8 Essentials Of Self Care

When was the last time you had a day to honor YOU? Not your birthday, I mean a day that is devoted to looking after the temple you live in – your BODY. There is an actual DAY dedicated to promoting “self care”, its on July 24th. Amazing!

Sadly this is a sign of the times! Everything is fast paced, people are too busy and the most important thing we own – OUR BODY – often gets neglected! We take for granted what the human body is capable of and its only when we suffer with a health condition that we take notice, but we need to honour ourselves and not just on one day but EVERY DAY!

Here are some essentials for self care:

HEALTHY EATING HABITS: Consume whole foods (not processed/packaged), minimal sugar, less animal products and more fresh fruits & veggies – visit Farmers Markets now that we can!

EXERCISE: Moving your body to get the blood flowing and moving your muscles. This can be as simple as going for a walk after dinner. Ask a friend to join you! If you can’t afford to join a gym there are many ways to get exercise at home. Create resistance. Do sit-ups. Get the blood flowing its good for the brain also!

Seek Physio or Massage therapy if you have issues with aches & pains, sometimes massage is all you need to relieve sore muscles. Relying on pain medication or consuming over the counter anti-inflammatory pills is only masking the problem and putting stress on your liver.

GOOD HYGIENE: Maintain good grooming habits and keep your teeth and gums healthy to prevent disease.

SLEEP: Getting enough sleep is essential to many body functions – without 6-7 hours of restful sleep the body cannot function optimally. Be sure to have your bedroom at a cool temperature and use black out drapes or a sleep mask to prevent the pineal gland from falsely thinking its daylight. Don’t have nightlights in your bedroom. If you need to get up during the night, don’t turn on overhead lights.

RELATIONSHIPS: Maintain positive loving relationships with friends, family and most importantly yourself! Reduce exposure to negative people if at all possible. Nurture those that are worth keeping.Don’t beat yourself up for failures or things that go wrong – LIFE HAPPENS! Tomorrow is a new day!

STRESS MANAGEMENT: Find a way to deal with stresses that get you down! Take time for regular breaks to remove yourself from stressful environments – even a weekend away from your routine can recharge the batteries! Spend time in nature and by the water. Negative ions from flowing water does wonders for the body!

REFLECTION: Quiet reflection is essential to allow us to go within – sometimes sitting in quiet contemplation is the best thing for clarity when dealing with a challenging situation. This can be done through meditation, yoga, attending religious services, going for a walk in a park or a nature trail or even sitting with your four legged friend in a backyard. Pets are a wonderful way to boost your spirits and they are good listeners!

EMOTIONAL HEALTH: Mental/emotional health is equally important for self care. Confide in friends or a compassionate family member to talk about struggles you are facing. Sometimes just sharing thoughts with others and getting feedback is enough to make the load feel a little lighter. Seek professional help if you feel you need to.

What will you be doing on July 24th to honor YOU?