Moms are pulled in a million different directions. From taking kids to play dates to juggling work and errands, they’re notorious for their ability to multitask. Yet most are neglecting one important to-do: their health.
According to a 2024 Women’s Wellness Index Report from PYMNTS, 78% of moms put others’ care over their own. In fact, they’re 14% less likely than women without children to take steps to avoid or address medical issues.
This is both understandable and alarming. After all, it’s easy to get caught up in the constant tornado of activity that swirls around you as a parent. However, when a mom puts her self-care on the backburner, she puts her wellness at risk. That’s not good for her or for the family she’s nurturing and guiding.
If you’re nodding your head, you’re obviously a mom who can relate — and who deserves care. What can you do to reverse this trend and give yourself the attention you need to live your best life? Though you can’t add hours to the week, you can switch up your routine by adopting a few simple and efficient practices.
1. Take advantage of telehealth appointments
Telehealth has revolutionized the way doctors can diagnose and treat patients. Instead of traveling to an office location, moms seeking medical attention can sometimes meet with their providers virtually. This cuts down on unnecessary commuting, as well as the need to find a babysitter or take children to visits.
There are quite a few preventative and urgent care needs that can be handled successfully remotely. These include emotional health screenings, cold and flu diagnosis, suspected yeast infections, urinary tract infections (UTI), and migraines.
Many moms are pleased to learn that they don’t need to go outside the home to feel better mentally or physically. And they’re frequently relieved when they find out that telehealth visits can save money, too. One 2023 study published by the Journal of the American Heart Association showed an approximate savings of $50 between in-person and telehealth appointments.
Not sure if your provider offers telehealth? Ask. You might be gratified to discover that you don’t have to rearrange your schedule just to get medical advice.
2. Choose gender-specific vitamins and supplements
When a woman’s body is well-nourished, she can depend on it to help ward off diseases and conditions. That’s why many moms supplement their diets with items from the vitamin aisle. The only problem? Not all off-the-shelf products are aimed at the specific needs of women. Consequently, women aren’t necessarily as protected by the supplements they’re taking as they assume.
To close this gap, look for high-quality, science-backed supplements that are carefully formulated to address a woman’s unique needs. For example, women have a “pelvic triangle” made up of the vagina, gut, and urinary tract. As explained by women’s health company Solv Wellness, the elements of the pelvic triangle work together. Therefore, when one element is ailing, the others are at greater risk for problems.
If you’ve ever taken an oral antibiotic for a UTI only to deal with subsequent stomach discomfort, cramps, and a yeast infection, you understand how this interconnectedness works. Though probiotics can help prevent the aforementioned phenomenon, most probiotics aren’t built for women in the way they’re engineered. The few that do also include prebiotics to help the probiotics thrive to reach their intended designations.
Are your supplements working in your favor? Maybe not. Take a few minutes to reassess each brand’s formula. If all you’re getting is a generic, “one size fits all” pill or powder, you’re probably not getting as much from your supplement as you thought. Be sure to monitor the amount of each vitamin you’re getting as well. Nutrition tracker app startup Gini cautions that overdosing on some vitamins can cause difficulties such as kidney stones and clouded mental capacities. Consequently, keep a record of what you’re taking to make certain your supplements are moving your health forward.
3. Pack meals with nutrient-dense ingredients
It can be challenging to keep your meals as healthy as possible. One way to fuel up and fill up well is to reach for nutrient-dense foods. Nutrient-dense items have an abundance of nutritional value, enabling you to eat well-balanced meals and snacks. Even though some are heavily caloric, like nuts, they aren’t necessarily off the table if you’re trying to maintain a healthy weight. Why? These types of foods can be so satisfying that you aren’t as tempted to overindulge.
As you might have guessed, nutrient-dense foods are generally whole foods in their purest forms. Think fruits, vegetables, seeds, and grains, as well as lean proteins. But that doesn’t mean you’re relegated to eating salads every night. On the contrary, a bit of kitchen creativity may be all it takes to bring “superfoods” into your favorite recipes. For instance, a Mount Sinai Medical Center article recommends bringing a variety of nutrient-dense foods into every meal. For every recipe, seek out opportunities to feature numerous nutrient-dense ingredients at once.
Want to track the results of your updated meal preparation and planning efforts? Maintain a food journal. Write down what you eat and make notes about how you feel emotionally and physically throughout the day. Ideally, you should begin to experience spikes in mood, energy, and concentration. For an added boost, edge up your exercise regimen as you revitalize your eating. That way, you’ll get even more of a health impact from the superfoods you’re choosing.
When you’re a mom, you’re “on call” 24/7. But that doesn’t mean you have to neglect your health. By making changes to your everyday habits, you can ensure that your body and mind are operating at peak performance levels.