 |
| |
 |
15 Health Revelations in the past 15 years
BY GWEN MAYES
1 Hormone fluctuations are real.
It’s easy to think that your emotional ups and downs are simply nothing
more than a bad hair day Don’t believe it. Hormones fluctuate daily,
monthly, and any time you’re trying to keep it all together. Celebrate the
depths of your feelings as long as they don’t keep you down more than a
few days at a time.
2 Doctors don,t always have the answers.
Your doctor is depending upon you to know just about as much about
what ails you as she does. Health information abounds around every
corner — the Internet, newspapers, radio, and Grey’s Anatomy — so it’s a
good idea to arm yourself with as much health information as possible.
3 Domestic violence lingers in your spirit long after the bruises heal.
One in four women is a victim of violence. Emotional battering, yelling, and
malicious undercutting also count. The physical battering can be treated.
The emotional scars can linger. Be careful who walks through life with you.
4 Eating five fruit and vegetables a day is not that easy.
Regardless of all the news we read about the antioxidents, vitamins, and
life-saving properties in fresh fruits and vegetables, eating that much
natural stuff a day gets to be a chore. If it will make you feel better, count
the raisins in your cereal.
5 A good massage can be a cure for just about anything.
When your muscles ache and you think your skin is going to abandon you
for another body, schedule a massage and let the therapist push and pull
the anger, stress, and discomfort from your body. It’s a blissful state that
will last for days.
6 Being lazy can be good for your health.
Most of us measure our success and happiness by what we “do” in life,
not who we “are.” Being overworked is considered in vogue, powerful,
sexy. Break the mold and tell the world you plan to sit down and do
nothing for a while. Ditto for naps.
7 Expecting guys to practice family planning is like waiting for fish to fly.
From the moment you begin thinking about having sex you need to take
responsibility for your own sexuality and sexual habits. Whether married,
single, old or young, women need to remember that their body’s
reproductive health is no one’s responsibility but theirs.
8 Pets are perfect remedies for imperfect days.
Nothing beats the frenzy of your furry friends when you walk in the door
from a rough day at work. They purr, bark, roll over, head-butt and do all
sorts of things to remind you that you’re the most important person in the
world. All this is definitely going to lower your blood pressure.
9 Belly laughter should be bottled and sold over the counter.
Repeatedly, research indicates that laugher and humor are not only good
for the psyche but also good for the heart. It’s just hard to hold on to clot-
forming stress when you’re giggling with your best friend over absolutely
nothing. Go ahead and tell that joke again.
10 Weight management isn,t a 9-to-5 job.
Gone are the days of hoping that thin thighs and Graeter’s ice cream can
co-exist. The occasional food splurge is still possible, but not that often.
Balanced, healthy eating is an absolute must as we age and the sooner
you get to it, the better off you’ll feel.
11 You are your mother, so get over it.
Genetics accounts for the vast majority of your body type, propensity for
mental health problems, and potential for chronic conditions such as
asthma, heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. Know what runs in your
family and run away from it as far as you can. Family medical history is
now part of your medical history.
12 A good night,s sleep is like winning the lottery.
As we age, just about anything can disrupt our sleep and leave us cranky,
disoriented, and foggy the next day. Cat napping through the day is a
sure sign of sleep deprivation. Find a way to catch some ZZZZZs.
13 You can,t go wrong with mediation and spiritual grounding.
Connecting with your breath, learning to live in the “now,” and finding time
to live a spiritual life will improve your health. Studies show the power of
prayer is real. Unearth your own intuition and find the way back to your
heart. Be grateful.
14 Smoking won,t make you hot.
It’s just about the nastiest habit anyone can have, but one in three women
in Kentucky smokes on a regular basis. It’s a tough habit to break, but it’s
possible. Get help; you’re not alone. You can do it.
15 Riding your Segway on the treadmill doesn't count as exercise.
There’s no way around it — you’ve gotta keep moving to keep living. It’s
less interesting the older you get, but find some way to make sure you get
30 minutes of exercise every day and if that means walking around the
mall, that will do.
GWEN MAYES is a freelance health and wellness writer. She can be
reached at gmayes@iamtodayswoman.com. Gwen has been a writer for
four years.
BY GWEN MAYES
1 Hormone fluctuations are real.
It’s easy to think that your emotional ups and downs are simply nothing
more than a bad hair day Don’t believe it. Hormones fluctuate daily,
monthly, and any time you’re trying to keep it all together. Celebrate the
depths of your feelings as long as they don’t keep you down more than a
few days at a time.
2 Doctors don,t always have the answers.
Your doctor is depending upon you to know just about as much about
what ails you as she does. Health information abounds around every
corner — the Internet, newspapers, radio, and Grey’s Anatomy — so it’s a
good idea to arm yourself with as much health information as possible.
3 Domestic violence lingers in your spirit long after the bruises heal.
One in four women is a victim of violence. Emotional battering, yelling, and
malicious undercutting also count. The physical battering can be treated.
The emotional scars can linger. Be careful who walks through life with you.
4 Eating five fruit and vegetables a day is not that easy.
Regardless of all the news we read about the antioxidents, vitamins, and
life-saving properties in fresh fruits and vegetables, eating that much
natural stuff a day gets to be a chore. If it will make you feel better, count
the raisins in your cereal.
5 A good massage can be a cure for just about anything.
When your muscles ache and you think your skin is going to abandon you
for another body, schedule a massage and let the therapist push and pull
the anger, stress, and discomfort from your body. It’s a blissful state that
will last for days.
6 Being lazy can be good for your health.
Most of us measure our success and happiness by what we “do” in life,
not who we “are.” Being overworked is considered in vogue, powerful,
sexy. Break the mold and tell the world you plan to sit down and do
nothing for a while. Ditto for naps.
7 Expecting guys to practice family planning is like waiting for fish to fly.
From the moment you begin thinking about having sex you need to take
responsibility for your own sexuality and sexual habits. Whether married,
single, old or young, women need to remember that their body’s
reproductive health is no one’s responsibility but theirs.
8 Pets are perfect remedies for imperfect days.
Nothing beats the frenzy of your furry friends when you walk in the door
from a rough day at work. They purr, bark, roll over, head-butt and do all
sorts of things to remind you that you’re the most important person in the
world. All this is definitely going to lower your blood pressure.
9 Belly laughter should be bottled and sold over the counter.
Repeatedly, research indicates that laugher and humor are not only good
for the psyche but also good for the heart. It’s just hard to hold on to clot-
forming stress when you’re giggling with your best friend over absolutely
nothing. Go ahead and tell that joke again.
10 Weight management isn,t a 9-to-5 job.
Gone are the days of hoping that thin thighs and Graeter’s ice cream can
co-exist. The occasional food splurge is still possible, but not that often.
Balanced, healthy eating is an absolute must as we age and the sooner
you get to it, the better off you’ll feel.
11 You are your mother, so get over it.
Genetics accounts for the vast majority of your body type, propensity for
mental health problems, and potential for chronic conditions such as
asthma, heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. Know what runs in your
family and run away from it as far as you can. Family medical history is
now part of your medical history.
12 A good night,s sleep is like winning the lottery.
As we age, just about anything can disrupt our sleep and leave us cranky,
disoriented, and foggy the next day. Cat napping through the day is a
sure sign of sleep deprivation. Find a way to catch some ZZZZZs.
13 You can,t go wrong with mediation and spiritual grounding.
Connecting with your breath, learning to live in the “now,” and finding time
to live a spiritual life will improve your health. Studies show the power of
prayer is real. Unearth your own intuition and find the way back to your
heart. Be grateful.
14 Smoking won,t make you hot.
It’s just about the nastiest habit anyone can have, but one in three women
in Kentucky smokes on a regular basis. It’s a tough habit to break, but it’s
possible. Get help; you’re not alone. You can do it.
15 Riding your Segway on the treadmill doesn't count as exercise.
There’s no way around it — you’ve gotta keep moving to keep living. It’s
less interesting the older you get, but find some way to make sure you get
30 minutes of exercise every day and if that means walking around the
mall, that will do.
GWEN MAYES is a freelance health and wellness writer. She can be
reached at gmayes@iamtodayswoman.com. Gwen has been a writer for
four years.