Mom's Guide To A Healthier And Longer Life

There is no good time for moms to get sick, but it’s not an impossible scenario—with most of their waking moments spent tending to their kids’ needs and often not caring about their own.

According to a study in Circulation, women who followed the five healthy lifestyle habits—exercising at least 30 minutes a day, having a healthy diet, not smoking, drinking in moderation, and maintaining a healthy weight—lived 14 years longer than those who don’t.

So, if you want to be with your kids for a decade longer, this mom's guide to a healthier and longer life can help you get there.

1. Eat healthily

May it be the kids’ leftovers or just a conscious effort to serve the family the same dish, mommies end up eating what the kids are also having. If you’re not routinely serving the healthier kind to your kids, chances are, you’re wreaking havoc to your diet.

Don’t copy your kids’ diet and stick with eating three healthy meals a day and practicing portion control. Instead of calories, pack in more protein to your diet by having food such as oatmeal, fish, broccoli, eggs, chicken breast, and almonds to name a few.

2. Sleep early

Put your kids to bed early so that you’d also get to sleep early, or at least have enough sleep at night.

Inadequate sleep time results in lack of energy and affects your health negatively. Take every chance you get to take a nap during the day, too.

3. Get moving

You don’t have to plan out a fitness regime and spend hours in the gym (because no mommy has time for that)—simply sharing an activity with your kids can be enough.

As often as you can, play with them. It not only burns off the calories and motivates you to be active, but it’s also a good bonding time.

If you do want to exercise, something as simple as walking can be beneficial. A yoga or dance class or a playing a sport that you like is good, too.

Know what you want to do to stay active and keep at it.

4. Get social

And no, this doesn’t mean social media. Nothing can ever replace the actual conversation you can have with your friends in person. In fact, now that you’re a mother, you should try to minimize your use of social media. It takes too much time and is often not a productive activity.

If you need to get outside to be social, then so be it. It’s a lot better than keeping to yourself at home all day because the fresh air outside is good for your overall health. Plus, you’d get to meet people and parents like you who are more understanding of what you’re going through as a mother.

5. Find inner peace

As much as mothers love their child, it’s no surprise that her day can get a little too rowdy and messy with them around. Sometimes, it can put them over the edge or even make them feel like they're not a good parent.

That’s why it’s important for moms to stay calm and find their inner peace. This can be done through a few changes of habits and actions. Something as simple as playing your favorite music while doing the chores can make routines more enjoyable.  

Alone time is necessary, too, especially since you’re now always surrounded by people who constantly need your attention. Create a schedule that allows you to have your me time.

6. Get a life insurance policy with health and wellness benefits

As a mother, you’d want to protect your children for as long as you can. One way to do this is to get a life insurance policy that will cover your beneficiaries in case anything happens to you.

To make the most out of your insurance, get one that offers you rewards for making healthy choices.

Moms need to take care of themselves to have a long, happy life. The healthier and happier they are, the more time they have to look after their kids—and even fulfill their personal goals in life.   


[This is a guest post written by  Ms. Bea Rico from BPI-Philam featuring a useful Infographic on how Moms can stay healthy.]