When I think of the total woman, someone who is physically active, mentally fit, spiritually centered with selfesteem comes to mind. Then I think how many of us truly fit this description.
A woman needs to create time for herself and her family in that order, because unless a woman is nurtured first herself, the well is empty for everyone else. In this overly busy world in which we find ourselves, it’s hard to do it all and have it all.
When our mothers were growing up, women had very defined roles: wife, mother, teacher, nurse, secretary, etc. Now women can and do have other choices. So how does one become a total woman in 2007?
Pay attention to your physical, emotional, and spiritual well being. Consciously carve out time for yourself, not just accepting what’s left over after everyone has been given what they need. This sounds easy, but it’s very difficult. Use this sacred time for exercise—walking, yoga, anything physical—even if you have to force yourself. The energy it will give you after a few months will amaze you. Be realistic; start slowly and sustain.
Next, take care of all of your annuals: dentist, gynecological, mammogram, cholesterol, blood pressure, etc. This helps take care of the physical you. Eat for health and hunger, not for comfort. Junk food gives you peaks and valleys, but proteins will last until the next meal. Strive for eight hours of sleep each night. I know this isn’t always possible, but for four days a week make it a priority. If you’re having difficulty with sleeping, inform your physician. It may be something besides stress.
Take care of your heart. Get your cholesterol and your blood pressure checked once a year. Today, women have tremendous stress in their lives. Work is a stressor, kids are a stressor, vacation is a stressor, and on and on. The fact is, life is a stressor. Believe it or not, we need some stress in our lives, but not to the extent most women have. Having your heart checked is as important as having your mammogram. Your blood pressure and your lipid panel (cholesterol, triglycerides, glucose, etc.) values are very important numbers to know and keep within the normal range.
Heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women over 50, and women’s symptoms are not the same as men (go figure). Women may never experience crushing chest pain but may have insomnia or fatigue (of course, what woman doesn’t on occasion?). Women are also much more prone to small vessel disease than men. This is one of the reasons we have different symptoms. To totally take care of ourselves, we can’t neglect our hearts.
No woman 35 or older should miss her mammogram. One in seven women will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year. OSF Saint Francis Centers for Breast Health has been designated by the Healthcare Advisory Board as a site to be benchmarked against, one of only nine national sites participating. Research is being completed research under the direction of Dr. Jessica Guingrich.
Take care of your bones—they have to last you a lifetime. Women need between 1,500 to 1,800 mg of calcium daily. Dividing the dose of calcium to no more than 600 mg per dose is important, as no more than 600 mg can be absorbed at one time, and taking more than that will waste it. Foods high in calcium are green leafy vegetables such as spinach, broccoli, etc. For those women who have gastric reflex, take calcium citrate. Other types of calcium are unable to be absorbed if one is taking medication such as Prilosec or Nexium.
The mind/body/spirit connection is real and shouldn’t ever be ignored. Women everywhere are struggling for that inner peace—hard to achieve when you’re working, running kids to all kinds of activities, trying to get dinner on, etc. Carving out time to do anything besides get to the bathroom alone can be a real achievement.
Strive for at least two to four hours or more a week for yourself. One very simple way to decrease stress is by taking deep breaths, at least three in succession. Breathe in slowly through your nose, then exhale. As you breathe in, your abdomen should expand a little, as though you were filling a balloon with air. When you exhale through your nose your abdomen should go back down. If you do this slowly, you should begin to feel the calming affect. Yoga and Tai Chi are other ways to manage stress positively. Both can improve balance and posture. As we age, balance can be a problem.
Another benefit of breathing to calm ourselves is that our children observe our coping mechanisms to stress. Breathing effectively is a tactic they can be taught early.
The most important message I can leave you with is to begin the journey of taking care of yourself, not taking what’s left. If you nurture yourself, you can nurture the rest of your family and still be able to be the total women everyone looks to for guidance. tpw
A woman needs to create time for herself and her family in that order, because unless a woman is nurtured first herself, the well is empty for everyone else. In this overly busy world in which we find ourselves, it’s hard to do it all and have it all.
When our mothers were growing up, women had very defined roles: wife, mother, teacher, nurse, secretary, etc. Now women can and do have other choices. So how does one become a total woman in 2007?
Pay attention to your physical, emotional, and spiritual well being. Consciously carve out time for yourself, not just accepting what’s left over after everyone has been given what they need. This sounds easy, but it’s very difficult. Use this sacred time for exercise—walking, yoga, anything physical—even if you have to force yourself. The energy it will give you after a few months will amaze you. Be realistic; start slowly and sustain.
Next, take care of all of your annuals: dentist, gynecological, mammogram, cholesterol, blood pressure, etc. This helps take care of the physical you. Eat for health and hunger, not for comfort. Junk food gives you peaks and valleys, but proteins will last until the next meal. Strive for eight hours of sleep each night. I know this isn’t always possible, but for four days a week make it a priority. If you’re having difficulty with sleeping, inform your physician. It may be something besides stress.
Take care of your heart. Get your cholesterol and your blood pressure checked once a year. Today, women have tremendous stress in their lives. Work is a stressor, kids are a stressor, vacation is a stressor, and on and on. The fact is, life is a stressor. Believe it or not, we need some stress in our lives, but not to the extent most women have. Having your heart checked is as important as having your mammogram. Your blood pressure and your lipid panel (cholesterol, triglycerides, glucose, etc.) values are very important numbers to know and keep within the normal range.
Heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women over 50, and women’s symptoms are not the same as men (go figure). Women may never experience crushing chest pain but may have insomnia or fatigue (of course, what woman doesn’t on occasion?). Women are also much more prone to small vessel disease than men. This is one of the reasons we have different symptoms. To totally take care of ourselves, we can’t neglect our hearts.
No woman 35 or older should miss her mammogram. One in seven women will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year. OSF Saint Francis Centers for Breast Health has been designated by the Healthcare Advisory Board as a site to be benchmarked against, one of only nine national sites participating. Research is being completed research under the direction of Dr. Jessica Guingrich.
Take care of your bones—they have to last you a lifetime. Women need between 1,500 to 1,800 mg of calcium daily. Dividing the dose of calcium to no more than 600 mg per dose is important, as no more than 600 mg can be absorbed at one time, and taking more than that will waste it. Foods high in calcium are green leafy vegetables such as spinach, broccoli, etc. For those women who have gastric reflex, take calcium citrate. Other types of calcium are unable to be absorbed if one is taking medication such as Prilosec or Nexium.
The mind/body/spirit connection is real and shouldn’t ever be ignored. Women everywhere are struggling for that inner peace—hard to achieve when you’re working, running kids to all kinds of activities, trying to get dinner on, etc. Carving out time to do anything besides get to the bathroom alone can be a real achievement.
Strive for at least two to four hours or more a week for yourself. One very simple way to decrease stress is by taking deep breaths, at least three in succession. Breathe in slowly through your nose, then exhale. As you breathe in, your abdomen should expand a little, as though you were filling a balloon with air. When you exhale through your nose your abdomen should go back down. If you do this slowly, you should begin to feel the calming affect. Yoga and Tai Chi are other ways to manage stress positively. Both can improve balance and posture. As we age, balance can be a problem.
Another benefit of breathing to calm ourselves is that our children observe our coping mechanisms to stress. Breathing effectively is a tactic they can be taught early.
The most important message I can leave you with is to begin the journey of taking care of yourself, not taking what’s left. If you nurture yourself, you can nurture the rest of your family and still be able to be the total women everyone looks to for guidance. tpw