AMIDST the New Year’s onslaught of complicated diet tricks and body-hacking workouts, we have a simpler formula. Instead of all-or-nothing lifestyle changes, author Frank Lipman offers simple, creative tips that add up to a healthier you. Here are some tips from his book “The New Health Rules.”

    Eat small fish,

    not big fish

    The bigger and older the fish, the more mercury it’s likely to contain. Why is there mercury in fish at all? Power plants that burn coal release mercury into the air, which settles in the water. Tiny plankton absorb it. The plankton are eaten by little fish. The little fish are eaten by big fish. Stay away from really big fish like swordfish and tuna and think more along the lines of wild flounder and salmon. Mercury not only messes with your body’s ability to energize cells and hold on to certain important minerals but is also linked to an increased risk of Alzheimer’s. Really tiny fish, like black cod, canned sardines, and anchovies, are lowest in mercury, so eat them freely.

    Move five minutes

    out of every hour

    This is easy to say and hard for some to do, but make it a goal — in fact, write it on a Post-it and stick it anywhere you get stuck. After 55 minutes of work, get up and walk around or climb a flight of stairs. Or if you have a private office, run through a couple of yoga poses or some old-school calisthenics (push-ups, jumping jacks) — anything that shakes you out of the “chair” shape your body’s been holding. This break also gives your mind a restart, so this habit can be great for productivity.

    Wash the air

    Keep plants in the house. Open the windows when you can. Skip the AC when possible and use a fan to pull in fresh air. Dehumidify damp rooms to prevent mold. Use fresh eucalyptus instead of room spray. When you pick up your dry cleaning, forgo the plastic and hang clothes outside in the fresh air for a bit — or just walk them home uncovered — so you take fewer chemicals into your closet.

    Prep as you put away

    If the good stuff is there and ready when you open your fridge, you’ll eat it. If not, you’re more likely to reach for processed packaged food. So after shopping at your local farmers’ market or your organic grocer, devote a half hour to washing and prepping — before you even put the stuff away. Rinse carrots and stash in a glass container full of water to keep them snappy. Wash berries, drain them very well, and store in a dry colander so they have plenty of air around them. Hard-boil a dozen eggs. Wash and spin greens and store in a dry salad spinner or a plastic bag.

    Look up

    Be present in your surroundings. Looking up and out — and making eye contact with others — is a form of nourishment that the age of smartphones has seriously messed with. See the sky, look at the ticket collector on the commuter train, take note of the people nearby when you’re eating lunch. Instead of burying your face in your phone, lift your head and be part of your environment.

    Think of dairy as

    a condiment

    Most adults can’t process cow’s milk. Our digestive systems aren’t meant to. So keep servings to a dollop, max. Even if cow products don’t particularly trouble your stomach, they’re just not good for you — they trigger inflammation, create mucus, and make seasonal allergies worse. (SD-Agencies)