So you know Self-care is important but you have no idea how to fit it in.
Especially when you’re busy – like say, the first week of September, doing your best to get the kids & yourself out of summer mode and into school/work routine mode!
You say to yourself: I definitely don’t have time for Self-care right now.
And you’d be right.
Wait what?
At least not the Self-care you think I’m gonna recommend.
You know, the Self-care perfection where you need to get up for 5:30 am treadmill before the kids get up, abdominal breathing every night and of course perfectly meal-planned packable lunches and dinners.
I can feel you stressing out & feeling overwhelmed just at the thought that the above is what your Self-care should be.
We do not need perfect Self-care robots!
So what’s the solution?
You need a practical step by step approach to Self-care – and that’s what we’re gonna start with today.
And you may be surprised to hear I’m not going to just tell you to eat more veggies, breathe and exercise.
Of course, that’s all important.
But you know that already, don’t you?
What you don’t know is how to create a Self-care routine that works for you.
That’s why for the whole month of September I’ve chosen to share the tips you probably are not thinking about when it comes to Self-care – tips on how to get started and how to stick with your Self-care even when (and especially when) you’re super stressed.
That’s why this the Self-care Reboot. You get a do-over, get to press the restart button: control, alt, delete on your multi-tasking mind that gets so overloaded you become paralyzed thinking of everything on your to-do list.
If you’re ready to remix this Self-care business, watch this video to get started.
https://youtu.be/87rjNOxJ6m8
There’s a common misconception that Self-care is just about positive thinking, relaxation and Self-love. And yes, it can be all of those things, but we also need practical Self-care motivation – something concrete that reminds us why Self-care is so important.
Enter the annual check-up and blood work.
But why?
3 Reasons Getting Your Annual Check-up is Good Self-care
- Objective results like blood test results and body composition measurements can be an excellent motivator for change.
- It gives us a baseline of physical health, a starting point so we know where you’re at now. It also gives us something to compare your progress to. Having a measurable starting point, helps us determine if your nutrition, lifestyle changes, and treatment plan are working for you or if they need to be adjusted.
- It helps lead us closer to the cause or factors that play a role in your health concerns.
Today’s Self-care Challenge:
Book your annual appointment with your health care team
- Make an appointment with your family doctor this week and book in your annual physical with blood work, PAP smear (I know, no one likes them, but they are a must for cervical health) and breast examination.
- Make an appointment with your naturopathic doctor for your annual naturopathic check-up. Are you still taking the supplements they recommended you take for 3 months, but you were feeling so good that you never followed up and just kept taking them? Make sure you check in with them to see if you still need them & that they’re still effective & safe for you. Do you need additional blood work or someone to explain your blood test results for you? Are you interested in more specialized testing, for example, additional hormone blood tests, salivary hormone testing, DUTCH hormone testing, or food sensitivity testing? Your ND can help with all of these requests and help you determine what tests are worthwhile now and what tests you can order at later date.
- Make a follow-up appointment with your specialist. When was the last time you saw your nephrologist if you have kidney disease? Or your endocrinologist, if you have hormone-related conditions like hypothyroidism? Or your gynecologist if you have endometriosis or fibroids? If you were supposed to do follow up testing or imaging with your specialist, now is the time to do it.
What happens after your annual check-up & testing?
After you get your annual assessments done with your health care team, I cannot stress how important it is to understand what your test results mean for your health. I talked about this in last month’s video series, so take a look here in case you missed it.
Depending on the results – you may want to take a proactive approach to your physical Self-care and get help when you’ve exhausted the help of Dr. Google (or preferably before to make sure that what Dr. Google is saying is right for you J )
Bottom line:
Now is the time to check in with your health care team for your health. Summer’s on it’s way out, everyone’s back into their routines – no more delays or reasons to put it off. It’s time to get your Self-care back on track.
Take the first step in your Self-care Reboot: make those appointments & do them for your Self!
Next week we’ll get more into physical Self – specifically looking at nutrition & movement and how we can get you all doing the things you want to do as part of your Self-care routine, but often feel like you don’t have time to do.
Take good care of your Self until then!
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YES! I’m ready to take care of my Self!
