise in fighting dementia.

Avoid sitting for extended periods of time. This could lead to poor health.

Whatever you are doing now, stand up and walk. Constant sitting will make you sick. Studies have proven that standing more than six hours daily reduces one’s risk of obesity by 30 percent. Wheelchair-bound individuals can do upper body weight training or chair yoga in order to get a cardiovascular workout. Even stretching and hula-hands dance workout can give you upper body toning.

Sleep—one cannot get enough of it. The story of Sam, a workaholic, is worth remembering. Sam at age 56 was a senior executive in an advertising agency. In order to move up the corporate ladder faster, he voluntarily took on more work than his colleagues. After a year of exhaustion, averaging only four hours of sleep nightly, he suffered a heart attack. The cause: stress complicated by lack of sleep.

Today, he has learned to manage his time and workload. To his surprise, he became more productive at the office. Thus, he has a clearer mind and more energized body.

Routine—keep to a regular routine. Eating at odd hours can throw your metabolism out of sync. Worse, your blood sugar levels can drop or spike erratically. Follow a regular meal schedule. Try not to deviate from this.

Carbo-watch—there is nothing wrong with carbohydrates if you stick to complex carbs. Anything refined like white noodles or pasta and cakes will only raise your blood sugar levels. Don’t get me wrong, you can still eat your pasta for as long as it is preceded by a big bowl of fresh garden greens. Always remember as a rule: Eat vegetables before consuming carbohydrates. It is the only way to manage your sugar.

Immune system

Stop worrying. Will it help your situation if you worry? Of course not. Whatever situation you are in, worrying will only raise your stress and hormone levels, which in turn will attack your immune system.

Polyphenol power—while found in many other seeds, lignans, a type of plant compound known as polyphenols, are especially good for women’s overall health by regulating and balancing estrogen levels. A high intake of polyphenols from flaxseed can lower risk of breast cancer and reducing breast tumor growth. Twenty-five grams of dietary flaxseed daily is suggested as preventive for diabetes, liver disorders, heart disease and atherosclerosis. (Reference: “Lignans Save Lives,” articles.mercola.com.)

Keep it simple

There is wisdom behind eating with order and simplicity. While popular buffets and restaurants encourage you to eat quickly, there is a smarter way to enjoy it all—one at a time, and by taking your time.

Instead of piling up food on your plate, reduce that mountain of treats to a hill. Start with salad, followed by soup, main course, then dessert. Instead of hoarding it all on your table, take your meal with ease, not with tension.

The same applies to your mind and heart. The new year can either be overwhelming or calming for you. In the end, the choice is yours. Everything has its limits. Try not to reach breaking point on your way to living out a brand new year.

New year affirmation: “I can only be great.”

Love and light!

E-mail the columnist: coryquirino1@yahoo.com