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Sleep
Studies have shown women need more sleep than men. It’s not the quantity of sleep but the quality of sleep. For optimal and deeper sleep, it is recommended to breathe through your nose. Most people breathe with their mouths open while sleeping resulting in less oxygen to the brain, organs and most importantly cells. Resulting in feeling fatigue, lethargic and brain fog. To determine if you are receiving ample sleep, do you wake up before your alarm goes off? If the answer is yes, you have enough sleep. However, If you need an alarm to wake you up in the morning, more than likely you are not receiving adequate sleep. Consider setting your alarm to get to bed one hour earlier than you normally do for a week and see how you feel. Waking up refreshed and energized is the goal. Uninterrupted quality sleep is essential for optimal health.
MOVEMENT
Daily movement of at least 30 minutes a day supports cardiovascular, digestive, endocrine and immune health. Exercising outdoors provides you with Vitamin D which is essential for a healthy, strong bones and immune system. Yoga and walking are exercises suitable for women of any age. A woman’s body will shift from her 20’ to 60’s and so does her exercise program. Women and men differ in anatomy and exercises and should be individualized. Breathe through your nose for increased stamina and endurance. While you exercise, remember to breathe through your nose for increased stamina and endurance. Find a fitness program that works for you.
NUTRITION
“All disease begins in the gut.” Hippocrates stated this twenty five hundred years ago. He had the foresight and intuition to understand the correlation between food and gut health. Eating healthy, nutritious foods is essential to living optimally. Eat nutritious foods according to your body’s requirements. Our food is essential for a healthy gut and microbiome. In the book, Eat to Beat Disease, by Dr. William Li, he states, “The decisions you make on food everyday throughout your lifetime offer perfect opportunities for you to stay healthy while enjoying life.”
HARMONIOUS RELATIONSHIPS
Healthy relationships result in an emotionally healthy mind and body. It begins with your relationship with yourself. Self Love, self compassion, and self-nurturing are being in harmony with oneself. The importance of maintaining harmonious relationships through the way we communicate so as to feel good, make others feel good, and maintain self-respect are crucial for the perception of the self as interdependent. Peaceful, Calm, and friendly relationships are essential for women’s personal growth and wellbeing. (Armstrong & Swartzman, 2001.
BREATHING
Breathing is essential to life. Studies have shown stress is the factor of 90% of all illnesses. Many factors play into why we have stress. The fastest, cheapest and quickest way to relieve stress is by nasal breathing low, slow and deep through your diaphragm, according to the Buteyko Breathing Method. It deactivates the Sympathetic Nervous System, fight, flight or freeze response. Your body heals when it is at rest, digest and reset. In order for your body to heal, you need to be in a healing state, mentally, emotionally and physically. Practice breathing through your nose at an inhale of three seconds and an exhale of four seconds. After you master that count increase to four seconds inhale and six seconds exhale. To oxygenate your tissues, organs and cells, it is recommended to breathe less through your nose and not through your mouth for optimal health.
OILS AND SUPPLEMENTS
Experts estimate that 80% of commercially available “pure” essential oils are adulterated in some way, states Aromatic Plant Research Center. Your skin is your largest organ. With that being said, why would we place anything less than the highest grade, pure, safe and natural essential oils? Choose essential oils and supplements that have been rigorously tested by a third party. Original sourcing, purity and safety ensures optimal health for you and your family. The recommended supplements for women are Probiotics, Digestive Enzymes, Vitamins C & D with K, Calcium with Magnesium, and Zinc. Take them consistently for best results.
CONNECT WITH NATURE
With the worldwide lockdowns during the pandemic, being outside in the open air is probably the best medicine to breathe in fresh air. More scientists are discovering that we weren’t designed to live within the urban spread and that staying connected to nature is essential for our health and happiness. It’s a fix for anything that ails you, from stress, fatigue, sadness and even anxiety. Nature can generate a multitude of positive emotions, such as calmness, joy, creativity and can facilitate concentration. Not only does Mother Nature provide us with oxygen, she also provides us Vitamin D and serotonin. Practice some self care by stepping into the outdoors while being mindful of your five senses: What do you hear? What do you feel? What do you smell? What do you taste? What do you see?
PROACTIVE CARE
Schedule regular women’s wellness checkups with your Functional, Integrative doctor or Naturopath for preventive care. Women entering the perimenopause stage between thirty-five to forty-five years old should consider having your hormones checked every six months. Proactive care includes educating yourself about your emotional and physical health. Knowledge is power, you can make better informed health choices for you and your family. Be your own Wellness Advocate, you know your body better than any physician. Include going to acupuncture, chiropractor, massage, reiki, and bodywork as part of your self-care routine.
