Women have a lot on their plates. From bearing and raising children to maintaining a home, excelling in their careers, spending quality time with their partners and friends and keeping up with hobbies – every hour in the day is filled to the brim.
As a result, many women admit not always prioritizing their health and wellness needs. While this may seem sustainable in the short-term, it can have catastrophic effects in the long-term.
It’s important for all women and girls to reflect on their individual health needs and to take proactive steps to improve their overall health. This includes going for regular health tests and screenings, getting active, maintaining a healthy weight, eating well and finding ways to manage and cope with mental health challenges.
While it’s important to visit your healthcare providers for routine check-ups regularly, there are also plenty of little things you can do daily to maintain your physical and mental health.
Sip on healthy drinks
In the pursuit of making healthy eating choices, we sometimes forget that drinks also play a major part in our dietary health. Limit your daily intake of caffeine and alcohol and avoid sugary drinks as far as possible. Be sure to drink plenty of water, and for an added tasty health boost, include SELA Women’s Tea (R62.95) in your diet. It contains traditional rooibos, black tea and wild ginger to provide support to women experiencing painful ovulation, period cramps or hot flushes, and may also help alleviate the symptoms associated with menopause. This tea, packed with ginger’s anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving properties, may help relieve pain and bloating, plus it is free of artificial flavours, colours and preservatives.
Take care down there
It’s important to keep your intimate area clean and fresh, but regular soaps and body washes may upset the delicate pH balance or lead to itching or discomfort. That’s because most of them contain fragrances and colourants that cause irritation. The answer? Switch to a cleanser that was specifically designed to be used “down there.” Summers Eve Lavender Night Time Cleansing Wash (R129.99) is uniquely formulated and pH-balanced to match your body’s natural chemistry and is perfect to use in the evening. It removes odour-causing bacteria and is scented with soothing lavender and amber which are safe to use around the vaginal area. If you prefer a morning shower, try Summers Eve Active Daily Performance Wash (R129.95) which offers energized cleansing that helps you feel ready for the day. It contains Acti-Cool™, a blend of eucalyptus and peppermint oils that has a cooling and refreshing effect on the skin. Always pH-balanced to match your body’s natural chemistry, it is perfect for an active lifestyle
A supplement for every need
Even when you follow a healthy, balanced diet, chances are you still aren’t consuming all the essential nutrients your body needs to function optimally. We recommend daily supplementation – not just with a multi-vitamin product that offers overall protection, but also with products designed to help support your body when it has specific needs. For example, when you’re going through a stressful time, supplementing with a product like JSHealth Mild Anxiety + Stress (R649.00) may help relieve the symptoms of stress and irritability, so you feel calm and relaxed. Want to improve the health of your skin, hair and nails? JSHealth Vitality X + Collagen (R999.00) is derived from wild cod skin and contains aloe vera silica and vitamins C & E to nourish hair, skin, and nails. It also promotes and maintains collagen formation for health, skin elasticity and hydration.
Boost your overall health and immune system with a multi-vitamin product that contains a variety of essential vitamins and minerals. NutriPure Multivitamin Complete Gummies (R145.00) is packed with a balanced dosage of essential vitamins and minerals which are factors in the maintenance of good health. Has your immune system taken a bit of a beating? NutriPure Immune Support Gummies (R145.00) contains six essential vitamins necessary to boost and maintain a healthy immune system.
Healthy skin
The skin is the body’s largest organ, and it’s what protects us from bacteria and other harmful aggressors. Maintaining healthy skin isn’t just about looking good, it’s also about strengthening, nourishing and protecting skin so that it can continue protecting us.
One of the most important things you can do to protect your skin is to apply a sun protection product daily. The sun’s UV rays aren’t just responsible for burning skin – they’re also responsible for accelerating the ageing process, causing hyperpigmentation and even skin cancer. Be sure to apply a broad spectrum SPF every day, regardless of the weather. Piz Buin Allergy Face Cream SPF50 (R199.00) offers high sun protection and a unique anti-irritant shield complex to help strengthen the skin’s resilience to the sun.
Maintaining a skincare regime twice a day will not only benefit the appearance of your skin, but also the health of your skin. It’s essential to cleanse, treat and moisturise and exfoliate a couple of times per week to remove dead skin cells from the surface of the skin and prevent breakouts.
With winter officially here, skin is bound to need extra moisture as we head into icy temperatures. We recommend cleansing twice a day with a hydrating cleanser like Creightons H2O Boost Foaming Gel Wash (R119.95) and following with Creightons H2O Boost Day Gel (R179.95) in the morning and Creightons H2O Boost Overnight Mask (R179.95) in the evening. The collection contains hyaluronic acid, a powerful ingredient that helps restore moisture in the skin.
For effective exfoliation, we recommend NIP+FAB Vitamin C Scrub Fix (R249.95), an illuminating exfoliating scrub infused with vitamin C, coffee seed extract and coconut oil to effectively cleanse, nourish and renew the skin. If you prefer a chemical exfoliant, try NIP+FAB Salicylic Fix Night Pads (R349.95), which effectively exfoliates while protecting against the formation of breakouts and clogged pores.
Whatever your age or health status, remember that small daily self-care practices can have a major positive effect on your physical and mental well-being.
