Super-charge your diet by enjoying berries every day. (Photo by Mike Garten)

Make 2018 your healthiest year yet by trying our “Do” Diet. Here are a few tips to help you get started.

Do: Fill Up on (Frozen) Berries

Chomp on these flash-frozen nutrition bombs all year long! To reach the maximum health benefit, aim for at least 2 cups over the course of a week. Berries offer loads of healthy perks, including:

Brain Boost: The flavonoids in berries have been linked to reducing the risk of cognitive decline by enhancing circulation and brain-cell signaling, and protecting brain cells from damage.

Weight Control: One cup of berries has only 85 calories at most, and up to 9 grams of fiber, which helps keep you full while satisfying any sweets cravings.

Steady Energy: The fiber found in berries also helps slow down digestion and absorption in your GI tract, which means sugar is released into your bloodstream slowly, a bit at a time.

Disease Protection: The phytonutrients in berries have anti-inflammatory properties, which may help reduce risk of chronic diseases such as cancer.

Do: Follow the 20/20/20 Rule

Being glued to your computer or phone means you’ve likely experienced eye strain, which can lead to dry eyes, blurred vision and headaches, say ophthalmologists. That’s because watching a beloved device cuts the number of times you blink to half or one-third of normal.

Easy fix: Every 20 minutes, shift your gaze to something at least 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds. “Looking into the distance allows the eye muscles used for near-vision tasks to relax a bit,” said Christopher Starr, M.D., an ophthalmologist at New York-Presbyterian.

Do: Remember This

You’re driving to work and have a panicky thought: Did I turn off my hair straightener? The next time you do turn it off, say out loud, “I’m turning off my hair straightener.” The physical act of speaking, combined with the personalization of hearing your own voice, makes the event meaningful and decreases your chances of forgetting it later, said study author Noah Forrin, Ph.D., of the University of Waterloo in Waterloo, Ontario.

Do: Sculpt Your Thighs and Butt

Jillian Michaels’s do-it-all move, Chair Pose, will have you looking sleek in no time. Here’s how to do it:

1. Stand with feet close together and inhale; raise arms perpendicular to floor, shoulders back.

2. Bend knees as you exhale, hinging forward at hips, abs engaged. Keeping gaze forward, “sit” back, lifting arms alongside ears.

3. With your back straight and toes visible when you glance over your knees, sink more deeply to try to get upper thighs parallel to floor.

4. Hold for 15 to 20 seconds, depending on strength, then return to start. Repeat three times.

Dial it down: Sink less deeply into the pose, or stand with heels on a rolled-up mat or towel.

Amp it up: Sit even lower and hold pose for 30 seconds.

ON ANOTHER MATTER …

Secrets to Healthy, Shiny Hair

Treat your scalp with the same TLC you give your face. Your hair will love you back!

Deep-clean: Clogged hair follicles can lead to an itchy, flaky scalp and also “stunt hair growth and affect its quality,” said Doris Day, M.D., a dermatologist in New York City. Swap a shampoo-conditioner set with the bacteria-fighting ingredient pyrithione zinc into your routine weekly to help eliminate debris and purify the scalp, promoting healthier growth. And yes, you do need the duo: “Using a regular conditioner with a scalp-treatment shampoo could wash away up to 70 percent of the flake-fighting active ingredient,” said Rolanda Wilkerson, Ph.D., principal scientist at P&G Beauty.

Exfoliate: Styling products and dirt particles can build up on your scalp, causing irritation like redness, dryness and flakes. A twice-monthly scalp scrub will get rid of the gunk. But, as on your face, scrubbing too much or too harshly can do damage. Look for gentle exfoliators that are salt-, sugar- or seed-based, said Neil Sadick, M.D., clinical professor of dermatology at Weill Cornell Medical College in New York City.

Recalls Alert

The following products and vehicles were recalled by the Consumer Product Safety Commission and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Unless otherwise indicated, discontinue use of the products immediately and return them to the store where purchased for a refund. For more information about the products, call the manufacturer or CPSC’s toll-free hotline, 800-638-2772. Only some cars or trucks recalled are affected. Contact a dealer for your model to see if it is included in the recall. The dealer will tell you what to do.

PRODUCT/VEHICLE PROBLEM

Cost Plus World Market bleeding drip taper candles, sold at Cost Plus World Market and World Market stores nationwide and online at www.worldmarket.com from August 2017 through October 2017 for about $7.

The candles’ high flame can ignite the surface of the wax, posing a fire hazard. Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled candles and return them to any Cost Plus World Market or World Market store for a full refund. Consumers can contact Cost Plus World Market toll-free at 877-967-5362 from 7 a.m. to midnight EST daily or online at www.worldmarket.com. Click on “Product Recalls” for more information.

2004-2006 Ford Ranger
Upon deployment of the driver-side frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to rupture. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver’s frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants potentially resulting in serious injury or death. Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver’s frontal air-bag inflator with an alternate inflator for free. The recall began Dec. 26, 2017, and will be launched in phases through the end of March 2018. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 866-436-7332. Ford’s number for this recall is 17S42. Note: This recall supersedes recall 16V-036, which was an interim repair. Vehicles that received a replacement air bag inflator under the previous campaign need to return to a dealer to have an alternate inflator installed.

© Hearst Communications Inc.; Distributed by King Features Syndicate

—GOOD HOUSEKEEPING REPORTS – Your body: The ‘Do’ Diet–