As we all resolve to make resolutions for the New Year, it seems starting an exercise program comes to mind. The following are some important reasons to exercise:

1. It is well documented that for every minute you exercise, you add one minute to your life. That enables you at 85 years old to spend 5 additional months in a nursing home at $5,000 per month.

2. My grandmother started walking five miles a day when she was 60. Now she’s 97 years old and we don’t know where she is.

3. I joined a health club last year, spent about $400 bucks. Haven’t lost a pound. Apparently you have to show up.

4. I have to exercise early in the morning before my brain figures out what I’m doing.

5. I like long walks, especially when they are taken by people who annoy me.

6. I have flabby thighs, but fortunately my stomach covers them.

7. The advantage of exercising every day is that you die healthier.

8. If you are going to try cross country skiing, start with a small country.

Seriously, we should all get some type of exercise several times a week—and not just the remote working our fingers. In addition, we need to stay pumped up on all those wonderful vitamins that keep us healthy during this germ-infested season. Make sure you’re getting enough!

There are 13 widely recognized vitamins. Vitamins A, D, E, and K can be stored in body fat and don’t have to be consumed every day.

Vitamins B & C, on the other hand, are flushed out of your system each day and therefore must be consumed on a daily basis. The best way of getting what you need is by eating a balanced diet composed largely of fresh or frozen foods. Canned foods may lose up to half their vitamins during processing.

Here are some roles each vitamin plays:

Vitamin A—Needed for healthy skin and hair, bone growth, tooth development, and reproduction.

Vitamin D—Helps your body absorb calcium and phosphorus; essential for formation of bones and teeth.

Vitamin K—Aids in blood clotting; helps maintain normal bone metabolism.

B Vitamins—Regulate the central nervous system; help release energy from carbohydrates, proteins, and fats; aid formation of red blood cells.

Vitamin C—Key for white blood cell and immune system building, tissue growth, and healing.■