What do married women really want?

Believe me it is not a new outfit or an expensive piece of jewelry or anything else which may make your imagination go wild! What women really want is simply a day off from the kitchen, kids, in-laws and sometimes even the husband! We need a free day when we can think only of ourself. How many of us really get to experience this? Just a handful, I guess. I am a married woman myself with two lovely kids and an awesome husband but I truly need my ‘me time’ once in a while. This helps to unwind, to think, rethink, relax and be better organized to take on the next course of duties.

Unfortunately most of the women, even the ones that I meet with for consultation, don’t even realize that it is very important to not only have a healthy weight but also be better organized to take on the day.

Stress is turning out to be the cause of many mental and physical illnesses, which simply go unnoticed.

What can Stress really lead to

1. Weight gain – stress triggers the hormone cortisol which in turn creates an array of health issues. High cortisol stimulates the insulin repetitively which can culminate into Type 2 diabetes. Obesity is also then a fall out of elevated insulin levels. High stress coupled with wrong eating habits can lead to suppressed immune system.
2. Development of acidity and ulcers- stress stimulates more acidic generation due to overstimulation of the cortisol hormone which causes the inflammation of the mucosal lining which could lead to acidity.
3. Infertility- stress can cause the disruption of the menstrual cycle and also affect the sex hormones which in turn can lead to infertility.
4. Stress can lead to high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, asthma and migraines.

6 Best foods to handle stress

1. Leafy vegetables- leafy vegetables help to better manage the nervous system. They also contain iron. Often deficiencies of iron can be a cause of anemia which may go unnoticed.
2. Milk –milk contains the amino acid Tryptophan which gets converted to Serotonin to give a feeling of wellbeing and calmness. Foods high in tryptophan are nuts, fish, oats, beans and eggs. Include more of these in the diet.
3. Curds or yogurt – foods which are rich in probiotics help to maintain a healthy gut which in turn also helps to relieve symptoms of stress
4. Fresh fruits and vegetables- follow the pattern of five a day to keep away from stress as the fruits and vegetables contain phytonutrients and several vitamins and minerals which help to manage stress better.
5. Exposure to sunlight-90% of vitamin D is obtained by exposure to sunlight. Vitamin D is known to keep us out of depression.
6. Seeds- flaxseeds, pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds are good sources of magnesium which helps alleviate depression, fatigue and irritability.

Apart from this any form of exercise, even walking for ½ hour to 45 minutes can release stress by stimulating the feel good hormones Endorphins.

Yoga and meditation are of course age-old remedies to stress. Yoga balances mentally and physically so it gives a holistic approach to wellbeing.

But ladies, do not overburden yourself because you do not find time to exercise longer everyday. A 20 mins to 30 mins walk everyday too is enough to be healthy.

Learn to delegate work. There is no need to be super woman all the time. If you are able to let go of most of the things and just focus on two to three important things at a given point in time so you are better focused, organized and less messed up. This gives you a chance to care for yourself, your health, your priorities and therefore manage your family better.

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