Your body does amazing things for you all day. It has systems that give energy to every cell, systems that move an arm or hand or eye without you having to think about it, systems that let you see, feel, and smell the beauty of the world. Doing the right things for your body may prevent and treat disease, help you to stay functional and healthy into old age and help you feel better today. If you are already eating well, exercising, using healthy methods to cope with stress, not smoking, and only drinking alcohol in moderation, congratulations! If not, remember not to judge yourself too harshly. The key to success is to love yourself just as you are and to realize that some changes may be in order to make yourself the healthiest woman you can be.
An important first step in creating good health is becoming aware of your own irreplaceable value. Are you familiar with the airline instruction for all passengers to secure their own oxygen mask before helping another with a mask? You can practice this in your daily life. While it is often almost instinctual for women to help their loved ones first, it serves the greatest good to help yourself before attempting to help others. If you are not meeting your self-care needs, at some point your ability to care for others may be impeded. Taking care of yourself might include dealing with emotional issues like fear, guilt or anxiety as a part of making healthy changes. As one woman put it, "I found that when I finally started taking some time for me, the family didn't fall apart as I had feared. In fact, things went more smoothly because I was in a better mood and had more energy."
It can be hard to make lifestyle changes. Notice if you are being too self-critical. If you raid the refrigerator and then think, "I am totally out of control, there is no use in even trying," you are being harshly critical of yourself. It is important to notice when you are making negative judgments about yourself; noticing and gradually stopping these judgments can be the first step towards making a change. Celebrate how special you are and resist comparing yourself to others; it is important to be kind to yourself even if you have done something you feel is self-destructive. A good way to begin is to acknowledge yourself for every small step you take. Start noticing every act of courage—if you didn't join the gym this week, but bought a new pair of sneakers so you could go—give yourself credit for what you did instead of what you didn't do. Over time and with practice, you can change your negative "self talk" to more positive thoughts, and integrate new healthy behaviors into your life.
The new view of women's health (gender-specific medicine), which considers the whole woman both physically and psychologically, also includes the traditional concerns of breast and gynecologic health. Here we will review some of the basic information you need to be healthy in these areas.
