Physical and Mental health balance

We all come across mental health imbalance every day, it can vary from feeling low mood to sadness, regression, anger or helplessness. 

In the same way we have physical health imbalance of feeling weakness, tiredness, pain, and aches.

It is normal to feel these emotions, as it reflects, we are existing.  

Balancing these 2 factors are challenging to many of us. 

Below are few tips which has helped to maintain balance in my life.

Physical health:

1. 20min of exercise 3-4 times a week ( I really struggle with taking out time to leave the house to hit the gym or attend fitness classes- so I do all my light physical stretches at home), I don’t have a set time to do so ,as my daily priority activities can vary with my busy schedule. So, for me consistency with exercise is more important than what time of the day I practice. As I make things enjoyable rather than stressing myself to stick to certain time.
2. Balance diet: I am a vegetarian and make sure all my daily nutritional requirements are met it includes replacements of vegetarian protein sources, add colors to my food i.e., colorful veggies. However, sometimes it’s very difficult to obtain all micronutrients from food sources so I try to take supplements like multivitamins on daily basis. It can vary from person, place, or dietary needs. Eg. Iron supplements for anemic patients, VitD supplements to people who live in cold countries with decrease exposure to sunlight etc.
3. Prevention is better than cure: accepting the chronic pain and illness and giving you time every single day in prevention is better than only management with medications. Ex: I used to suffer from chronic lower back pain and leg pains every single day after work, which was very difficult in the initial stages to manage but with regular back & leg exercises, it has reduced to great extent. So you need to recognize which is your physical pain that’s affecting you and give your time to prevent is important in long run.

Mental Health:

Mental health care is not restricted only to people who have been diagnosed with mental illness. It includes from feeling lack of interest in surrounding low mood, sadness, regression, anger and helplessness.

Mental pain if not addressed can lead onto physical pain and imbalance of whole life balance. 

Low mood could be one of the main emotion that affects persons growth.

1. I suffered from very low mood after my daughter was born. Ever though being a doctor I am aware many women are affected by post partem depression, I never realized it could be that when I myself was suffering what I was feeling. But I managed to come out of it in few weeks. I developed a hobby to keep myself occupied apart from only baby care which could be hit the monotony sometimes of the week. ( I started journaling during this time , not that I wrote great things, I just started penning down my baby’s daily schedule, her doctor’s visits, her weight and height. I wrote what I felt during that moment and few future plans like when I get back to work. I even managed to do some online courses to keep me updated in my field which was very beneficial when I returned to work, especially with my confidence.

2. For the all women out there, I would suggest, if regular work is making you feel bored and monotony is hitting you that means it’s a time  for you to change something in your schedule, add some different routine, develop a new hobbies, travel to different environment for few days -change of place can bring lot of changes in life. You can be back to routine charged. 

3. The other major emotion which had affected me was feeling of helplessness: It is very frustrating to to know that someone close ones needs us but due to circumstances and distances, you are not able to help them. Sometime even giving your time and listening to their worries can make a huge difference to someone’s life. 

Indian philosopher Swami Vivekananda said-

“Helping someone spiritually is far better than helping someone physically. Physical help will not vanish their misery, can’t give permanent satisfaction. For this man’s character must change”.

So it is always great move to help someone if you can. 

Getting physical and mental balance can help you in overall personality development and help us to achieve more in long term.

Mental Health tips:

1. Ask for help!
2. Many online centers- provide confidential support to your well being.
3. Write your thoughts in notebook, if you feel someone will read  then write in phone wallet and lock it
4. Share with a good friend or cousins. Talking helps!

Physical health tips:

1. Mingle with that one exercise freak friend.
2. Add multivitamin supplements, remind with one of your regular daily schedule eg.. After brushing teeth, or after dinner.
3. Find easy cooking heathy recipes with less ingredients, home cooked food is always better than a packed or a processed food. At least on majority of the days. 

Every single day I look forward to have a steady and upright day to make most of my day.

Do you look forward steady and upright day as well ?