Something that comes up a lot with women is the concept of self-care and asking for help, understandably.
I think so many of us women want to be able to do it all, have it all, and be it all, and that kind of self-induced pressure can eventually leave us feeling emotionally drained, lonely and even resentful. Which sucks because it’s actually *our choice* to take it all on.
And while it’s normal and human to want to be self-sufficient, it also keeps us struggling and can even bring us to the point of physical illness via adrenal fatigue, burnout, thyroid issues, hormonal imbalances, and more.
And I get it. Asking for help can feel really vulnerable, because you kind of sort of have to admit you don’t have all the answers. That kind of exposure can be scary. But it can also be transformative and liberating if you have the courage to do it.
One thing to remember is that when you ask for help, you are giving other people the opportunity to be there for you. You’re giving them the benefit of the doubt and trusting them to show up. What a gift for them, and ultimately for you! A total win-win.
Something I’m personally trying to remember: it’s okay not to have it all together. It’s okay to ask for help. It’s okay to “let them see you sweat.” Vulnerability and transparency are ultimately how we make deeper connections, and how we get to the next level of growth.
One thing I’ve been discussing lately with the JillFit Ambassadors is the “Superwoman Complex” — many of these ladies are working to build their businesses while also taking care of families and working on their physiques — and JF Ambassador Sabrina Sarabella, who is a clinical nutritionist and women’s health expert, brought up how many of her clients don’t always have the tools to take care of themselves or the know-how when it comes to self-care. They don’t always know what to ask their physicians or what to look for.
The alarm clock goes off, you hit snooze because you are exhausted from the day before and you suddenly start to feel guilty that you need to get a workout in, so you get up hurry to the gym and then begin your day of rushing, doing, running trying to get everything you need to get done. Ugh, there is never enough time!!
This sounds like a typical day in a busy woman’s life.
We are always trying to do more, be more, please everyone else making sure everyone in your life is taken care of and we often put ourselves last. Gym, work, cook, clean, take care of your man/family/children, work more, go out, be social, keep up with your friends, run after your kids, etc…I can go on and on. It is a wonder how we fit so much in our day but still don’t have enough hours to get it all done.
Does this sound like you or someone you love? This was the story of my life for years, getting up early every day, working out for hours a day, working, going out with friends every night, taking care of my clients, crashing at night from being so tired and then getting up the next day to do it all over again. I was running around on steam most of the day to get it all done. My job as a personal trainer, fitness instructor and nutritionist set up a lifestyle that I was on the go all the time, giving my energy to everyone else and having nothing left for myself. I ended up putting myself into complete exhaustion. I no longer had energy to get out of bed, my workouts were slacking, I had complete brain fog, and the list goes on and on.
For a long time I just ignored it, thought it was normal. Aren’t we as woman supposed to be doing it all? Aren’t woman supposed to constantly multi task to make sure it looks like we can have the picture perfect life and not ask anyone for help?
Finally being tired of being sick and tired I started a quest to improve my health. This started years of trying to figure out why I was tired all the time, having digestive issues, weight loss resistance and figuring out who can help me fix these things. I saw countless doctors, nutritionist, naturopaths, acupuncturist, herbalist, and the list goes on. Everyone had their own theories, their own protocols and each a costly experience.
Haven’t we “Leaned In” enough? Aren’t you exhausted from trying to be superwoman and still not looking and feeling your best?
The time is now to take charge of your health and educate yourself so you feel more empowered and be the best version of you every day. The empowered woman is a force to be reckoned with and the more you know the more you can help yourself. Throughout my years of finding answers for myself and my clients I have uncovered some hidden reasons that our health is declining.
1) Blood Chemistry:
Most of us get our blood work done by our doctors and they tell us they will call us if anything is wrong but how many of us actually look and analyze exactly what is going on in our blood? Probably not many of us know how to do that and many doctors don’t have the time to sit with us and go through it extensively. Doing blood work is the only way to see what is going on inside our body. Our lab results are important to look at because they can not only tell us if there is something wrong with us but can give us information about what preventative measures we can take to make sure we continue to stay healthy and be in optimal health.
Guidance: Knowing what our blood work really means is important for our health. If you are having symptoms like brain fog, exhaustion, headaches, bloating, etc. some blood markers to look at are thyroid, cortisol, Vitamin D, and Iron. Ask your doctor or another trusted health care practitioner (like myself ;) to take the time to explain your blood test results and always ask for a copy for yourself
2) Hormones:
Hormones seem to be the buzz word lately, everyone is talking about how hormones affect your health and your weight. Hormones in its simplest terms are messengers within your body. They send different signals to your body to tell it what to do. The reason why hormones are so important is that when they are not balanced or functioning properly they can cause a whole slue of problems in your body such as low energy, low libido, stress, weight gain or weight loss resistance, depression and many other issues. It’s amazing the impact that the following can have when we don’t understand the havoc it can cause within our body like eating too many processed foods because we don’t have the time to eat healthy, not sleeping enough hours, running around trying to get everything done, pleasing others instead of ourselves, working out too much or too little. Running on adrenaline we throw off the balance of these hormones which in turn causes many different health issues like exhaustion, fatigue, burn out, weight gain, digestive issues and more.
Guidance: Balancing your hormones through nutrition, exercise and supplementation is the key to keeping yourself healthy and feeling great. Eating a well balanced diet of lean protein, carbohydrates and healthy fats throughout your day help to keep your blood sugar balanced. Limiting your exposure to parabens that mimic estrogens and eating a diet rich in organic fruits and vegetables help to support balancing your hormones. It is also important to take part in an exercise routine of high intensity weight training balanced with cortisol lowering activities like leisure walking or yoga and meditation.
3) Brain Chemistry:
Not many people talk about it but when your brain chemistry is off you can feel fatigued, sluggish, lack motivation to exercise, memory loss, cravings, and weight gain. When the brain loses its ability to do its job we lose motivation, lose passion in our lives and lose our stamina. When our brain chemistry is unbalanced it can affect our weight and energy levels. Our brain is the powerhouse of our body, it is what gives signals to the rest of our body to do the things we need it to do. As the brain ages or is unbalanced we start to lose proper function and can cause weight gain or reduced health.
Guidance: Blood flow and circulation is critical for brain health so including intense exercise that gets blood flowing to your brain is extremely important. Keeping blood sugar balanced throughout the day is also important since the brain relies on glucose for its energy source. Also eating a diet high in good healthy omega 3 fats helps to keep your brain functioning well.
4) Food Sensitivities:
Hidden food sensitivities can cause inflammation, weight gain, and poor health. You are eating all the right things, lots of lean protein, plenty of organic vegetables and only sticking to the cleanest carbs like quionoa and sweet potatoes but you still aren’t losing weight and you feel lethargic all the time. So what gives? Well, along with some other things that may be going on one thing that may be an issue for you is that you are not eating the foods that are right for your body.
Guidance: Take a look at what you are eating on a daily basis and how you are feeling after you are eating them. Start a food journal and keep track of what you are eating, what time you are eating and then how you are feeling immediately after you eat those foods and then 24-48 hours after. You also would want to start an elimination diet. Take out any of the high inflammatory foods like dairy, gluten, and processed foods. Eliminate these foods from your diet for at least 4-6 weeks and start to notice how you are feeling. Focus on eating green leafy vegetables, lean proteins, low glycemic fruits and healthy fats. If you starting to feel better, have more energy and feel less bloated you probably have a food sensitivity to one or multiple foods that you have eliminated.
As a clinical nutritionist I want to educate and inform women that we can take control of our own health and live happier, healthier and thriving lives while feeling great from day to day. I put together a guidebook to educate woman on just this! You can get the “Woman’s Guide to Empowered Living” here. Join me on my mission to feel great every day.
I know this is a lot of information to digest, that is why I am here to help you on your health journey. Email me at info@SabrinaSarabella.com to talk about setting up a consultation.
You can find me at www.SabrinaSarabella.com or on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/Sabrinasarabella.
Again, my FREE Women’s Health e-guide is here—> http://bit.ly/1qOxCdM
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