Women’s Health Month: Healthy habits to help you look and feel better

Published May 5, 2021

According to a 2018 study, the top three concerns women have today when it comes to wellness are mental health, cancer, and heart health. At Gardyn, we want you to feel empowered and motivated to make attainable changes to your everyday life. This starts with taking an honest assessment of your habits and making tangible tweaks to positively impact your health in a sustainable way.

It’s time to take back your health – from head to toe.

Concern #1: Mental Health

Half of American women spend more time craving more time according to a 2011 survey conducted by Real Simple and the Families and Work Institute. And it’s no wonder mental health is in the realm of concern as women are multi-tasking more than ever. Over half of respondents in the survey shared they have less than 90 minutes a day of “free time”. An additional 46% of those women state the time they do spend alone is always interrupted by children, elderly parents, chores, and partners.

Carving out space and time is possible, but easier said than done. Seida Hood LCSW, CEO, and Clinical Director of From the Heart Counseling says to start small and be willing to compromise with yourself during the journey.

“Change is a time to be flexible, and if one approach doesn’t work, don’t be afraid to try another.”

Seida Hood Tweet

Get the Calm app: A healthy mind is just as important as a healthy body. On a mission to improve the health and happiness of their members, Calm hones in on sleep, meditation, and relaxation.

“Many of us grew up believing that to help others, we must sacrifice our well-being. While the intention may come from a good place, putting ourselves last isn’t sustainable and leaves us burnt out with barely anything left to give to ourselves or others. It’s time for a shift. It’s time to let go of the idea that self-care is selfish and realize that we take care of each other by taking care of ourselves.”

– Calm on Instagram

Put it on the calendar: How many times has the week flown by and all attempts at self-care put on the back burner? Try adding a 15-minute block of time to your schedule. Yep, write it down.

The biological process of “encoding” happens when you write something down, meaning you have a much better chance of remembering a task/idea when it’s physically put on paper.

“It’s important to carve out a little time each week for yourself,” explains La Nise Hagan, Head of People and Culture at Gardyn.

“In fact, we block out an hour during the work week where our team can take 60 minutes for themselves doing whatever they want, plus we have a scheduled 5-minute guided meditation for Mindfulness Mondays.”

Concern #2: Cancer

Super humans deserve superfoods, especially if consuming fresh food aids in the battle against cancer. Small changes like introducing vitamin-packed leafy greens to boost the nutritional value of meals is a low-pressure step.

Take kale for example.

There’s a reason this cruciferous vegetable is considered an open and shut case when it comes to nutritional value.

“Kale is a nutrition superstar due to the amounts of vitamins A, K, B6 and C, calcium, potassium, copper and manganese it contains,” writes registered dietitian-nutritionist and Mayo Clinic contributor Linda Carruthers. “One cup of raw kale has just 33 calories and only 7 grams of carbohydrate. So, it’s a very diabetes-friendly/weight-friendly vegetable.”

Health benefits of kale:

Cartenoids (which work as an antioxidant) can be found in dark leafy greens like kale, which in turn, helps stop free radicals and boost the body’s immune system with anti-inflammatory properties.

Beyond salads and smoothies: How to use kale

Bon Appetit has “57 Kale recipes that go way beyond salad” including a crispy mushroom, creamy white bean, and kale entree that has this writer anticipating her next meal.

Concern #3: Heart Health

Heart disease in women should not be taken lightly. According to the American Heart Association (AHA) 1 in 3 deaths each year among women are caused by cardiovascular diseases. But there’s good news, says the AHA:

“80 percent of cardiovascular diseases may be prevented with education and action.”

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Making basic lifestyle changes and knowing the risk factors are good first steps to commit to better health and reverse the effects of strain on the heart. Go Red for Women is a movement created by the AMA to advocate for research and empower women through education, dispel myths about heart disease and provide resources for healthy living.

So many roads to wellness start with focusing on nutrition. At Garydn we’re excited to be part of a revolution to provide easy access to healthy food and a more harmonious lifestyle.

During National Women’s Health Month, how are you taking control of your health?

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