Maintaining a good quality of health both mentally and physically can be a challenging task. Making sure we’re doing our best to stay fit and healthy as much as possible is so important for our general wellness and that goes for everybody. For women, especially mothers, it’s easy to fall into the trap of focusing on the health and wellbeing of others before we start to take care of ourselves, but remember, if you’re not feeling at your best, it’s going to be much more difficult to make sure everyone around you is too. We’ve put together 8 useful tips for making sure you are on top of your health game.
Kick The Bad Habits
One of the worst things you can do to your body is smoke. There are hundreds of deadly chemicals within tobacco and the smoke that is produced by burning cigarettes and inhaling that into your lungs is incredibly damaging. And not just for your lungs either. In fact, tobacco smoke is a contributor to some of life’s worst illnesses like cancer, heart disease, COPD, diabetes, and even tuberculosis. There is also the risk that smoking can cause ectopic pregnancy in women and reduced fertility too, harming your chances of having children.
Get Plenty Of Sleep For Alertness
When it comes to sleep, women are far more likely
to suffer from problems. Insomnia and disturbed sleep cycles are common issues
and often occur during changes in hormone levels. These changes can happen
during the menstrual cycle but can also be caused by things like birth control,
such as the pill or hormone-releasing coils and implants. Good quality sleep is
incredibly important for our health, especially our mental health. Without
getting enough regular sleep every night, which is about 7-9 hours for adults,
we can feel sluggish and tired throughout the day, and this can also exacerbate
memory problems and mental health disorders.
Use Sun Protection For Healthy Skin
Our skin is often neglected, especially when we’re
out in the sun. It can be tempting to not put on sunscreen to top up that tan
quickly, but the damage from direct UV exposure can be extremely bad. If you’re
determined to sunbathe, you should make sure you’re wearing sunscreen with a
high SPF value, at least 30 or more. But even when not sunbathing, it’s good to
get into the habit of applying sun protection every day, especially when you’re
going outside. There are now lots of facial moisturisers for example, that are
infused with UV protection so choose one with a high SPF. Sun damage can range
from sunburn and wrinkles to discoloration including age spots and skin cancer,
so don’t forget to apply your sunscreen.
Add Supplements To Your Diet
We can all benefit from supplements in our diet, and of course, this depends on many aspects of our lives. Most notably, a lack of certain vitamins and minerals is caused by diet choices, but there are other things that can increase our need for supplements such as illness and hormone imbalances. When looking for the best supplements for women, make sure you consider any problems you currently have. It’s also worth speaking to your doctor who will be able to help identify any deficiencies in your diet. Good levels of iron and calcium are commonly missing from our diets and while these can be replenished by adding mineral-rich foods to our diets, supplements can be taken regularly to ensure that these levels are maintained. If you have trouble taking vitamins for any reason – whether it’s because pills just aren’t for you or you simply forget – Portland vitamin therapy can help ensure you get the vitamins you need to feel your best.
Ensure You Have A Balanced Diet
Eating the right foods can significantly improve
both mental and physical health. While it’s important to treat yourself every
now and again, cutting down on unhealthy, processed foods is a very important
decision. The high salt, sugar, and fat content in processed meals and snacks
can be really damaging to our health if eaten in excess. These can contribute
to increased levels of cholesterol in the blood. These higher levels can lead
to this sticky substance getting stuck to artery walls and ultimately can cause
blockages leading to heart disease and stroke. There are plenty of foods out
there that can reduce our cholesterol, especially when combined with cutting
down on processed foods and saturated fats. Instead, choose foods containing
healthy, unsaturated fats like avocados, and unsalted peanuts and cashews.
Get More Exercise
One of the best things we can do to improve our
physical health is to get more active. To maintain a good level of physical
health, try to get at least two and a half hours of exercise per week. This not
only helps to bolster your physical wellness but your mental health too.
Regular exercise is said to have a substantially positive impact on our minds
and can reduce the effects of depression and anxiety. On the flip side, a lack
of exercise or movement can have detrimental effects on our mental health.
Finding an exercise or activity that you enjoy is one of the best ways to
motivate yourself, so if you’re not enjoying a particular activity, try something
else instead of forcing yourself, otherwise, you’ll risk losing your drive to
stay fit and healthy.
Regular Medical Checks
Regardless of gender, everyone should seek regular
medical check-ups with a doctor. For women though, some specific things should
be considered to ensure any potential health problems are caught early on.
Regular cervical cancer screenings or pap tests should be done at least once
every 3 years after the age of 25. It’s also important to check for lumps
around the breasts to identify anything of concern.
Check In With Yourself Too
Something that many of us forget to do is to take
an introspective look at our state of
mental wellness. It’s easy to shut certain feelings and thoughts out but
this can lead us to become overburdened by our concerns and can exacerbate any
ongoing mental health problems or even be a catalyst for new ones. If you feel
as though you’re struggling to cope, seek professional help where possible, and
open up to a friend or loved one and explain what’s going on. This is a great
way to decompress your thoughts and feelings and will help you to decide on
your next steps towards positive mental health.