Selfcare is Healthcare
What we do between visits to see our chosen healthcare practitioners is where the real changes happen. The most important piece of our healthcare puzzle is what we do everyday! Don’t get me wrong, having a great healthcare team is vital, but ultimately these are contractors to fill in those things that we need help with and should be utilized as a catalyst or a guide. Hopefully these people that we choose to guide and help direct our healthcare journey are offering customized selfcare recommendations based on the specifics of our constitution, genetics, and current needs.
There are two categories for selfcare. These are general and specific. General selfcare are those things that are generally regarded as important for good health for everyone. These would include getting 7-8 hours of sleep a night, staying hydrated, bathing, brushing and flossing our teeth, etc. Specific selfcare is based on the needs we have at a particular time (such as a poultice for a sting or bite) or those things we need to do to stay healthy based on who we are as an individual (such as having an MAOA genetic mutation that requires riboflavin in order to be able to sleep soundly).
As a guide, let’s take a look at the categories of selfcare to take stock of how we are doing:
Hygiene-This includes all of our basics-you know what they are
Sleep-How am I sleeping? Do I remember my dreams? Am I restless or restful? Do I wake ready to take on the day?
Feeding-What diet is best for me? How many meals? What about fasting? Need a cleanse? What about specific supplements based on my lab work, genetics, current needs?
Body-Am I moving enough? Does the movement I do feel good? Is it right for my body?
Mind-Am I making time for meditation, contemplation and prayer? Am I getting the support I need to be in my best mental state?
Spirit-Do I feel as though I am held and supported? Do I have connection to something greater? How am I being of service to others?
Play-Am I participating in hobbies and activities that bring me joy? Am I smiling often?
Connection-Do I have a supportive circle? Am I willing to put myself out there?
I often receive questions about my selfcare routine or daily routine. Let’s run through a typical day:
6 am-Wake and take a few moments for a gratitude check in and review my dreams for any insight or guidance
Morning constitutional-yes, it’s a sign of good health to poop first thing in the morning
Large glass of lemon water
Take the dog out for a 30 minute walk
Breakfast-egg and veggie scramble, oatmeal, granola and yogurt with fresh berries, or an Irish/English breakfast
Supplements including nutritional yeast (2 Tbs every morning for B vitamins)
Black tea with honey and a splash of cream enjoyed while listening to a podcast or enjoying the shadows playing on the wall, or chatting with my kids and husband
7:30 am Neti pot, dry brush, shower
Journal 1 page
Meditation and/or breath work for 10 minutes
Finish getting ready
Drop the kids at school
9 am See patients!
Noon Lunchtime-protein bar and fruit or green smoothie or salad, on occasion a sandwich-it’s all about balance!
1 pm Back to work helping people feel better
3 pm leave work to pick the kids up from school
Roll feet and bolster extension
15 minutes of bodyweight or kettlebell exercises
20 minutes of yoga
30 minutes of reading
5 pm Start on dinner-usually some combination of meat, vegetables and a little bit of carb or starch
Supplements including a green powder and cod liver oil
Family dinner at the table
Card or board game as a family-we also sometimes love to do Mad Libs
Maybe watch a show as a family or just the hubby and I
9 pm Cup of herbal sleep tea, wash face, brush teeth/floss/tongue scrape, naysa oil, legs up the wall for 5 minutes
10 pm In bed
Whew!
I encourage you to work with someone and find the daily selfcare routine that is right for you. It really will make all the difference.