Let me start with this: Self-care is not synonymous with self-indulgence or being selfish. Self-care means taking care of yourself so that you can be healthy and care for others too.
Women, through their lives, take on so many roles - caregivers, provider, housekeeping, partner and so on, that it gets so difficult for them to focus on their own health. Although finding time, motivation and energy to look after ourselves and our health can be complex, there are diverse small things you can do to help the flow of energy and moods remain on track.
Social media might have you thinking that the only way to practice self-care is to take a photo-shoot worthy getup (and post a picture of it, obviously) but that is definitely not the case.
Here are some tips to consider:
1. Eat well and remain hydrated.
- Drink some water first thing in the morning
- Don't skip breakfast
- And obviously choosing whole grains & nuts, limiting caffeine and eating right
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Servings of fruits and veggies every day.
2. Get enough rest and adequate sleep.
Most of us find it challenging to cope to keep up with our job, work at home, helping kids with homework and relationships to a point that it's hard to get to bed at night time. Staying up late and rising early deprives one of much needed rest. So, sit back and work out a schedule that you know you can stick to. Ask for help where needed. Get organized.
3.
Daily light exercise to keep the mood elevated and blood flow regular, be it dance, yoga, swimming or going for a walk.
4. Correct nutrient supplementation. Women need iron, calcium and other nutrients but their excess can be harmful too. So talk to your doctor regarding supplement intake.
5. Regular health checkups.
They form a very important part of a good healthcare routine, be it ops, gynae check up or screening for heart disease, blood sugar and blood pressure monitoring or screening for breast cancer. Early diagnosis prevents disaster. Remember when we are healthy then our family and work is healthy.
6.
Adopt a healthy lifestyle. Quit smoking, decrease your alcohol intake to extremely special occasions.
7. Managing stress and having good mental health. This is the most important aspect of a woman's health and self-care. A sound mental health is very important.This "Do it all" generation of females is feeling the strain, be it working women or housewives. Although stress is not viewed an illness, it can cause distinct medical symptoms, feelings of depression and anxiety. Sometimes pressing enough to send you to the emergency room.
Hence, we need to know how to manage how to respond to stress or rather how to reduce stress. Meditate, go to a spa, make friends, socialise, enjoy your leisure time and most important BE HAPPY.
P.S feel free to talk to ladies, a heavy heart leads to a stressed mind and diseased body.
If you can't talk, then write, spill your heart out. A happy soul makes for a healthy body and a good life.
Dr Garima Goel
( India )