Hey There

Let's talk about self care. If we're not feeling our best, then we're not giving our best. Take a little time for yourself. Relax, breathe and stretch. At a minimum 5 - 10 minutes a day to check in with your body and mind. If you're feeling sad, don't hold those feelings inside, share them with someone who cares. People love you and you deserve to be happy.

Self Care

I am not a health care specialist, just a mom sharing tips that have helped me.

Healthy Diet

Eating healthy is about making your body feel good and keeping things fun! Load up on your favorite fruits, veggies, whole grains, and lean proteins while trying to avoid too much junk food. A balanced diet gives you more energy and helps your mood. Remember "you are what you eat"!

A healthy diet also means reducing bad sugars, like those found in juices, sodas, and alcohol, so limit those to 1-2 servings a week or less. You might just find yourself feeling awesome!

Some foods may appear healthy but can contain harmful ingredients like chemicals, high fructose corn syrup, vegetable oils, processed sugar and sodium. Always check the ingredient list, as items are listed in order of concentration, with the first one being the most prevalent.

Yuka - Food & Cosmetic Scanner, available on Google Play and the Apple Store.
Bobby Approved - Food Scanner, available on Google Play and the Apple Store. In addition, Bobby has his own line of healthy foods, and YouTube channel where he visits the most popular grocery stores like Target and Walmart, and talks about the best products to buy.

Breathe/Meditation

Take time to meditate, breathe or just stretch. Start by finding a quiet area of your house or even in a closet if there's space. Once you're in a calm space, follow these steps:

1. Sit upright with your spine straight or lie down with your head supported.

2. Focus on your breath - Pay attention to the sensation of your breath as it enters and leaves your body. Notice the rise and fall of your chest and the movement of air through your nostrils.

Here's a popular breath-work technique that I also use:

Count to 4 with a slow breath in, hold it 1-2-3, Slow breath our for 4 seconds, hold it 1-2-3...then repeat.

3. Be kind to yourself - focus on feelings of compassion and acceptance towards yourself and others. Remind yourself how awesome you are and be thankful.

If you need a little guidance, try the rated #1 free meditation app Insight Timer available on Google Play and the Apple Store. It includes guided meditations and talks led by the world's top meditation and mindfulness experts, neuroscientists, psychologists and teachers from Stanford, Harvard, the University of Oxford.

Exercise

Exercise can help keep you physically and mentally healthy! Try to stay active at least 3 - 4 times a week with things like walking or biking. Make sure to throw in some strength training a couple of times a week to keep your muscles strong.

Sometimes even finding time to exercise can seem impossible. If that's the case, then enjoy more playtime with your kids. When you take them park, bring a soccer ball or have a dance party at home.

Sleep

Get 7 hours or more of sleep. Sometimes this can seem unrealistic, especially if you have a little one keeping you up but what you can try and get the most restful sleep with the time you do have:

Avoid eating late. Take your last bite of food at least 3 hours before you go to bed. This gives your body time to digest.
Stop drinking alcohol at least 4 hours before bed.
Avoid screens at least 1 hour or more before bed.
Turn your phone off at night and buy an alarm clock (unless of course you need your phone on for emergencies).
Turing on a fan or sound machine can be extremely relaxing and muffle out sounds that might wake you up. i.e. snoring partner lol!
Take a nap - Recommended 20 - 30 minutes can decrease blood pressure, regulate mood, and increase brain function.

Socialize

Socializing with others can have many positive effects on your health, including:

Lower risk of depression
Lower risk of high blood pressure
Lower risk of unhealthy BMI
Better mental health
Better learning
Better habits
Reduced risk of death - I think this one is the winner! According to the CDC, people with strong social connections are 50% more likely to survive than those with fewer connections.

So make plans to see someone, have a conversation with your neighbor or even join a social group (social media does not count).

Connect to Nature

Start by getting some sun. This provides you with Vitamin D which helps improve our mood, hormone function, and not to mention you'll skin will get a nice glow.

If there's a patch of grass nearby, take your shoes off and connect to the earth.

Earth's surface typically holds a negative charge, which provides negative ions to our bodies when we touch it.
Negative ions are antioxidants that neutralize oxidants, or free radicals. This allows your body to achieve equilibrium or homeostasis at a cellular level.
Research from The Earthing Institute, suggests that exposure to negative ions from the Earth may have positive effects on health, including reducing inflammation, improving sleep, and alleviating stress.