Nutrition and Fitness

s tn e s F i a n d o n ti r i N u t

Do of you Understand Self-Care? the Alka Chopra, Registered Dietitian, Certified Diabetes Educator & Certified Intuitive Eating Counsellor Real Meaning “I do a thing called ‘what I want” …….Unknown”

The word “self-care” has taken on a very glamorous meaning. And that it is indulgent behavior. It’s a word that is thrown around often without understanding the real meaning. It is often characterized as a commodity that you would need to spend a lot of money on like massages, manicures, or even destination vacations. Yes, these activities might give someone temporary happiness but have no benefit in the long run. This is simply because self-care is much deeper than indulging in such activities. For some, self-care may sound like a luxury, but science proves it’s actually nonnegotiable.

The real definition of self-care is involving yourself in purposeful activities that are centered around your personal needs. You involve yourself in these activities on an ongoing basis in small increments, so you feel the impact of these in the long run. These activities become habits that are sustainable and ultimately it becomes a culture. In business, there is a concept called the Kaizen method that focuses on continuous improvement by making small changes one at a time. Within the realm of self-care changing small habits that are important to you will lead to larger benefits that can have a positive impact on your lives. To give you a real-life example: my self-care culture revolves around arts & crafts. When I started, I made hand-painted greeting cards that could be completed in 10-15 minutes with a minimum number of supplies. I kept doing it on a regular basis and adding more skills to my bucket and also increasing or decreasing the time depending upon what was going on in my life. As it stands today spending time with arts & crafts has now become a culture, it is my lifestyle.

The dimensions of wellness and how are they connected to self-care? When we talk about self-

care in the real sense we are talking about wellness. And wellness has several components to it. It is impacted by our beliefs, interests, culture, and our life experiences. It needs to be conscious, selfdirected and evolving; holistic and multidimensional; positive and affirming, and inclusive. The core idea: you thrive as an individual. Generally speaking, there are 8 components of wellness:

Emotional/mental • Environmental • Financial • Intellectual • Occupational • Physical • Social • Spiritual

Now I do not want you to get overwhelmed seeing this list and thinking about how I can do all this! Not to worry. The whole idea is to find a balance and start with something that is important to you and can be done with minimal interruption to your life. Of course, you do need to be intentional & focused but it is totally possible if you make a commitment to yourself. I am hoping when you understand these components Now let’s get into a bit more detail on understanding these components:

Emotional/mental: is all about your feelings. It's

about respecting them, appreciating them, and managing them in a constructive manner. The same goes for other people’s feelings. It also means having a positive overview of life even in the most challenging situation.

Environmental: component includes understanding and acknowledging how the environment impacts your health. This includes your social, natural & even the built environment around you. This component also takes into consideration some responsibilities you have as an individual to keep the environment safe & healthy.

Financial: The core of financial wellness is leading your life within your affordability. It means making informed financial investments for your long & short-term needs. It also means saving up for emergencies. All these decisions need to be personalized and match up with your personal needs & requirements.

Intellectual: A wonderful way to keep good mental health is with continuous learning. Growing intellectually allows you to discover new talents. This leads to having a positive outlook towards life and navigating efficiently through challenging times.

Occupational: wellness is all about participating in activities whether at home or at work that make you happy and provide you with personal satisfaction. This also enriches your life and the lives of others around you.

Physical: wellness means taking care of the nutritional & physical needs of your body. Eating nutritionally balanced food & being physically active are all parts of physical wellness.

Social: Healthy relationships, friendships, and the company you live in impact your mental state. This further impacts the overall quality of life. With good social health, we are also in a better position to contribute to the community and that can be a very satisfying position to be in.

Spiritual: wellness means finding ways to find purpose, value & meaning in your life. To achieve spiritual wellness, you need to involve yourself in activities that align with your beliefs and values.

Now, if you review these components closely you will realize how all these components are closely related to the definition of self-care I had mentioned at the beginning of this article. The point is that you need to pay close attention to all these components for your wellbeing & quality of life. Of course, by no means there is an expectation of perfect balance. The goal is to try & achieve personal harmony“ ” and do what feels right to you. Each one of us have our priorities, we have different ways of doing things, different approaches, and outlook towards life. So really make your self-care system your own. To support you in this journey I have created an online program called “One Week To Your Health” that teaches you how to make self-care a culture by mastering mini habits one week at a time. You can take a look at it here

Alka Chopra

https://www.alkachopra.ca/

5 Benefits of Exercise for Women

Jackie Kickish, Doctor of Physical Therapy and certified pregnancy and postpartum corrective exercise specialist

When it comes to exercise, many women feel like they have to do hours of cardio every day to see results. This can lead to a "why even bother" attitude toward exercise since most of us have extremely busy schedules, particularly mothers. Thankfully, this couldn't be farther from the truth! In fact, shorter bouts of exercise can be just as beneficial, if not more beneficial, as long ones. Below, we will dive into five amazing benefits of exercise for women that anyone can start gaining today, no matter how busy they are or what time constraints they have. With the right mindset, there is a way.

The Benefits of Exercise

When it comes to the benefits of exercise, some are more obvious and well-known than others. Yet, the bottom line is that our bodies are made to move and exercising regularly helps us thrive in our daily lives. Here are just a few of the reasons that exercise is so great.

Improves Mood and Mental Health

Exercising releases endorphins, which help improve our mood and reduce the effects of stress, anxiety, and depression. With mood changes being major disruptors of sleep, weight management, and general quality of life, regular exercise is one of the best things we can do for our mental health. In today's fast-paced (yet, often disconnected) world, this is the number one reason to make regular exercise a habit and avoid mental burnout.

Increases Energy

It’s easy to feel run down and constantly exhausted, regular exercise can help give us more energy throughout the day (even if it seems counterintuitive). This is especially true if the workouts are consistent and leave us feeling more energized overall, rather than drained. This is thanks to a boost in the body’s endurance, metabolism, and ability to sleep more soundly.

Helps Build Muscle Strength

Adequate muscular strength and balance are important for so many reasons. This includes everything from being able to carry our children and groceries with ease to reducing the risk of injuries down the road. Strength training is one of the most efficient ways to improve muscle strength, with the added bonus of boosting bone density. Since women are four times more likely than men to develop osteoporosis, putting them at a higher risk for injuries in their fifties and beyond, this is crucial.

Strength training doesn't necessarily equate to pumping iron at the gym either. There are a lot of very functional ways we can strengthen our muscles- even at home.

Longevity and Reduces Risk of Chronic Diseases

Women who exercise regularly have a reduced risk of developing chronic diseases such as heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. This is likely due to the combination of all of the other benefits we've listed above, plus other factors such as a reduction in the body’s inflammation. Exercise also helps keep our weight in check, which is another factor that contributes to a healthy lifespan.

When it comes to beginning an exercise routine, committing to short periods of activity for just ten to twenty minutes is significantly better than nothing at all. This can range from a walk around the block or stretching to dancing and high-intensity interval training. You'll be pleasantly surprised at how good it feels to get your body moving consistently!

If you

re worried that you don' 't have time or the energy to go to the gym, working out at home can be just as beneficial. Then, you don't need expensive equipment or a membership (an extra viable option for busy moms).

Pain Reduction

Regular exercise has been shown to help reduce pain for conditions like arthritis, fibromyalgia, and chronic back pain (all common in women, particularly over forty). This is because exercise releases endorphins and promotes adequate circulation throughout the body to keep tissues supple and less likely to be injured. As a bonus, exercise can also help improve sleep quality, which is often a challenge for people who suffer from chronic pain.

How You Can Get Started

Have Fun and Grace

Hopefully, by now the thought of exercising regularly doesn't seem overwhelming. Most importantly, find something that you find fun and will stick with so that exercise becomes a healthy habit, rather than another item on your never-ending "to-do" list. Remember to celebrate every day you get moving and the progress you are making. After all, it's simply all about enjoying your life to the absolute fullest.

Most of us tend to get in an "all or nothing"

mindset, which can quickly lead to broken promises and forgotten goals. How many of us vow to start exercising, only to fall off the wagon within a few days or weeks? Instead, the focus should be on making small sustainable steps that fit our lifestyles and feel good.

Jackie Kickish-

www.jackiekickish.com

"May your goal today be to beat your best excuse.