There’s a mountain of pressure placed upon the shoulders of modern working women like you, which makes staying healthy a big challenge. You work so hard and go toe-to-toe with your male counterparts on a daily basis in the workplace, all while juggling your responsibilities at home as a mother and wife or a daughter and sister. But while many women make it look so easy, most succumb to stress and burnout. Stress shows up in your skin making it dry or oily and causing flare-ups before moving on to affect other body organs thereby causing diseases.

This is why you need to take care of, not just your body, but also your mind. Here are seven science-backed tips to keep you looking good and feeling great while staying healthy:

1. Clock out on time
Here’s another reason for you to skip doing too much overtime. A study by researchers from the University of Ohio has found that women who clock in more hours at work greatly increase their risk of developing life-threatening illnesses like heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. So if you juggle multiple roles and clock in more than 40 hours per week, according to the study you are setting yourself up for serious illnesses and disabilities in the long run. Various researches have also shown that putting in long hours at work causes sleep and digestive problems which can lead to fatigue.

2. Exercise at least 30 minutes a day
If you can’t find the type of exercise that suits your schedule, try to squeeze in at least 30 minutes of exercise in your routine according to experts from UConn Health Women’s Center. Even just 30 minutes of exercise daily will keep your heart healthy, help control your weight, and reduce your risk of developing illnesses related to obesity like breast, colon, or endometrial cancer.

What kind of exercise should you do? A separate study done by researchers at the London School of Economics found that a 30-minute brisk walk every day is a more effective way to lose weight than going to the gym!

3. Don’t skip checkups
Even with your packed schedule, you need to prioritize your visit to the doctor because many illnesses could be managed if detected early. Aside from your annual checkup, the Society recommends that you have a monthly Breast Self-Examination, an annual clinical breast exam, and mammograph. And when you reach 21, you should get a pap smear to detect cervical cancer every three years.

4. Keep yourself hydrated
According to research presented at the National Meeting of the American Chemical Society, drinking two 8-ounce glasses of water before meals helps people shed pounds. This is because drinking water fills your stomach with a substance that has zero calories thus acting as a natural appetite suppressant.

Aside from that, water keeps your organs functioning properly as it aids in the transport of nutrients and removal of waste. Water also keeps your brain performing properly. In fact, a research published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition has found that dehydration can cause a significant decrease in memory and mental performance including the ability to focus on tasks.

5. Limit processed food
While it’s so much easier to reach for something instant when you get hungry especially when you’re on the go all the time, scientists strongly advice against this. A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition has found a link between increased consumption of ultra-processed food to obesity in adolescents and adults. A separate study done by scientists at the Brigham Young University even found that eating unhealthy food (processed, high in fat and sugars) leads to a decrease in productivity and increases one’s risk of developing cancer. Experts advise people to instead choose fresh and “real” food as often as possible.

6. Make time for friends
It’s easy to skip meet-ups with friends when you’re swamped with work and all you can think about is rushing home to finish chores. But researchers from Harvard Medical School has found that for women, maintaining friendships helps keep her emotionally and mentally healthy while warding off illnesses.

According to the study, the more friends you have, the less likely you are to develop physical impairments as you get older. The same study also found that not having friends is as detrimental to your health as smoking or being overweight. As you very well know, women process experiences, alleviate stress, or unwind by sharing their experiences with others. Various researches have found that for women, building and maintaining relationships with friends is especially crucial to maintain one’s physical, emotional, and mental well-being.

7. Take a multivitamin daily
Ideally, for us to be able to stay healthy, and be productive, our meals are supposed to supply us with all the nutrients for our daily needs. But in reality, this does not happen all the time, if at all. One easy and convenient way to have access to nutrients a modern working woman needs is by taking supplements daily. Vitamin C alone won't do. Your multivitamin must have the highest levels of Zinc, Vitamins A, C, and E to boost immunity while helps keeping your skin and hair healthy. In this way, you can stay confident as you establish your place at work while fulfilling your responsibilities at home.

Source Links:

https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/104/5/1433/4564389
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/06/16/working-long-hours-harms-women-but-protects-men-study-shows/
https://www.hindustantimes.com/fitness/women-s-health-from-pap-smear-test-to-eating-colourful-fruits-experts-give-tips/story-wmz4p5tLEUoPAmyjDpwJMI.html
https://www.rd.com/health/diet-weight-loss/drinking-enough-water/
https://medium.com/bsxtechnologies/4-ways-dehydration-affects-your-brain-e4042a6cb6b1
https://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/pressroom/newsreleases/2010/august/clinical-trial-confirms-effectiveness-of-simple-appetite-control-method.html
https://www.facebook.com/philcancerorg/posts/new-guidelines-recommend-pap-smear-every-three-years-only-______________________/460472267301314/
https://today.uconn.edu/2017/05/10-ways-women-can-stay-healthy/#
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/randy-kamen-gredinger-edd/female-friendship_b_2193062.html

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