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Women's Daily Health Tips

Health is the well-being of both body and mind. Try and devote an hour to yourself everyday, in which you exercise, meditate, and reflect. You'll love the way you feel -- fit, energetic, relaxed, and glowing. It's the best gift you can give to yourself.

  1. Physical Fitness

    • The Mayo Clinic recommends five elements of an effective exercise routine, which include aerobic fitness, muscular fitness, stretching, core exercise, and balance training. Recommended aerobic fitness consists of a minimum of two hours and 30 minutes a week of moderate aerobic activity. You can swim, dance, run, walk, jog, bike, or spin. The goal is to get your heart rate up. Women are at risk for osteoporosis. For muscular fitness, the Mayo Clinic recommends strength training at least two times a week for strong bones and toned muscles. Try free weights, exercise balls, and resistance bands.For stretching, the Mayo Clinic advocates regular stretching to ease muscle stiffness, reduce stress, and promote good posture. Try yoga, Pilates, calisthenics or dance. Core exercises consist of abdominal exercises, leg raises, and yoga to strengthen your core. The Mayo Clinic suggests that for balance training, you practice balance exercises each week. Try walking on a chalked straight line and holding one-legged yogic postures such as the "mountain."

    Nutrition

    • The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) recommends that women from 19 to 30 years old eat two cups of fruit a day. Women over 31 are advised to eat one-and-a-half cups. Two-and-a-half cups of vegetables are recommended for women between the ages of 19 and 50, while women over 51 years are suggested to consume two cups. The USDA recommends whole grains over refined grains, and oils that are liquid at room temperature, unlike butter and margarine. Remember, you need a vitamin pill a day.

    Meditation

    • The well-documented benefits of meditation cannot be overstated. Stress is a byproduct of the multitasking lives that women tend to lead. To focus, declutter, energize, and relax, meditate for at least 20 minutes each day. You could try breathing-oriented meditation such as Vipassana (www.dhamma.org), guided relaxation meditation (www.meditationoasis.com), Transcendental Meditation (www.tm.org), the Art of Living (www.artofliving.org), or Twin Heart meditation (www.meditationontwinhearts.org).

    Reflection

    • Read a chapter from an inspirational book everyday. Reflect on a thought that appeals to you (such as the importance of family and friends). If you are not attracted ti an idea, such as slowing your life down a bit, ask yourself why you feel the need to just keep going like the Energizer bunny. This process will give you clarity and focus, and help you learn what you need at this point in your life. The end result is emotional well-being, a prerequisite for health.

    Indulge in Simple Pleasures

    • Take a nature walk. Join a book club. Have lunch with a friend. Pick up a gift for your niece ornephew. Mentor a child from an inner city. Take salsa lessons. Write a poem. Make a vase. Fly a kite. Sometimes the simple things in life give us the most joy. Be well.

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