Mother’s Day, celebrated on the second Sunday of May, is a special day dedicated to honoring the influence and contributions of mothers worldwide. This year, it falls on the 12th of May. So, prioritize your mother’s health and show her support and love.

What you need to know:

Prioritizing mom’s well-being
Simple steps for a healthier mom
Finding activities your mom enjoys
Starting a gentle exercise routine together
Making memories: Celebrate your mom this Mother’s Day

Prioritizing mom’s well-being

Our mothers get so invested in loving and supporting us that they often neglect self-care, compromising their mental health and overall wellness. And we tend to overlook it as well.

Why focusing on mom’s health is the ultimate gift

Motherhood can be exciting and joyous as well as full of challenges. These emotions and challenges can start showing as early as pregnancy. From hormonal changes to limitations in lifestyle, our mothers sacrifice a lot to bring us into this world. A new mother may experience poor health or depression, and a long-term mother may be mentally exhausted. But through all her challenges, a mother nurtures her child with unconditional love and care. So, taking care of your mother is the least that you can do, and yet it can become the ultimate gift. Health is wealth, and it’s time you nurture your mom to good health.

Simple steps for a healthier mom

Caring for your mother can be as easy as making her breakfast or simply spending time with her. Your mom may be under a lot of stress, so you can help her relax in the following ways –

Diet and nutrition

Poor nutrition and diet habits can be extremely detrimental. This is especially true for mothers who delay or skip meals in the rush of meeting household and family responsibilities.

Encouraging a balanced diet

Women have their own nutritional requirements. The burden of day-to-day responsibilities impacts these requirements as moms prioritize their responsibilities over nutrition. They need to have different types of foods and be in the right proportions. Instead, they skip meals or make do with whatever is easily available. This leads to nutritional deficiencies in women, especially in low-middle-income countries like ours. Encourage your mother to eat a balanced diet containing carbohydrates, proteins, fats and fibers. See to it that she doesn’t skip her breakfast and eats on time. Make sure to replace all the junk with fruits, vegetables, wholegrain, pulses, dairy, meat and poultry.

Cooking healthy meals together

Cooking with mom can be a fun activity and a way to keep eating healthy forever. Your indulgence in your mother’s nutrition can keep her motivated to eat good food and on time. Even if your mother shrugs it off, you can intervene and add those nutrient-rich foods to her diet. You can help her prepare her food on time so she never skips a meal. Lessen her workload and make her a nutritious meal whenever you can.

Fitness and activity

Women with poor fitness and low physical activity have an increased risk of diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, colon cancer, hypertension and depression. Participate in activities to keep your mom active.

Finding activities your mom enjoys

Encourage your mom to indulge in activities that she likes. Make time for gardening with her, gift her a book if she is an avid reader, and take her to plays and musical concerts, painting or knitting classes, card games, museum visits and city tours. Moms take care of us and fulfill all our demands — it is time to give back!

Starting a gentle exercise routine together

With age, the desire to exercise diminishes even though it’s crucial for a good quality of life. Physical activity is the driver of a long and healthy life, even for older people. Working moms may feel too exhausted both physically and psychologically to make time for exercising regularly. Since exercising is essential for self-care, be the lever that sets it in motion. Encourage your mother to exercise and become her ‘workout partner’ regularly. Join her in an exercise routine that compliments her age, routine and her abilities.

Personalized activities and gifts focused on health

Help your mom enjoy exercises or activities like yoga, Zumba or Pilates. Buy her an acupressure mat to relax, an aromatherapy kit, books she enjoys, good music, or a set of assorted teas to refresh her taste buds.

Making memories: Celebrate your mom this Mother’s Day

Prevention is always better than cure! Regular doctor visits can help moms stay ahead of any underlying condition. Eating well, exercising and sleeping adequately are basic preventative measures to avoid illnesses.

The importance of regular checkups

A proactive approach towards healthcare can be vital for a healthy life. Gone are the days when you needed to visit a doctor when symptoms occurred. Regular health checkups can help you detect underlying illnesses in infancy and eliminate or mitigate their effects on the body. Periodic health evaluations tell you if your mother is at a greater risk of diabetes, heart conditions, stroke or kidney diseases. Determining these factors early can help doctors with early intervention and prevent severe consequences. Some common tests for women are:

Blood pressure
Blood glucose levels
Bone density screening
Lipid Profile
HPV testing and Pap Smears
Cognitive abilities
Breast cancer and cervical cancer

Supporting mom during appointments

Having a loved one by your side during doctor appointments can be a calming influence on the patient. This is not only true for patients with chronic or long-term ailments but also for those who feel nervous about visiting a doctor. Mothers are so occupied with their spouses and children that they often skip doctor consultations and regular checkups. Make time to accompany your mom to the clinic and understand the extent of her care.

Celebrate this Mother’s Day by caring for your mom and making new memories. Go out for the day and enjoy activities together. Cook her a nice, nutritious dinner while she relaxes and enjoys an evening doing what she likes. Set the stage for a healthy life ahead.

Stay tuned to the Activ Living Community. Keep up to date with the latest health tips and trends through expert videos, podcasts, articles, and much more on nutrition, fitness, mindfulness, and lifestyle conditions like Asthma, Blood Pressure, Cholesterol, and Diabetes. Activ Living ke saath sahi sehat ki shuruat ABHI karo.

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