THE WELL BALANCED MAMA-finding joy & balance in the world of chaos raising children. Being a mom is both overwhelming, fun, exhilarating, and all that jazz. It’s the most important job on the planet, so important that we often forget to take care of ourselves. The way life becomes hectic and busy we tend to create many excuses in order to avoid taking care of Mama. Did you know that there are research studies that show the impact of mom self-care on her children, and the study has shown that the more active a mom is the more active her kids will be. Prioritizing your health and self-care should be number one on your long to do list. If you don’t schedule it, it won’t happen.
5 STEPS TO TAKE TO TAKING CARE OF MAMA
1. Balance your nervous system. If you are stressed everyone else will be stressed too. Have you ever seen the pattern when something isn’t going right, you feel high amounts of stress, and then your kids are misbehaving? It’s true. A well balanced Mama=a well balanced family. Chiropractic can help balance your nervous system and feel a lot less stressed. Just imagine what can happen when the whole family gets adjusted together?
2. Mindset & Gratitude. Prioritize daily time for you to create a positive mindset, breathwork, and gratitude routine. You can even do gratitude as a family together during dinner. Going around the table and sharing what you are grateful for. After waking up in the mornings, begin your day off right with a grateful heart. Another way to achieve a great mindset is to listen to a quick meditation or just looking out the window.
3. Stretches & Movement. Our society has become so sedentary that we forget that our bodies are made to move. If you have a job that requires you to sit for 8-10 hours per day make sure to opt into sitting on a yoga ball a few of those hours as well as setting an alarm to stretch. Having a standing desk is another great way to stay active. Stretching and moving your body daily is important and is directly linked to health benefits. Exercise is an important tool to keep active and be able to chase your kids. A mix of strength training and cardio is great to stick to daily. My personal outlet is a group called Fit4Mom. It is a great way to enjoy working out and building a community of like minded moms.
4. Eat Well. We call it the 80-20 rule because no one is perfect. Eating clean is hard enough when working long hours or taking care of little ones. However, setting a goal to eat clean for 80% of the time while sticking to healthy fats, proteins, and veggies in every meal is doable. In addition, you are setting a great example to your little ones of how they should be nourishing their bodies into adulthood. Most moms are depleted in nutrients due to child bearing years and eating kids leftovers rather than making a nice and healthy meal. Too often we feel it is just easier to eat the less nutritious food because it fills you up faster. Did you know that although you feel full faster with junk food, you will actually feel hunger much sooner? Vitamin D is the most common deficiency, so make sure to take your daily supplements and get some blood work done to know what deficiencies you may have.
5. Get some sunshine. Connect with nature, hug a tree, and get some sunshine. Take off your shoes and run through the grass, feeling the earth beneath your feet. Nature can be very healing. You can mix nature and movement by scheduling weekly hikes or walks with your Mama friends.