As lockdowns (hopefully) draw to a close and some of us look at taking some time off, I thought why not delve into a different aspect of health, one that is very appropriate for this busy time of year. 

Yes as a dietitian a lot of what we talk about is food related, and that’s fair enough and very relevant, although that isn’t the only thing we focus on when engaging with our clients and assisting in achieving their goals. 

Rest/Self-care/ Stress relief/ Me-time, however you want to look at it or whatever you want to call it, finding some time for yourself is so important! 

Running on empty can mean we are lacking the energy to put into the relationships with the people around us and also the energy we need for ourselves. This can result in the common ‘burn-out’ and feeling rather low. 

Which is why self-care is key! 

Self-care can be the thought of as that long hot bath with bath bombs & candles, or scheduling an hour-long massage, and don’t get me wrong, I love those things and they can be a great way to pamper yourself (when you can find the time to do them). Although, self-care is so much more than that and it is something we need all the time! 

Simply, Self-care is taking care of yourself. They are the activities that we engage with regularly to reduce the stress in our life, sometimes it’s taking time to stop, but all are assisting to maintain our own wellbeing. 

Yes as a Dietitian, working with food is a form of self-care. Eating and enjoying foods you love is self-care. But it is often the subtle things that we can do throughout our everyday routines that are assisting with reducing stress at the 

time, or assisting with preventing stress later on, which are often forgotten as Self-care. 

When we begin to let our Self-care slip, those stresses can creep in and we can be more vulnerable to them. Everyone deserves to feel well and to engage in your own self-care (however that may look for you). 

So, during this next season why not allow yourself that well deserved time for you. Reassess what are the things you do for your own self-care and perhaps try something off the list below that you haven’t allowed for in the past. 

·Getting enough sleep 

·Resting when you need it 

·Daily hygiene/ skincare routine 

·Brushing your teeth 

·Did my laundry 

·Dishes 

·Light a scented candle in the room you are in 

 ·Go out in the sunshine 

·Go outside 

·Ate when my body needed it 

·Stopping for that coffee or favourite cup of tea 

·Replied to emails/ texts/ messages 

·Taking prescribed medication 

·Snuggling up to a significant other or pet 

·Joyful movement 

·Call a friend 

·Stopping for 10minutes and doing something you enjoy – read a book, nap, listen to music, take some photos) 

And from all of us at Discover Health…….. Bring on 2022! 

Discover Health Dietetics Ó