How Self-Care and Love Leads to Healthier Life

Self-care can help lead to a healthier life, experts say.

By Kayla Mercedes Lee 

Bronx Voice

February 28, 2023

HEALTH - According to Everyday Health, there is “an epidemic of anxiety and depression,” which has resulted in the importance of self-care as a remedy for everyday life stressors becoming more evident to society. 

The term self-care has become more popularly used throughout recent years as the connection between physical and mental health has become apparent to all, especially through social media and other information and media sources commonly used by the mass public. 

According to the World Health Organization, self-care is: “the ability of individuals, families, and communities to promote health, prevent disease, maintain health, and to cope with illness and disability with or without the support of a healthcare provider.”

Integrating acts of self-care into your daily routine creates a healthier lifestyle so that you may lead a life of wellness. Health and happiness are correlated—having self-care habits will lead to better mental health, which could mean less anxiety, stress, and depression.

Self-care can mean different things for different people, which is why it is important to take the time to reflect on what your needs are. Another factor to take into consideration is that there are three different types of self-care: emotional, physical, and spiritual. These three categories of self-care are equally important and should be practiced regularly to achieve higher levels of positive health outcomes such as reduced stress stress levels and an improved immune system. Other benefits that can be achieved through consistent self-care are increased productivity and higher self-esteem. 

MHHC is dedicated to making the act of self-care more accessible to the community not only through the provision of high-quality healthcare, but also through supplementary resources such as educational material and workshops that focus on ways in which you can practice self-care.

Valentine’s Day is celebrated during the month of February. To many, the holiday of love is assumed to be one in which we show love to others, but we sometimes forget how important self-love is and the meaning of it. When we perform acts of self-care, we are showing love to ourselves: self-love. Life is full of moments where we must give to others, whether it is at work or at home with our families. To be able to give without draining our own energy, we must practice self-care. 

4 Ways to Practice Self Care that Benefit your Health

Exercise

Consistent exercise or movement is beneficial for your physical and mental health. Group classes at your local YMCA or fitness center is a good way to motivate yourself to create an exercise routine.

You don’t have to go to the gym to get moving—take a walk, run, or bike ride at your local park or through your neighborhood. Even a 10-15 minute walk every day is proven to improve brain and heart health. Other ways to easily integrate physical activity into your daily routine are yoga or stretching at the beginning and end of your day. MHHC partners with the La Central YMCA and the YMCA of the Northeast Bronx to hold fitness and health related community events for all ages and body types. Our most recent event was the “Love Yourself” event where participants were able to take part in a CPR training, swimming, dance classes, and other fitness classes.

Finding Purpose

Finding your purpose in life is something that is easier said than done. It can be achieved with time through practicing mindfulness and participating in activities that can open you to new opportunities. Reflecting on what your strengths, talents, and skills are can help you to slowly realize what your goals are in life. Once you have a vision as to who you would like to become, it is important to visualize and set goals towards becoming that version of yourself. An example of a “find your purpose” activity is volunteering as it is a great way to meet different people and learn more about yourself along the way. MHHC is holding neighborhood cleanups and walks every couple of months starting in March. We invite you to join us as we take care of our neighborhood, which is an extension of our homes. 

Diet

Have you ever heard the saying “you are what you eat”? The more nutritious the foods that you consume are, the healthier you will be!  

Nutrition is an obvious key component of good health and is one of the most important ways in which you can take care of yourself. At MHHC, we provide nutrition education and access to healthy foods through our WIC program and our Fresh Food Farmstand with GrowNYC. MHHC also holds nutrition workshops where you can learn how to prepare healthy meals. Our next “Eat Well” event is at the La Central YMCA on March 15th.  

Sleep

Sleep is the time when your body regenerates its cells, which is what keeps all our organs healthy and functioning properly. It is important to get around 7-8 hours of sleep every night to live a long healthy life. Sleeping less than 7 hours can increase your chance of mortality, but sleeping too much, 10+ hours, can cause the same detrimental effects as sleeping too little. Unhealthy sleep patterns increase your chances of heart disease and metabolic diseases such as obesity and diabetes. This is not to say that you should not catch up on sleep every once in a while. If you have trouble falling asleep, meditation or reading before bed can help. Blue light, which emits from your phone and tv can disrupt your sleep cycle which makes it harder for you to fall asleep in the first place.

To learn more about MHHC offerings and events, follow us on Instagram @mhhc_inc. We have several locations in the Bronx and are now open in Brooklyn at 1095 Flatbush Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11226. To learn more about our services, schedule an appointment with one of our providers, call 718-716-4400.