(BPT) - Few Americans are more time-strapped than parents. From the moment the alarm chimes, it can feel like a race to get through the day. From prepping for school or day care, to finalizing school projects and running to after-school activities, there’s hardly a moment to spare! And with career demands, the stress of being a busy parent can really set in and negatively affect the body in many ways.
Luckily, some simple tips can help you reduce stress and feel your very best while being a good mom or dad to your family. Dr. Keri Marshall, a licensed naturopathic doctor who specializes in pediatrics, women’s medicine and chronic disease management, understands the high demands of modern parenting. She offers some important tips that all parents should consider to help reduce stress and improve overall health and well-being.
kAm`] %:>6 >2?286>6?Ek^Am
kAm“%:>6 >2?286>6?E :D <6J 7@C C65F4:?8 DEC6DD 2?5 96=A:?8 3FDJ A2C6?ED <66A E96:C D2?:EJ] %96 AC@3=6> :D E92E E:>6 >2?286>6?E :D 2 D<:== E92E >FDE 36 =62C?65[ ?@E D@>6E9:?8 H6’C6 3@C? H:E9[” D2JD |2CD92==] “$E2J:?8 @C82?:K65 42? 96=A J@F 249:6G6 2== J@FC 8@2=D]”k^Am
kAm(96E96C :E’D 2 EC25:E:@?2= 42=6?52C @? E96 H2==[ >2<:?8 =:DED[ @C 2 ?6H D>2CEA9@?6 2AA[ @C82?:K6 J@FC H66< 2?5 D92C6 J@FC D4965F=6 H:E9 2== 72>:=J >6>36CD] #6>6>36C E@ >2?286 AC:@C:E:6D — J@F >2J 92G6 E@ AFD9 8C@46CJ D9@AA:?8 2 52J @C EH@ :? @C56C E@ >2<6 2 49:=5’D 32?5 4@?46CE @C 3:8 82>6] “p=D@[ 36 DFC6 E@ D4965F=6 3C62<D E9C@F89@FE E96 52J[” C6>:?5D |2CD92==] “yFDE 7:G6 @C `_ >:?FE6D 96C6 2?5 E96C6 42? 8:G6 J@F E96 A2FD6 J@F ?665 E@ DE2J 42=> 2?5 4@==64E65]”k^Am
kAma] }@FC:D9 J@FC 3@5Jk^Am
kAm(92E J@F AFE :?E@ J@FC 3@5J >2<6D 2 9F86 5:776C6?46 :? 9@H J@F 766=] $@>6 7@@5D 42? 6G6? 96=A C65F46 DEC6DD 2?5 3@@DE J@FC :>>F?:EJ D@ J@F 5@?’E H:?5 FA D:4<[ D@>6E9:?8 3FDJ A2C6?ED D:>A=J 5@?’E 92G6 E:>6 7@C]k^Am
kAm“q6:?8 DEC6DD65 42FD6D E96 3@5J’D 4@CE:D@= =6G6=D E@ C:D6[” 6IA=2:?D |2CD92==] “%9:D DEC6DD 9@C>@?6 42? 42FD6 J@F E@ 4C2G6 F?962=E9J 7@@5D[ D@ C6D:DE E6>AE2E:@? 2?5 62E 7@@5D E92E 96=A 42=> E96 3@5J 2?5 32=2?46 9@C>@?6D 2?5 3=@@5 DF82C] u@@5D 9:89 :? G:E2>:? r[ =:<6 36CC:6D 2?5 @E96C 3C:89E\4@=@C65 7CF:E[ 2C6 8C62E 7@C 3@@DE:?8 E96 :>>F?6 DJDE6> 2?5 32=2?4:?8 4@CE:D@= =6G6=D]”k^Am
kAmp?@E96C D:>A=6 E9:?8 J@F 42? 5@ 6G6CJ 52J E@ 96=A C65F46 DEC6DD 2?5 DE2J 962=E9J :D E@ E2<6 2 7:D9 @:= DFAA=6>6?E] “(:E9 2 ?F>36C @7 5:776C6?E 36?67:ED[ 7:D9 @:= AC@G:56D 6DD6?E:2= @>682\b 72EEJ 24:5D E92E 42? :>AC@G6 962CE[ ;@:?E 2?5 3C2:? 962=E9[ A=FD :?4C62D6 :>>F?:EJ] x AC676C 9:89\BF2=:EJ 7:D9 @:= DFAA=6>6?ED 7C@> k2 9C67lQ9EEAi^^HHH]?@C5:4?2EFC2=D]4@>^6?^v6?6C2=0!F3=:4^(9J0~>682\bD^dcaQm}@C5:4 }2EFC2=Dk^2m 3642FD6 E96J 2C6 8C62E E2DE:?8[” D2JD |2CD92==] “p?@E96C F?:BF6 36?67:E @7 7:D9 @:= :D :E 42? 96=A E@ 3@@DE >@@5 2D H6==] p 8C@H:?8 3@5J @7 C6D62C49 92D 56>@?DEC2E65 E92E @>682\bD 42? 96=A AC@>@E6 2 A@D:E:G6 >@@5 2?5 H6==\36:?8[ H9:49 :D 4C:E:42==J :>A@CE2?E 7@C A6@A=6 32EE=:?8 DEC6DD]”k^Am
kAmb] !C:@C:E:K6 D=66Ak^Am
kAm“!9JD:42= DEC6DD 42? >2<6 :E 5:77:4F=E E@ D=66A] !6@A=6 DE2J FA =2E6C ECJ:?8 E@ 86E E9:?8D 5@?6[ 2?5 E96? H96? E96J 5@ 8@ E@ 365[ E96J 92G6 EC@F3=6 EFC?:?8 E96:C 3C2:? @77 2E E96 6?5 @7 E96 52J[” D2JD |2CD92==]k^Am
kAmz66A :? >:?5[ BF2=:EJ D=66A 6249 ?:89E 42? 96=A <66A J@FC 3@5J 962=E9J 2?5 :?4C62D6 J@FC AC@5F4E:G:EJ =6G6=D 2E H@C< 2?5 2E 9@>6] qJ >2<:?8 D=66A 2 AC:@C:EJ[ J@F’== 96=A 6?DFC6 E92E J@F >2<6 E96 >@DE @7 6G6CJ 9@FC :? 6G6CJ 52J] (9:=6 E96 }2E:@?2= $=66A u@F?52E:@? ?@E6D E92E E96 2>@F?E @7 D=66A ?66565 G2C:6D 7C@> A6CD@? E@ A6CD@?[ 86?6C2==J D6G6? E@ ?:?6 9@FCD :D 4@?D:56C65 @AE:>2= E@ >2:?E2:? 962=E9]k^Am
kAmc] $92C6 E96 H@C<=@25k^Am
kAm*@F <?@H E96 25286i xE E2<6D 2 G:==286 E@ C2:D6 2 49:=5n (6==[ E@52J’D A2C6?ED 2C6 3FD:6C E92? 6G6C[ 2?5 @7E6? E96J E9:?< E96J ?665 E@ 5@ :E 2== E96>D6=G6D] {62?:?8 @? 7C:6?5D 2?5 C6=2E:G6D E@ 96=A @FE H96? ?66565 42? 5C2>2E:42==J C65F46 J@FC DEC6DD] !=FD[ :E 42? 36 2 7F? 492?86 @7 A246 7@C <:5D]k^Am
kAm“s@?’E 36 27C2:5 E@ 2D< 7@C 96=A[” D2JD |2CD92==] “#2:D:?8 49:=5C6? :D @?6 @7 =:76’D 8C62E6DE 25G6?EFC6D[ 3FE ?@ @?6 42? 5@ :E 2==] %96C6’D ?@ D92>6 :? 2D<:?8 vC2?5>2 E@ CF? E96 <:5D E@ D@446C @C 92G:?8 2 7C:6?5 H2E49 E96 <:5D 7@C 2 76H 9@FCD 3642FD6 J@F 92G6 2 H@C< 5625=:?6] !=FD[ :E :D 8C62E 3@?5:?8 E:>6 7@C J@FC 49:=5C6? 2?5 E96 =@G65 @?6D :? E96:C =:76]k^Am
kAmk:>8 DC4lVk2 9C67lQ9EEAi^^HHH]3C2?5A@:?E4@?E6?E]4@>^AC:?ED:E6^x>286(C:E6C]2D9In2CE:4=6:5l`ehfhU2>Aj>6>36C:5lfac`fQm9EEAi^^HHH]3C2?5A@:?E4@?E6?E]4@>^AC:?ED:E6^x>286(C:E6C]2D9In2CE:4=6:5l`ehfhU2>Aj>6>36C:5lfac`fk^2mV 3@C56ClV_V H:5E9lV`V 96:89ElV`V ^mk^Am