Self-Care Tool Kit BY ELLY SMITH How did you welcome the new year? We seem to get caught up in the holiday buzz and then come crashing down when January arrives. We pull ourselves together during late January, get rid of the cold and cough we had, and can finally start February feeling fresher. Are we really? What have we done to start this new year on the promises we made to ourselves as the last batch of cookies went into the oven at 10pm? As we dragged ourselves into work in January, we still had that nagging promise that things will change, I just need to finish this and then… Well, you have come to the right place, and this is the right time. We have reached out to our wonderful health and wellness practitioners in the community and asked them for their words of wisdom. Our theme is self-care, and this is for you.
Get your zzzs Dr. Ashley Burton from VI Physiotherapy shares her top wellness tips for 2024: • Rest and Sleep: make sure you are not running on cortisol. Adults need at least 7-8 hours of good quality sleep each night. Having a regular bedtime routine and avoiding screens is helpful for ensuring a good night’s rest.
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• Morning walks: early morning light in the eyes regulates melatonin levels and walking in nature reduces stress, blood sugar levels and counts towards being physically active. • Nutrition: Stabilize your mood and hormones by attaining at least 30g of protein at each meal.
Monitor your blood pressure Ladysmith Pharmasave Pharmacy manager Sneh Parikh states that high blood pressure or hypertension increases the risk of having a heart attack or stroke, memory loss, impaired vision, and damage to the kidneys. Making some lifestyle changes can help keep your blood pressure at a good level; by eating healthy, exercising regularly, maintaining healthy weight, quitting smoking, and limiting alcohol, your blood pressure can be better controlled. Ladysmith Pharmasave offers free blood pressure checks.