Live well by practicing self-care
This column title makes a great acronym.
Check this out:
L: Like what you do, and do what you like. We only h`ave 24 hours in a day. We all need to sleep, which takes away 8 hours. We all need to shower and eat a few meals a day. This leaves 14 hours, and most of us work for 8 hours a day, which leaves 6 hours to do what you want. That is 25% of your day. How do you choose to spend it? Do something you love!
I: Invest in yourself. Have you ever wondered why some people never seem to get sick, while others suffer from every illness under the sun? Well, it all has to do with your immune system. If you want a stronger immune system that will help to protect your body from illness and disease, you need to take care of yourself. By eating the right foods, you can give your body the nutrients it needs for your immune system to be strong. The stronger your immune system is, the better, especially as you start to get older. Studies have shown that people who eat plenty of healthy foods tend to live longer because they are less prone to illness. Good quality foods might be more expensive than unhealthy ones, but they are more than worth the investment.
V: Visit with friends and family. Research has long shown that friendship is essential for your physical and mental well-being. Having a social network can lengthen your lifespan, help you stay fit and keep your brain healthy as you get older.
E: Exercise for confidence. Being confident is important, as a lack of confidence impacts our lives in many ways. Research has shown that there is a direct link between confidence and body image. If you want to be someone who is happy and confident, it pays to look after yourself and keep your body in good shape. Research has shown that one of the most common causes of a lack of self-esteem is linked to body size and shape. Hence, it is worth investing in your health and ensuring that you love your body for what it is.
W: Walk 30 minutes each day. It helps tone your legs, buttocks and abdomen. Walking every day for 30 minutes with good posture helps strengthen your legs by toning and firming the muscles. This helps tone the buttocks, tightening and lifting it. It also burns belly fat and tones the entire abdominal region.
E: Eat healthy and you will have more energy. When you are feeling tired, do not grab an energy drink or a candy bar. Instead, make a fruit-packed smoothie and toss some spinach and protein powder in it. Studies have shown that healthy foods, especially fruits and vegetables, can offer a great energy boost. This means that the better you eat each day, the more energy you should have.
L: Laugh every day! It is said that laughter is the best medicine, and there is evidence that laughter does many good things for us. It reduces pain and allows us to tolerate discomfort. It reduces blood-sugar levels, increasing glucose tolerance in diabetics and non-diabetics alike. It improves your job performance, especially if your work depends on creativity and solving complex problems. Its role in intimate relationships is vastly underestimated, and it really is the glue of good marriages. It synchronizes the brains of speaker and listener so that they are emotionally attuned.
L: Listen to music that makes you smile! Several studies and claims show listening to music helps reduce the levels of anxiety, which is also one of the primary reasons behind increasing stress levels. According to McGill University review, “Listening to music not only helps in reducing the level of the stress hormone cortisol in the body, but it also improves the function of the immune system as well.”
References: Women's Running Magazine 2016, Psychology Today, Mayo Clinic<i>Kathy Hensler, a Penn State graduate, is the healthy living director at the Rose E. Schneider Family YMCA (bcfymca.org). Hensler is an ACE-certified personal trainer and certified in multiple group exercise programs. She can be reached at 724-452-9122, Ext. 226, or at Khensler@bcfymca.org.</i>
