The health crisis of women
What price are you paying for being so self-less?
As a hormone replacement therapy provider (and former personal trainer) I’ve worked with hundreds if not thousands women every day who have sacrificially put the needs of their kids, spouses, families, and jobs outside of the home in front of their own. Most women are ever giving to those around them leaving them incessantly busy, spread thin, and constantly running on E. A few years back, I had a patient who’s story made me give second thought to the way we as women view our roles, and the expense we are paying trying to fulfill those roles.
“Jane”, come in to my office for some symptoms she had been experiencing for a significant amount of time, yet had never received medical attention for them. Her delay in seeking treatment was not because she didn’t want the help or because she didn’t have access to healthcare; she was simply too busy taking care of everyone and everything else in her life beside herself. Additionally, Jane was attributing her symptoms to being a normal part of life.
Like many women I know, Jane presented with fatigue, anxiety, high stress, and more. During her evaluation, she stopped and asked: “Are these symptoms normal?”… She continued, “I just have attributed a lot of these things to being apart of being a working mom and wife and getting older.” My response, “Your symptoms are common, but that doesn’t mean they are normal or have to be your normal.” Her reaction to that statement didn’t need words; I could visibly see that she had had one of those light bulb moments. She paused and proceeded to make a simple, yet profound statement, “Every woman needs to know that.”
As women, we pride ourselves on being caretakers. I will be the first to admit that although my roles of being a mom, wife, business owner, and nurse practitioner leave me stretched thin and often exhausted, they remain my greatest pride, joy, and accomplishments in life. All women would agree that the roles that leave them so fatigued is what they identify themselves as and is what they often pride themselves on. The reason we spread ourselves thin to do those roles to the best of our abilities is because we love who we are caring, the job we are doing, and/ or what we are accomplishing. The problem arises when we don’t allow for balance in our lives. It’s truly not only affecting our physical health, but also our mental or emotional well-being and the health of our relationships.
It’s essential to understand that we must take care of ourselves so that we can better take care of others. Without our health we either perform our roles below optimum potential or can’t perform them altogether. There are a few simple habits that will positively impact your health including energy, mood, and self-esteem leaving you better able to perform those roles you are juggling.
4 Simple, Yet Life-Altering Habits.
1.Indulge in exercise – Aim for a minimum of 4 hours a week. A good session length being 30 minutes to 50 minutes. Although this may seem impossible and overwhelming, consider this: There are 168 hours in every week… I am only suggesting that 2.38% of your time be devoted to exercise. Still overwhelming? If you can only squeeze in 20 minutes starting out, so be it. The point is to get moving!
I advise taking the extra step and getting a qualified virtual health and fitness coach to help you stay safe and also to provide a source of accountability and motivation… Neither that motivational picture that you keep stashed nor your girlfriend’s accountability is enough to keep you hitting the gym when you have a million other things that demand your time and energy!
2. Get your greens. Eat or drink at least one portion of greens a day. I always aim to lead my clients to eating a diet full of vegetables, lean meats, and healthy fats. However, often times women find it difficult to transition into a strictly clean food meal plan. Creating a habit of eating a salad every day for lunch or even drinking greens in a juice concoction offers the health benefit of supplying a tremendous amount of antioxidants and vitamins to the body. However you choose to do so, getting a daily dose of greens aids in fat loss, hormone balance, improved energy, and more.
3. Give your gut a gift. Probiotics (good gut bacteria) are certainly great for your gut health and bowel regularity, but also for your overall health. The gut possesses 80% of our immune system. Those who take daily probiotics are at a reduced risk for illness. Additionally, research presented in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences showed that daily probiotics can improve mental health with reducing anxiety and depression. Don’t skimp; Get a quality probiotic with multiple strands or you're wasting your money.
4. Sleep it off. Aim for a 7-8 hours of sleep a night. I know nearly every woman wants to stop reading at this point, but don’t. I get it! There are not enough hours in the day for 7+hours of sleep a night. In discussing sleep with my patients, I have found that completing household chores, chilling in front of the TV, and talking to their spouse or partner are the greatest things keeping them up later at night than necessary. But many also lay in bed stressing and have difficulty falling asleep. This can be corrected with supplements and sometimes, bio-identical Progesterone when needed.
Poor sleep causes some serious health issues including: a weakened immune system, impaired glucose tolerance, lower morning cortisol levels, increased carbohydrate cravings, hormone imbalance (thyroid, progesterone, estrogen, and testosterone), prolong healing and recovery, decreased mental alertness and concentration. Patient’s sleep is often affected by adrenal dysfunction yet adrenal dysfunction can be caused at least in part by lack of sleep. Sort of a hamster wheel.
Struggle to get 5 hours of sleep due to the reasons I mentioned above? Start by setting yourself a bedtime 30 minutes earlier until you get up to the 7-8hours most bodies require for optimal function and health. If lay in bed and have difficulty falling or staying asleep, it’s time to consult a healthcare professional.
_______
If you’re looking for a healthcare provider that understands what you’re going through and can support your journey to better health from the inside out we would love to talk with you. You can click here to get started.
