Mother’s Day – Naturopathic Care for Moms

It is not uncommon for many women to enter our offices later in life once their children are grown and out of the house. With less on their plates to manage, they are finally able to start taking care of themselves again. They show up exhausted and depleted, ready to turn their attention to themselves, but often too tired to make big changes. We want to encourage each mother to set aside some time to take care of themselves so they can continue showing up for their families and loved ones. 

No matter where you are in your motherhood journey, we are here to help! We want to help support you as soon as possible so that you can stay strong, resilient, and healthy for yourself and your family. You may feel you do not have enough hours in the day to take care of yourself, and if so, we want to give you a few tools and ideas you can incorporate into your daily routine to provide yourself with some self-care, even if only for a few minutes! After all, self-care isn’t selfish – it’s essential! 

Here are a few ways that you can support yourself so that you can continue showing up for others:

Nature Time:

Spending time in nature is such an important part of life that is often skipped over due to our busy schedules. Aim to spend 10 minutes outside each day listening to the birds, sitting in the grass, or taking a brisk walk. Challenge yourself to learn about one new flower, tree, or animal daily; curiosity and learning help keep the mind sharp. If you are not able to do this activity alone for a few minutes, consider taking the whole family out for a walk! 

Human Interaction:

Take a few minutes each day to talk to another adult outside of your immediate family. This helps to stay engaged and connected with your community, as research has shown that social connection is crucial for optimal mental and physical health. Making time for connection, even 5-10 minutes, is invaluable if you are home alone all day, raising tiny humans, or caring for your parents.

Diet and Nutrition:

It can be easy to forget to feed yourself after you have fed everyone else. Or, maybe you just don’t have time in your schedule to prepare meals with a newborn at home. If you cannot eat consistent meals, try incorporating nutrient-dense snacks throughout the day. Focus on protein, fruits, vegetables, and healthy fats. Ensure that you have access to quality filtered water (with electrolytes) to help fuel your day and keep you hydrated! If you have difficulty winding down at night, you can create a sleepy mocktail to support hydration, relaxation, and sleep. Try mixing sparkling water, tart cherry juice, and magnesium powder! 

Scheduled Self-Care:

While it may seem impossible to schedule time for yourself each day because you are constantly caring for everyone else, try setting aside 10-20 minutes to focus on yourself each day. Use this time to take a bath, cleanse and exfoliate your face, moisturize your skin, apply a castor oil pack, or work on improving your lymphatic and nervous systems! 

• • Nervous System Support: Vagus nerve exercises can help support your nervous system and get you out of the ‘fight or flight’ state, allowing you to be calmer, more responsive, and present. A few simple vagus nerve exercises include gargling, humming, splashing cold water on your face, meditating, and taking deep, slow breaths. Another way to support your nervous system and reduce stress is by practicing EFT Tapping (Emotional Freedom Technique). 
  • Lymphatic System Support: Gua Sha and Dry Skin Brushing are two excellent ways to gently support your lymphatic system and reduce inflammation and stagnation within the body. There are excellent tutorials on YouTube that are available to help walk you through these processes! The best part about both of these lymphatic supports is that they only take a few minutes of your time!

If you are a busy mom who has been wanting to take care of yourself but has not been able to find the time or the motivation, we encourage you to start slow by adding in some small pockets of self-care during the day. When you are ready to take your health to the next level, we are ready to help support you so you can live your best life feeling strong, resilient, and ready to take on whatever challenge motherhood brings next!