February has long been known as the month of love and indeed we should make it as lovely as we can within the confines of the pandemic roller coaster. Our own mental and physical health is essential to keep the love of life alive.
Professional Beauty reported last month that the most Google searches for “selfcare routine” were up 250% since the first lockdown in March 2020 reaching their highest levels since 2004. Since lockdown I have regularly looked forward to my “selfcare Sunday”. This then led me to the idea of sharing a few of my daily focuses to keep me on track with good health and wellbeing. I hope you can find some nuggets of help that may work for you.
Routines and structure, are good for our mental health. Following routines means we have fewer decisions to make, they can reduce stress and anxiety and free up mental space for creativity and innovation. I love to have a natural rhythm to the week for my basic health needs. I will share my daily headlines and tell you what they mean for me and why.
Selfcare Sunday
Mask wearing and staying home more has seen a massive reduction in make up and an increased focus on skin which in my book is wonderful. Skin is the human body’s largest organ and needs love, care and attention too. Sunday is a great time for that extra hour or so in the bathroom for intensive treatment time. Feet and hands nail care, removal of dead skin and cuticle care. Face mask in the bath. Skin nourishing body moisturiser. Hair care and removal as necessary. Basically, this is “treat” grooming time!
You can nourish your skin from within, based on your diet, so it’s Sunday and no excuse is needed to up the number of vegetables on the Sunday dinner. My favourites are sweet potato roasted in olive oil with salt and pepper seasoning, alongside boiled carrot, and steamed cabbage, green beans and broccoli. Steaming holds more of the nutrients in. I just have the colander pan above the boiling carrots with a pan lid on. Simple and easy! Aim for 10 salad or vegetable items a day and you will likely get 5+ and be ahead of the game.
Motivation Monday
Monday motivation is all about planning the week. Goal setting. I just use the notes page on my iphone and put the tick circle alongside each item so I can tick them off once accomplished. During these times where I am limiting myself to no more than two essential shop visits a week (normally the butchers and the veg shop!) I do lists for these. They sit behind my menu plan. Since lockdown many of us will have likely had to be more organised with meal planning, and food purchasing. Knowing what you are preparing for meals for the week really does reduce stress, especially if you are home schooling.
So Monday is about planning and organising your week. Use your diary, use lists, plan and review your progress daily against your plans. It is proven that if you are planned you will achieve better job satisfaction and less anxiety.
Tuesday Tunes
Music exerts a powerful influence on human beings. It can boost memory, build task endurance, lighten your mood, reduce anxiety and depression, stave off fatigue, improve your response to pain, and help you work out more effectively.
Personally, I like a few tunes from when I was in my prime – the 80s really lift me, whether exercising, cooking, working, music can really lift the mood and efficacy of whatever you are doing. Oh, and don’t save it just for Tuesday’s!
Work out Wednesday
Work out Wednesday is not necessarily one to be saved just for Wednesday’s either! However, it’s a good day to review your progress, and if you aren’t on track make up your minutes. Most people should be looking to do at least 150 minutes a week of physical exercise. Whatever you enjoy, however at these times I would recommend outdoor activity if possible. The next few paragraphs area straight cut from the NHS website but if every you doubted the importance of exercise, we are hearing it from those who deal with the cases where exercise could have prevented suffering …
Exercise is the miracle cure we’ve always had, but for too long we’ve neglected to take our recommended dose. Our health is now suffering as a consequence.
This is no snake oil. Whatever your age, there’s strong scientific evidence that being physically active can help you lead a healthier and happier life.
People who exercise regularly have a lower risk of developing many long-term (chronic) conditions, such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke, and some cancers.
Research shows that physical activity can also boost self-esteem, mood, sleep quality and energy, as well as reducing your risk of stress, depression, dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
“If exercise were a pill, it would be one of the most cost-effective drugs ever invented,” says Dr Nick Cavill, a health promotion consultant.
Aim to take 30 mins+ physical exercise every day and if you miss a day or two you will still likely get your 150+ minutes in.
Thirsty Thursday
And I don’t mean in the pub! Healthy drinking is arguably as important as healthy eating. Rather than tell you the downsides to alcohol, I will mention water, which for me is a deliberate but essentail effort. Water can improve your memory and mood, it can help you mistake hunger for thirst. It can help reduce sugar cravings and aid with weight maintenance. If your urine is not pale yellow you are likely not drinking enough water. Our organs, including our skin need water. A firm favourite of mine is Twinings cranberry and raspberry tea!
Fish Friday
Fish is among the healthiest foods on the planet and great to help improve your immune, fatigue and mental health. It really is true; we are what we eat. Whether it be salmon, seabass, mackerel, herring, tuna, cod, hake – fresh or tinned, the nutritional value of fish is wonderful. Fish is packed with important nutrients, such as protein and vitamin D. It is a great source of omega 3 fatty acids, which are really important for body and brain health.
Saturday Social
Connections with family, friends, neighbours and anyone we pass in our daily activities is important. It gives us opportunity to support one another, to listen, to contribute and importantly make one another feel valued. We are now relying more than ever on virtual contacts, phone, facetime, zoom, skype, however regardless of using the technology social interactions mean a lot to us all. Pick up the phone or whatever and get in touch and make someone’s day.
Thanks for reading and if you have any questions, I am happy to answer them privately, or in the next edition. Just email me dianne@rejuvenateathypoxi.co.uk. Previous copies of my health column can be found at www.rejuvenateathypoxi.co.uk
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Best wishes, Dianne x