To celebrate February, Heart Health Month, we asked our Nutrition Collaborative what they do for self care. From skin care to taking a break from technology, self care takes different forms for every body. We hope these tips will inspire you to take care of yourself, and your heart, this year. Let’s hear what the professionals have to say!
Tracy Beckerman is a Registered Dietitian based in New York City who focuses on women’s health in one-on-one client sessions and through various media features, including the beloved podcast “Diet Starts Tomorrow.” Good nutrition is just one way Tracy achieves personal health and wellness. Amidst the pollution and chaos that many New Yorkers navigate every day, Tracy says she practices self care by “getting an occasional facial to brighten up [her] look!” Because sometimes feeling good is about looking good, too.
Liz Hurley, from Raleigh, North Carolina, also incorporates skin care into her self care routine. With clients, Liz takes an individualized and holistic approach to health, with a focus on food allergies and GI disorders. As a dietitian and personal trainer, Liz not only encourages integrating movement into a client’s wellness plan, but also takes her own advice on a daily basis. With every step away from her desk, Liz practices self care with purpose and intention. Every bite of food and book she reads in the evenings to wind down is a part of her self care routine. And the best part of all this self care is that she believes it improves the quality of her sleep. “I’m all about those eight hours,” she says. Liz is living her best life and helping others do the same.
There must be something in the water -- all eight glasses a day -- because Lizzie O’Connor, RD from Shelton, Connecticut, also practices self care by keeping her body moving. Lizzie is a clinical dietitian at Yale New Haven Hospital who makes sure to fuel herself properly throughout her busy work day. Lizzie’s pro-tip for self care is setting herself up for a successful week “by meal prepping and keeping healthy snacks on hand.” She is currently working on creating a website so she can share more lifestyle tips like these. We’re excited to see it!
Taking care of our minds is just as important as taking care of our bodies. Erin Hendrickson from Nashville, Tennessee practices self care by taking regular breaks from technology and notes that “a day on the trail, a nice dinner, or catching up with a friend is a thousand times more enjoyable sans technology.” Research actually shows that we are better able to remember moments when we are not behind a screen. Erin stays in the moment without focusing on technology and says she feels more refreshed, focused, and creative. Professionally, her practice focuses on “eco-conscious” living and she will be spending part of February in Costa Rica to work on an eco-conscious travel guide.
February may be Heart Health Month, but any month can be Self Care Month when you incorporate some of these simple tips into your daily regimen. Whether you want to get up from your desk more often or carve out more time for “you-time,” there are countless small ways to make a big difference. At the end of the day, we all want to take care of our bodies and minds and live our best, simplest, and most wholesome lives.
Are you a Registered Dietitian or Nutritionist and interested in getting involved? Join our Nutrition Collaborative!