Self-care is crucial to a mother's health
By Marsha Erickson
Knight Ridder News Service
Any mother could appreciate some balance in her life. Unfortunately, it's just another thing Mom will have to make happen for herself.
"The women that I work with often tell me that they feel overwhelmed — that there's too much to do and not enough time to do it," said Pam Solberg-Tapper, a certified life coach from Hermantown, Minn. "What happens is that they try to be everything to everybody, and they end up selling themselves short."
Juggling multiple obligations involving family, friends and career can make even the healthiest person feel out of balance.
"It zaps your energy, which in turn affects how you eat, how you sleep and how you care for your physical self," said Solberg-Tapper. "That's why it's essential for women to find some balance."
While there is no single recipe for achieving life balance, experts recommend starting with self-care. According to Solberg-Tapper, women often are busy attending to everyone needs except their own.
"If we don't take care of ourselves, we are actually less able to take care of others," she said.
"As mothers, we need to care first about who we are — we must honor our own values and needs," said life coach Chere Bork of Eden Prairie, Minn., who owns a small business and has two teenage children.
"Happiness is liking who you are, what you do and how you do it. But it all starts with who you are," she said.
Bork and Solberg-Tapper offer these tips for restoring life balance:
• Decide which parts of your life are most important and which require less of your attention. Then learn to say no. If necessary, cut back on some of your commitments.
• Delegate chores and accept the results. It's OK if it's not done perfectly.
• Each day, think of five things you are thankful for. This offers a positive shift of mindset.
• Stop trying to be perfect in all things. Do your best in the time that you have.
• Be active in any way you can. When you exercise, your body releases the feel-good hormones endorphins. Physical activity also redirects your attention and helps you to gain perspective.
• Get adequate rest. A healthy sleep cycle makes it easier to cope.
• Do one nice thing for yourself each day, something that brings you joy.
When it comes to a healthy life balance, don't overlook the importance of nutrition. You'll have more energy if you eat at regular times and include all the food groups.
The American Dietetic Association lists the most important nutritional elements for the mom years:
• Omega-3 fatty acids. There is growing evidence that these can decrease the risk of heart disease, stroke and cancer (breast, colon and others). They also may help control symptoms of inflammatory diseases such as Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, multiple sclerosis and lupus. Good sources include higher-fat seafood such as salmon and albacore tuna, soybean and canola oils.
• Folate (or folic acid). For women in their childbearing years, folate can prevent birth defects and improve brain function. And it may cut the risk of coronary heart disease by decreasing blood levels of the harmful substance homo-cysteine. Folate also has a potential role in treating depression. Studies have shown significant improvement in symptoms and the effectiveness of certain antidepressants with adequate levels of folic acid. Good sources include spinach, navy beans, strawberries, oranges, peanuts and fortified grains such as cereals and pasta.
• Vitamin B12. This vitamin is involved in the production of chemical messengers in the brain and nervous system. B12 also contributes to making DNA, the genetic center of every cell. It is especially important during periods of growth, such as pregnancy. The only natural sources are animal products: meat, dairy and eggs.
• Calcium. This mineral reduces the risk of osteoporosis and bone fractures. Good sources include milk, yogurt, tofu, cheese, salmon (canned with edible bones), turnip greens, cottage cheese, broccoli and fortified cereals and juices.
• Vitamin D. The vitamin helps in absorption of calcium. New research also documents potentially important roles for vitamin D in the prevention or progression of conditions such as osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, cancer (including breast and colon), multiple sclerosis, depression and osteoporosis. Although vitamin D can be made from sunlight on skin, many people do not get enough. The best sources are milk, fortified cereals, eggs and salmon.
• Fiber. Diets rich in fiber help prevent not only constipation but several types of cancers and heart disease. To increase fiber, choose a variety of fruits, veggies and whole grains, such as or pears (with skin), bananas, dried figs, orange juice, raisins, kidney beans, lentils, brown rice, whole-wheat pasta and bread, bran cereals and nuts.
• Multivitamin. According to the Journal of the American Medical Association, most people do not get an optimal amount of all vitamins in their diet. An inexpensive standard multivitamin with minerals is recommended. Most contain very little calcium, so you also may need a calcium supplement.
Marsha Erickson is a registered dietician at Miller-Dwan Medical Center in Duluth, Minn.
