Bodywise

Bodywisdom for Mothers

A little preparation goes along way when managing a family.

• Time, we seem controlled by it yet a plan at least the night before can reduce stress while you manage motherhood, working and some time for recreation. Imagine you have got to the evening of the following day and that it all went beautifully inspite of a few moments which you took in your stride.  You had planned ahead the night before and had everything ready so your day went really well.  Now that is worth celebrating. What a great habit to create. What a great way to reduce stress.

Nature’s bounty - Choose food from all food groups and make it is colourful, fun and a taste sensation.

• Shop for several days with the intention of preparing enough food for 2 meals at a time.  At dinner have extra fish or meat, vegetables (salad) and complex carbohydrates (roasted veges or wholegrain rice) that may be made into a soup or salad for the following day. 
• Eat a great variety of food that looks like it has come from the garden or the farm, is colourful, smells good, and where possible is not wrapped in plastics (plastic leaches into our food and is NOT good for any of us) Also a stainless steel water bottle is perfect to provide us with enough water, reduce exposure to harmful plastics and economic for the wallet.

• Portion size guidelines for each meal –
  

• Protein: the size of your palm, Veges the size of both of fists, and fats the size of a teaspoon, with each meal and perhaps an extra potato or spoon of wholegrain rice depending on how much exercise you get.  As many people are sensitive to bread made of high gluten flours, check out a gluten free option while enjoying lots of veges and complex carbohydrates.

• Breakfast is so important to stimulate metabolism and therefore energy. Enjoy raw, unsweetened muesli soaked overnight in water and natural unsweetened yoghurt or rice milk. In the morning add fresh fruit and a tablespoon of almond butter or tahini and add ground linseed or LSA for breakfast and. Make enough to keep for a high energy pick up in the mid afternoon instead of a muffin!! By soaking muesli your food is easily digested.  Alternatively enjoy eggs or sardines on toast are terrific brain foods. You will be full of energy until morning tea.
• For snacks (even in the middle of the night), savour antioxidant packed fruit best eaten between meals will provide you with readily available energy, fibre and water to promote efficient digestion and protection from oxidative stress during the long days and nights. Other great snacks are small handfuls of walnuts, almonds, sunflower and pumpkin seeds or as stated above sardines, tomato and avocado on a gluten free bread or some left over muesli.
• Lunch is a must for energy, so enjoy those leftovers as a soup or salad.  Salads provide life giving energy and with a good oil dressing made from extra virgin olive, flaxseed oil and a tasty apple cider vinegarette, will feed you essential fats, which are great for the brain.
• Dinner, just think colour and all food groups, some raw, some cooked, add herbs, some sea salt and a little in the way of spice, make food yummy, present it in an attractive way. Savour this knowing that you have just made your lunch!
• Lastly, remind yourself that this beautiful food is your fuel to make you happy and content. You will get so much more enjoyment and digestibility from your food if your savour and chew slowly.

Getting Enough Sleep

Vitaly important, grab a nap if you can, when you can. Your body, mind and soul will be grateful for it.  Sleep deprivation is a big issue and we strongly recommend that you do not feel guilty for lying down with a book and then falling asleep.

• Foods (proteins and fats) that increase the happy chemicals in your brain and fuel your metabolism are very important. Sorry to sound like a stuck record but seriously, alcohol and coffee do not feed a tired body and mind!! You will sleep more soundly with enough veges, protein and fat!!
• For symptoms of loss of sleep always think of taking a dose of Homeopathic  Cocculus  – while not a miracle cure you will feel better and when you get to have chance for a nap the body should be ready to take it. 
• Ask for help if you need it. If you were asked to help another mother, you would in most cases do your best to help and without hesitation. Therefore remember that what goes around comes around and that when you feel you need a hand, just reach out, it is OK to ask. It may seem an effort to ask, however socialising with friends is a normal human passtime so enjoy a stroll along the riverside or through a park with a friend.
• Look after yourself with gentle to moderate exercise that for all working and at home women is invirgorating for the mind and stimulating for the metabolism. Stumulating metablosism regularly helps control out weight and has endless positive effects on health. Seek out nature not mindless shopping.  Nature rejuvenates every time. Practice loving and encouraging talk to yourself during tough times and heap on the gratitude at any time.  Positivecompany and talk will lift your spirits.
• If you really feel you are not coping, you may be helped by hormonal balancing using Chaste tree or mood uplifter, St John’s Worta and a supplement to raise your nutrient levels.  Your hormonal system (the endocrine system) can be depleted by the stressors of daily life and this can usually be treated with herbs, supplements and counselling.  In these situations there is no one prescription to fit all, you need to seek guidance from a Bodywise medical herbalist or naturopath.

A lovely repowering or relaxing tea from Artemis or a tonic from our Herbal Dispensary will lift tired spirits and nurture the nervous system. I cannot stress this enough, if you think you are feeling really out of sorts, with negative thoughts, overly tearful and generally have feelings of not coping, do get help.  Bodywise is there and we are all mothers and know how it might be.