On the occasion of international women's day, web platforms are agog with a myriad of beautiful renditions of how ordinary women strive and stride across different spheres of endeavor. There’s a common consensus that women should be empowered to achieve their dreams, irrespective of age, color, class, or socio/economic background. But, to attain her goals, a woman has to look after her health first. It’s only with a healthy body and mind can she achieve success!
Amid this barrage of issues is the issue of women’s health and wellbeing. Ironically, women who are caregivers and nurturers of others do not take time to take care of themselves. In most cases, these heroines who take care of others become the victims due to sheer ignorance or negligence.
Beyond their hectic schedule of taking care of work, home, and all the people in their lives, the personal health of a woman is paramount and should be prioritized. This Women’s Day presents yet an opportunity for women to prioritize their health and wellbeing. Ignoring your health or living an unhealthy lifestyle could be a recipe for disaster.

So, here’s how a woman can take better care of her health:
Make Good nutrition a priority
Women are always preoccupied with the dietary needs of their loved ones. They often deprive themselves of their nutritional needs. This has made women prone to illnesses such as anemia, osteoporosis, anorexia, or even obesity. Women must learn to tend to themselves by eating healthy. A nourishing diet is the foundation of a healthy lifestyle. Beyond weight loss and maintenance, eating a balanced diet is crucial to a woman’s overall health. Good foods provide vitamins, minerals, and nutrients that are important for growth, well-being, and development.

Manage stress better
Women wear many caps, they are mothers, sisters, daughters, wives all at the same time. The demands of a career, kids, family are usually very overwhelming. These demands most likely will increase their stress levels. Excessive stress can translate to:
• High blood pressure
• Upset stomach or other gastrointestinal issues
• Back pain
• Relationship conflicts
• Sleeping difficulties
• Abdominal weight gain
Some of this stress can be reduced by engaging in activities that relax you such as reading, gardening, walking, etc.

Get better Sleep
The function of sleep is not only to relax the body but also to rest and restore the mind. It is necessary to heal and repair your heart and blood vessels. Commit to sleeping a minimum of seven hours a day while aiming for eight, and you will feel yourself getting healthier and happier in a short amount of time. Women are more likely to suffer from depression and anxiety than men are. According to psychologists, one of the simplest ways to bring your depression under control is by sleeping. Sleep can enhance your sense of wellbeing and help ease depression, stress, and all other mood disorders. baking, playing a musical instrument etc. Breathing exercises and yoga too will help eliminate stress.

Exercise regularly
Statistics show that more women are obese than men. And obesity is a killer that can usher in diseases as deadly as heart ailments, liver disorders, cancer, and diabetes. By keeping you fit and preventing certain diseases, exercise is good for any gender. But exercise is especially important for women because of its role in helping with osteoporosis (as well as cancer, diabetes, and heart disease). Regular exercise helps improve muscle mass, which usually starts declining in a woman’s 30s, and reduces the rate of bone loss.

Screening the women-specific diseases
Regular medical checkups are important as they detect problems early on, allowing for a better chance of treatment. Even if you are a healthy woman, going to the doctor annually allows your doctor to spot any changes to your body in order to avoid problems in the future. Breast, ovarian, and cervical cancers can be lethal. How can you reduce your chances of falling prey to them is by early detection.

The need for a woman to take her health and wellbeing seriously cannot be over-emphasized. A woman looks after everyone’s health and therefore deserves to look after herself too.
Healthy Women Build a healthy society!