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There are many consequences to living under lockdown. And while those protesting in the streets seem to have their priorities… somewhat skewed, there’s no denying that we’ve all had to make sacrifices. Some of those sacrifices may well be beneficial to us in the long run. Did we ever really need to go to Pizza Hut 3 times a week? Others, however, can have a decidedly detrimental effect on our health and wellbeing. Our access to the great outdoors is limited. We’re unable to enjoy the endorphin hit that we got from spending time with friends and family (unless they happen to live in the same home as you- in which case you may be wishing you were further away from them right now). To top it all off, healthcare providers are so overworked dealing with COVID-19 patients in a desperate attempt to flatten the curve that we may not feel that we can turn to them in good conscience when it comes to safeguarding our health and wellbeing.
But perhaps that is a blessing in disguise. The doctor may be out… but self care is resoundingly in. And the good habits you form now may stand you in good stead for the rest of your life!
You are what you eat… so who do you want to be?
Virtually everyone wishes that they ate more fruits, veggies grains, pulses and wholefoods and indulged a lot less in waistline-bloating sugary, fatty and salty processed convenience foods. Nonetheless, the ceaseless presence in temptation in our day to day lives has been enough to test even the strongest resolve. Now, however, we have no excuse not to cook from scratch. We’re learning to love new recipes while also pleasantly surprising ourselves with how far we can stretch our food budgets through meal planning and batch cooking. Never underestimate the transformative effects that the right food can have on your life.
What if you’ve never needed the gym?
Put your hand up if you’ve joined a gym. Now keep your hand up if you went regularly before the lockdown. Don’t punish yourself if you put your hand down. But it might be worth considering whether you ever really needed the gym. Now that we’re learning to get creative when it comes to working out at home or in the garden, maybe we can divest ourselves of our reliance on the gym. And we can also divest ourselves with the excuses and cop-outs that tend to be associated with it. You’ll never have to miss a home workout because the parking lot is full, after all.
We need to talk about your naughty bits.
Of course, self care is about more than just exercise and diet. It means paying close attention to the parts of yourself that you only talk about with your doctor. If, for example, you’ve been putting off talking about painful sex, incontinence or constipation maybe it’s time to admit to yourself that you may have a pelvic floor disorder. With a little help from Pelvic Floor Pro you can take control of this aspect of your health. There’s nothing to be embarrassed about. It affects 1 in 3 women, after all.
The lockdown could be just what we all need to develop a more proactive approach to our self care. And emerge from the lockdown healthier and happier than ever.
Photo by Isaiah McClean on Unsplash
