Self-care Tips: How to Love Your Body

You only get one body and taking care of it is your responsibility. In this modern world, many people face the challenges of chronic, lifestyle-related health issues. Many health concerns can be prevented if you learn to love yourself. Awareness, effort, and self-discipline are vital keys to helping you stay healthy and live a quality life. Here are some self-care tips to instill the benefits of caring for and loving your body.

How to love your brain

Stay physically active

Multiple studies show that regular physical activity increases blood flow to your brain which can improve memory and lower the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.
Staying active can also delay the decline in mental function that naturally occurs with aging.
Make it a goal to exercise 30 to 60 minutes several times a week. Brisk walking, biking, swimming, playing sports, or engaging in aerobic activity can support a healthy brain.

Keep your mind sharp

Stimulate the brain by doing brain exercises such as crosswords, jigsaw puzzles, Sudoku, memory games, chess, and other mind games. Brain exercises sharpen reasoning skills and boost cognition. When you engage in these brain exercises, you stimulate your problem-solving skills, memory, and focus.

How to love your eyes

Practice the 20-20-20 rule

They say that the eyes are the window to the soul, so it’s only fitting that you take good care of them. One of the easiest ways to look after your eyes is to allow them to rest, especially if you have extended screen time.
Practice the 20-20-20 rule to prevent eye strain. It’s simple: Every 20 minutes, shift your eyes away from the screen (computer, mobile phone, television, etc.) and look at another object about 20 feet in front of you for 20 seconds.

How to love your ears

Apply the 60/60 rule

It’s common to see people wearing earphones and headphones nowadays. If you’re using either of them, doctors recommend the 60/60-minute rule: Keep the volume not more than 60% of the maximum and limit the amount of time of wearing the earphones or headphones to 60 minutes.

How to love your nose

Keep your home clean

Clean your house and surroundings regularly to reduce the presence of dust and other allergens that you may breathe in. It is also recommended to change your sheets at least once a week.
Keep your nose clean and moist by squirting saline into the nasal cavities.

How to love your mouth

Practice good oral care

Maintain good oral care through proper oral hygiene. Always brush your teeth thoroughly twice a day and remember to floss daily to prevent plaque buildup.

How to love your stomach

Beat the stress

Anxiety and worry can cause tummy problems including indigestion, bloating, and constipation. For others, stress triggers diarrhea and frequent trips to the restroom. Stress can aggravate existing digestive conditions such as stomach ulcers and irritable bowel syndrome.
Slowing down, unplugging, keeping calm, meditating, having fun, and staying positive are just some ways to beat stress. People have different ways to fight stress; you just need to find what works best for you.

Eat properly to aid digestion

Avoid eating in a hurry because it can cause abdominal pain and reduce metabolism.
Eat a balanced diet and try not to skip meals. The latter can trigger bad eating habits due to the tendency to eat more to make up for your missed meal and relieve your hunger.
Refrain from eating a heavy meal before going to bed. Set your dinner for at least two to three hours before lying down.
Drink plenty of water.

How to love your liver

Avoid alcohol and excessively fatty foods

Be kind to your liver by limiting your intake of saturated fats such as red meat, poultry especially with skin, butter, lard, cream, full-fat cheese, baked or fried foods with coconut or palm oil, etc.
You can choose not to drink or drink moderately. Health experts consider 1 drink or less in a day for women and 2 drinks or less in a day for men as moderate drinking.

How to love your intestines

Cut junk foods from your diet

Junk foods are often high in salt, sugar, saturated or trans fats, and preservatives. Fatty and sugar-laden snacks release dopamine that sends pleasure signals to the brain. That’s why many people crave junk foods and even refer to them as “comfort foods”.
Say no to highly processed junk foods because they lack proper nutrients which can lead to poor digestion and irritable bowels. Replace junk foods with fruits and vegetables to improve overall health.

How to love your kidneys

Drink lots of water

Drink plenty of water because it helps the kidneys get rid of wastes from your blood through urine. Doctors recommend drinking at least three liters of water a day to keep your kidneys healthy.

How to love your heart

Avoid excess salt

According to the WHO, adults can limit salt intake to less than 5 grams per day to lower blood pressure and decrease the risk of stroke, cardiovascular disease, and coronary heart attack.

How to love your lungs

Do not smoke

Don’t smoke your life away. According to the CDC, smoking is directly linked to almost 90% of deaths due to lung cancer and COPD. Smoking also increases the risk of other health problems including stroke, heart diseases, and mouth cancer. Be careful also of second-hand smoke exposure.

Self-care is the best gift you can give yourself

Give your body the love it deserves by taking care of every part of you. Go the extra mile by protecting yourself from medical emergencies. By getting a health card with emergency care coverage, you can save yourself from financial trouble.

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