May is Women’s Health Month. A time to celebrate the incredible gifts of women, and the ways that their contributions to the world shape it for the better, every single day, in unfathomable ways.
And that’s what I believe we celebrate and hold up when we single out women’s health month. I really think there are no better folks to address this topic than the powerhouse women who are contributing in today’s blog their thoughts and reflections on what it means to prioritize and value health as a woman.
____________________________________________________________________________________
SAMANTHA
Hi, My name is Samantha, and I am a born and raised Jersey girl 😉 (not the jersey shore kind of gal though) lol. I grew up in a small town outside of Philadelphia. My parents still own the farm that has literally been past down from generation to generation. Hard work, dedication, and compassion towards others (humans and animals) have been some of the core values my parents instilled in our family. I am still the happiest when I am outdoors, whether it is running, picking fresh herbs from the garden, or sunning myself on the beach.
Working in the healthcare field, I see how detrimental poor health and illness can be to the body as well as the mind. I am thankful that I have the ability to move and live the active lifestyle that I choose, as it allows me to live my best life for my family and closest friends.
I have been involved in athletics my entire life, and was very competitive at the high school and college level. I now enjoy running, a mix of cross training, and yoga.
One of the biggest changes to my health (physical and mental) was the addition of a yoga practice. I found yoga one of the years in college. At the time, it served as a place to quiet my crazy college brain while I was finishing up my doctorate. I came to find out that it has been something that I started to lean on a lot. Yoga got me through college, through a breakup, through a move to the Big Apple, through a new job, and through a move back home. Currently, I am making meditation and a daily prayer journal a part of this whole practice.
Some of the most important elements of my day that help me be at my best are when I take time in the morning to write, read or meditate. I have struggled with a daily gratitude journal, but I know when I make it a habit I feel better going into my day. My mind is sharper and it just sets me up to be at my very best. I also try to have a healthy breakfast. Sometimes it’s just on-the-go oatmeal, but I know for me to feel energized and fueled, I need to start my day with a powerful meal. Lastly, I try to get in some kind of movement for the day. It may be a morning run or evening at the gym, or it may just be a Sunday afternoon walk or some easy yoga poses. I feel getting out in the fresh air is rejuvenating and its important to take time out of our busy days for moments like this.
I think health and wellness as a whole has been ingrained in me since a small child. Growing up on a farm blessed us with our own free range grass-fed beef and pork, as well as a full garden of vegetables in the summer months. My mom home made almost all of our meals, and growing up in a family of 7 I now understand the value in cooking at home versus eating out(monetary value too). I am very thankful to have a mother who prioritized healthy meals for her family. I am inspired everyday by any and all moms. I seriously cannot fathom how it’s done. Maybe one day I will understand, but right now you guys rock ☺
One of the biggest lessons that I have learned in my adult life is the power of forgiveness. Not only forgiveness for others but especially forgiveness in ourselves. I have really spent a lot of time in prayer on this, and then one day it clicked. For me to move on and let go, I really had to find that forgiveness in myself. For me to allow happiness and joy into my heart I needed to forgive, and to know that I have already been and will allows be imperfectly perfect just the way I am. I think one of the most powerful things we as women can do is too forgive ourselves. It is also one of the most difficult things to do. But to be able to move on, take on new challenges in life, and experience life to the fullest we need to first start with our own forgiveness.
You can find Samantha sharing her yoga, running, inspiration and balanced living on Instagram @samanthadesimone
KATIE
As a native of the Pacific Northwest, I will always be a tree and mountain lover at heart, but I’m living the SoCal life for now. 🙂 I’m an achiever and strategic thinker, but I have a deep love of the beauty that is evident when all things connect and work together in harmony. I’m passionate about helping things grow to reach their truest, most beautiful, and most authentic form — whether that’s myself, people who trust me with their hearts, or the little organic herb garden on my kitchen windowsill.
As I’ve grown to know myself better, I’ve learned just how critical my daily habits are in the big picture of my health. My non-negotiables include:
- Time boundaries. They add balance and help me keep my priorities in the midst of the demands of 21st century life. For example, my mornings are sacred — I set aside at least 15 minutes for reflection, prayer, meditation, and/or journaling (and more time if I’m feeling particularly unbalanced that day or season). I also know that I need to be realistic with the amount of rest and sleep (which aren’t the same!) I need in order to function well in all parts of my life.
- A diet that’s right for me. I’ve learned the hard way what does and doesn’t work for my body, and I’m learning self-mercy and acceptance of my limitations in the process. I make sure I take my multivitamin, I don’t buy foods that don’t agree with me, but I don’t let my diet become my #1 focus. I keep in mind that maintaining a healthy body is just one part of the bigger goal of being a healthy person in every aspect.
- Embracing outdoor time. Reading, running, whatever I can do — surrounding myself with nature (regardless of weather!) fuels my soul and hits the reset button on my mind and body when I’m overwhelmed.
I’ve had a few health crises over the years, from broken bones and bad breakups to times of intense anxiety and panic. When I was less aware (and less accepting) of my individual needs, I would just react in any way I could order to cope with the challenges. Too little sleep, too much work and TV, being around toxic people, or just indulging in distractions — these were all poor coping mechanisms that I turned to. I finally reached a point that I realized and accepted that I needed help in caring for myself, and in addition to opening new resources to me for healing and thriving, it freed me of the burden of thinking I had to do everything myself. I monitor my thoughts and actions more closely now (daily even) to make sure I’m not just “coping”, and also not expecting myself to be God when I should be embracing and loving myself as a human person.
One of the best things I’ve done for myself as a woman is to learn how my cycle and hormones effect — and are effected by — the other aspects of my life, including diet and nutrition, sleep, and stress. I began using the Femm app to track the different phases of my cycle as well as my emotional health on a daily basis. A daily check-in like this is something I recommend to every woman from high school on through adulthood. It is so enlightening and so empowering to know how and why our bodies work the way they do, and it provides a look into a side our overall health that’s so often overlooked and undervalued.
One of the biggest lessons — and greatest graces — of my adult life has been seeing the importance of community. None of us can do this life alone, and we were never meant to. I’m so grateful to have amazing sister-friends in my life who encourage me, speak truth to me, and constantly teach me more about the beauty of being a woman and being whole. It’s a blessedly long list of names, and I make it one of my priorities to foster those special friendships — they’re the treasures of a lifetime.
Katie can be found sharing beautiful captures, reflections, and worldwide adventures at @ciaokaedo on Instagram.
CLAIRE
I am a Pacific Northwest native, living my best life through love of God and self-care. I am on a mental health journey and love sharing my story and tips with others suffering from mental illness. I am the most content if I am outside enjoying the sun and the beautiful natural world with family and friends!
The most important aspect of my health is having the mental clarity and stamina to be with people I love. When I have mental clarity and stamina, I can fully engage with my surroundings and the people around me, and this makes me happy and content!
In college, I was diagnosed with depression and anxiety and immediately put on antidepressants. After a few years of unsuccessfully trying different doses and medications, I decided enough was enough and I would try a more natural approach to my mental health. As I set out on the journey, I didn’t know much about natural medicine or how to get better going the natural route but deep down I knew this was the right way for me. I started with exercise as this was familiar to me and I did know that every healthy person was active. I decided to go big and challenge myself in an extreme way and train for a marathon! I am so glad I did! It set the groundwork for my mental health journey by showing me that nothing can be attained without hard work and dedication.
I recently started slowing down my mornings (I am NOT a morning person and tend to snooze for too long then rush out the door) and make time for morning prayer. I make my bed when I get up. It is one small accomplishment to start the day and makes a soothing and visually calming sanctuary to come home to after a crazy day at work. Last but not least, I make daily exercise and healthy eating a priority. The foundation of any healthy journey whether mental or physical (or both) is diet and exercise. You can’t do one or the other or neither and expect to be healthy. Believe me I’ve tried!
My Mom was ahead of her time as far as healthy eating habits! She would always say “we must have a salad with every meal” especially if it was the rare take out pizza! She would often refer to Westin Price, and we always knew the nutrition content for every vegetable. She inspired my love of gardening and we were spoiled as children by being fed from her large vegetable garden. My sister, Emily, is another great inspiration in my life. Her dedication to healthy eating and exercise with four small children is admirable. Her calm and reasoned approach to life has gotten me through my toughest times, she has saved me more than once. My best friend, Maddy, inspires me daily with her unflagging encouragement, she is the best cheerleader and friend a girl can have! Her faith in me and my journey is what has pushed me to continue my journey by helping others! I wouldn’t be where I am with these three amazing women!
Find and follow Claire on Instagram at @onefingeroutofwater and cheer her on as she launches her website next month, promoting holistic approaches to mental health challenges and sharing her journey. We’re so excited for the ripple effect you’re already making for many women.
VALERIE
I am so excited to be a woman of today who has the ability to understand the importance of health, nutrition, commitment and fellowship. I am lucky to have been exposed to the principles of hard work, determination, and commitment at an early age and having the ability to apply them in all faucets of my life. I have been exposed to ALL challenges of life and I truly believe that without daily exercise, attention to nutrition and the support of a few good friends, I would not be where I am today; healthy in mind, body, and spirit! I work as a mental health and substance abuse counselor, and running a dog business.
WHAT I VALUE MOST ABOUT MY HEALTH AND HOW IT ALLOWS ME TO LIVE MY BEST LIFE:
I VALUE MY HEALTH!!! All components of it! My health allows me to attend to all the requirements the demands of a busy life place on me. My health allows me to be available to my family, my job, my relationships, but more importantly to myself! I love life! My health ensures me that I will be able to live the best life that is afforded to me with enthusiasm, excitement, and zest! I feel blessed that I have been graced with the knowledge of the importance of good health and the ability to accomplish all that I have as I know there are those that have not been so lucky. I have been committed to helping other women endorse this knowledge of the importance of health for a long time and will continue to do so.
AN EXAMPLE OF A HEALTH CHALLENGE:
I was raised in a family where there were multiple physical health and mental health issues as well as battles with addiction. Through the struggles to overcome these issues I have discovered the importance of daily attention to my own personal health. With daily exercise, attention to proper nutrition, and a healthy relationship with a strong network I have been able to develop a positive perspective regarding healthy living and the importance of a daily regiment of the proper vitamins and supplements.
The two top health habits that ensure that I am at my best are: daily exercise and proper nutrition.
I would love to give a “shout out” to Madeleine and Latisha for the commitment that they have displayed with my introduction to Shaklee and all of their products. Although I have maintained my regime of supplements, nutrition and exercise, I saw a tremendous improvement in my overall health, physical performance and strengthening of hair, nails and skin after the addition of Shaklee to my routine. I feel blessed to have met these two ladies and will continue to use them both as positive role models
__________________________________________________________________________________
I have always believed and understood that there is nothing so fierce, so powerful, so purposeful, as a woman who knows her mission on this earth, and who knows her true worth. This worth stems from her understanding of herself, in right relation to God, to her friends, family, vocation and so much more. But this worth also starts within, when we are able to love ourselves with the recognition of just how special we are.
Of course, none of us are without our challenges, struggle, health concerns and setbacks. That’s what makes us human. But we are tremendously encouraged when we see other women valuing self-care, their holistic—physical, mental, emotional and spiritual—health, and that ripple effect spreads beyond each of us when we make a personal commitment to health and fulfillment.
A happy Women’s Health month to you all! For a bit more sharing about some of the beautiful tools available to support women in every decade of their healthiest life, go here.
And feel free to share this article with a women who inspires you or who could use some encouragement. We’re in this together–and we rise by lifting others.