The Record Special Sections Health Quarterly 04-26-2020 | Page 8

8 ❚ SUNDAY, APRIL 26, 2020 ❚ THE RECORD
HEALTH QUARTERLY / ADVERTISING SECTION
WOMEN’S HEALTH
Ranks of Stay-at-Home
Moms Grow Along with
At-Home Responsibilities
Experts Advise Being Mindful of Your Own Health
By LESLIE PERLMUTTER
Special to Health Quarterly
D r . T racy S cheller , meDical DirecTor
of The G raf c enTer for i nTeGraTive
healTh aT e nGlewooD h ealTh
before helping others. Janet Hamill, RN,
an Integrative Health practitioner at Valley
Health emphatically states: “Self-care is
not a luxury; it is a necessity.” Both Hamill
and Dr. Tracy Scheller, the medical director
of the Graf Center for Integrative Medicine
at Englewood Health and a board-certified
obstetrician and gynecologist, have given
some helpful guidelines and tips to help
women deal with all of the added stress
heaped on by the pandemic and stay-at-
home order.
Taking care of one’s own physical health
is paramount. In addition, your actions can
affect the health of the entire household.
Sleep, exercise and nutrition are the three
things everyone should be focused on.
Both experts agree: “Get a good night’s
sleep every night — ideally seven to eight
hours.” Easier said than done for many of
us these days.
Dr. Scheller advises creating a routine.
“Go to bed at the same time and awake at
the same time each day. Make sure your
kids do, too; they need structure. Staying
up late, sleeping in and snacking on sug-
ary foods all day is not healthy. A natural
rhythm boosts your immune system; sleep
is restorative. Lavender can be helpful to
many and can be diffused throughout a
room. Drink chamomile tea. Try meditation
or prayer. Also, remember that alcohol dis-
rupts sleep.” Hamill suggests turning off all
screens one to two hours before bedtime.
Getting sufficient
exercise can also
help with sleep and
is important in its
own right. Again, Dr.
Scheller emphasizes
the importance of
creating a routine.
“Create a routine
to do something at
least five of seven
days a week; exer-
cise at the same
time every day so
that you don’t have
to make a decision
on when to do this.
Otherwise, you may
prioritize something Janet Hamill, RN, Integrative Healing practitioner at Valley
Health, emphasizes self-care, especially with the additional family
else and never get
to it.” She notes the caring and concern people are experiencing during the pandemic.
plethora of free classes online through
protein with every meal.” She adds, “Don’t
gyms and YouTube. “Enlist a buddy. ‘Meet’
forget spices; many — such as onion, garlic,
on Zoom, Facetime, or Skype and exercise
turmeric, ginger and oregano — have anti-
together.”
microbial, anti-inflammatory, and anti-viral
The volume of cooking can be over-
qualities. Incorporate probiotic foods like
whelming, but it is an opportunity to keep
sauerkraut, kimchi, pickles, miso and kefir.”
our families healthy and even a chance
Mental health is equally important.
to be creative and have fun. Hamill notes,
Hamill advises, “Be kind to yourself and
“Be mindful of what you are eating — mostly
mindful of the self-care needed. Make sure
plants and vegetables, and you should de-
you schedule personal time for yourself
crease use of processed foods and sugar.
each day. Decide what works best for your
Exchange recipes with friends and have fun mind, body and spirit — perhaps walking,
cooking and baking.”
yoga, meditating, praying, reading a good
Dr. Scheller suggests a creative way
book, and going outside in nature to enjoy
to get kids and teenagers involved in meal
the beginnings of spring. Binge watch your
planning. “Make it like the show Chopped.”
favorite show. Remember to have some
What can we make with the ingredients we
fun. Take time for deep breaths to stay
have?” Dr. Scheller again emphasizes the
centered and grounded.”
importance of routine. “If we eat meals
Similarly, Dr. Scheller recommends har-
at the same time every day, our bodies will
nessing the power of the mind: “Tap into
recognize hunger cues; otherwise being
the power of your mind to heal and cope;
at home can seem like an all-day buffet.
use mind-body techniques like relaxation,
We should be aiming to nourish the body
breathing or guided imagery.” Both experts
with healthy, balanced meals with plenty
recommend keeping a gratitude journal
of fruits and vegetables each day; drink
— every day, write down three things that
enough water and avoid sweetened drinks.
you are grateful for and/or three positive
Again, limit alcohol.
things that happened to you. When coping
“Remember that sugar and starch wors-
See WOMEN’S HEALTH Page 15
en your immune system. Eat some form of
T
he coronavirus crisis gives new
meaning to the term “stay-at-home
mom.” Now, we are all stay-at-home
moms. Some women who usually
work outside of the home are working
remotely for hours in the basement, study,
or dining room. Some have been furloughed
or outright laid off. Some are essential
workers and must risk exposing themselves,
and possibly their families, to the virus. On
top of outside work, there is normal cooking
and housework to contend with, multiplied
exponentially. Ideally, the cooking and
housework are being divided and shared
amongst members of the household.
For a family
of five (like mine),
there are 105
meals a week, plus
snacks, to be pre-
pared and made
available to hungry
family members
craving all kinds
of sustenance.
Cleaning has taken
on a whole new
meaning, as we
try to vanquish an Dr. Tracy Scheller
invisible virus, while also decluttering and
maintaining order in our living space. Many
of those who normally use natural, organic
cleaning supplies have joined the frenzied
search for products with virus-killing chem-
icals. The difficulty in obtaining essential
staples and paper products is one more
worry keeping us up at night.
We are home schooling, remaining silent
when needed for our college students tak-
ing exams in the next room, and worrying
about elderly parents. We are counseling
our spouses and friends who are working in
hospitals, worried about financial insecurity
and/or sick relatives, or who are experienc-
ing loneliness, anxiety and depression.
Throughout it all, it is important to meta-
phorically put on your own oxygen mask
“Be kind to yourself and
mindful of the self-care needed.
Make sure you schedule
personal time for yourself each
day. Decide what works best
for your mind, body and spirit ...