Pamper
Yourself for Better Health
 |
Can
a bubble bath reduce your risk of heart disease?
Could a manicure ease your asthma symptoms or a
soothing massage prevent your next cold? Simple,
stress-reducing activities could have a positive impact
on your health. |
Doctors
have long known that stress plays a large role in the health
and well being of all of us. Chronic stress, in particular, can
have
long-term effects on your health, contributing to everything
from
muscle aches and irritable bowel syndrome to an increased risk
of
stroke and heart disease.
“Women
are particularly vulnerable to stress-related medical problems.
We’re taught at an early age to be caregivers and nurturers,
except
we often forget to care for ourselves,” says Dianne Dunkelman,
founder
and president of Speaking of Women’s Health.
Speaking
of Women’s Health is a nonprofit organization dedicated to
educating women to make informed decisions about their health,
well-being, and personal safety. Wal-Mart, one of the
organization’s
national sponsors, has placed Speaking of Women's Health
information
centers in all Wal-Mart stores across the country. These
information
centers feature more than 20 free health and wellness brochures
on
topics such as nutrition, skin health, heart disease,
osteoporosis,
balancing career and family, colds and flu, and stress
reduction.
“Everyone
has some stress in their lives and some amount of stress is
healthy,” says Dunkelman. “It gets us up and out the door in
the morning.
What we want to help eliminate is the kind of stress that eats
away at
you over time. It comes from taking care of the needs of
everyone else
in your life, but ignoring your own.”
The
foundation for a less-stressful life has its roots in the basics
of good
health -- exercise regularly, eat a healthy diet, and get enough
sleep at
night. In addition, eliminate or reduce bad habits, such as
smoking or
overindulging in alcohol.
Florence
Henderson, national honorary chair of Speaking of Women’s
Health and co-host of Lifetime’s “Speaking of Women’s
Health”
television show that airs on Lifetime TV every Saturday morning
at
11:30 a.m. EST & PST, advises women to face their stressors
head on.
“If
there are stressful factors in your life that you can change for
the
better, then do it,” says Henderson, star of stage, screen and
television,
and everyone’s favorite TV Mom. “It might mean making some
tough
decisions, but the reward is having more control over your
emotions,
your situation, and your life.”
Henderson
reminds us that many of us have things in our lives that we’d
like to change, but for various reasons, we can’t. “This is
where self-care
comes in,” she says. “You might not be able to change a
difficult situation,
but you can do some small things to take care of yourself.
“We’re
talking about finding ways to celebrate life’s simple
pleasures on
a regular basis -- every day if you can -- to help reduce your
stress for
better health.”
Here are some easy, inexpensive ways that Henderson and
Dunkelman
recommend to pamper yourself:
*
Treat yourself to some fresh flowers. Keep them on your desk at
work
or on your nightstand at home.
*
Buy a new shade of lipstick.
*
Light candles in your house. Don’t save them just for special
occasions.
*
Buy yourself one set of the most sumptuous bath towels you can
find.
There’s nothing more luxurious than using a rich, thick towel
after your
morning shower, especially if you’re getting ready for a busy
work day.
*
Schedule a “Me Day.” Plan a day where you do some of the
things you
may dream about doing during your morning commute to work.
Browse in
an antique shop. Take a nap in your backyard hammock. Catch an
afternoon matinee.
*
Go to a local department store and get a free makeover at the
make-up counter.
*
Treat yourself to a natural body or facial scrub. Combine it
with a scented bubble bath.
*
Take a walk.
*
Get a massage and a pedicure. When your feet feel good, you feel
good
all over.
*
Another stress relief is connecting with a friend – take a
walk together,
make an unscheduled phone call or send a letter or e-mail just
to chat.
You might consider helping a friend who is stressed by putting
together a
“pampering” gift basket.
“One
of our goals is to educate women about the effects of stress on
their
lives and to get them to start thinking about ways they can make
changes
-- even small changes -- to lead happier, less-stressful lives,”
says Dunkelman. “And I’m including myself in that category!
“It’s
like what the flight attendants say when they advise you to put
on your
emergency oxygen mask before helping others. You have to take
care of
yourself first, so you can be better prepared to care for your
family and
friends,” she adds.
Speaking
of Women's Health is supported on a national level by
corporations and foundations including Wal-Mart, P&G,
Lifetime Television for Women, Guidant, American Greetings,
Ensure, Women’s Rogaine, Nicotrol, Kellogg’s, Hanes Her Way,
and Lean Cuisine. For more information about Speaking of Women’s
Health or for details on a conference near you, visit
www.speakingofwomenshealth.com.
Courtesy
of ARA Content
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STRESS & BURNOUT
