This Mother’s Day, soak in all the love and let your loved ones pamper you for everything you do. But please let that not come in the way of giving yourself some self love today ❤️.

Most moms don’t feel like they are rocking motherhood. But you are! You already have! If you are a mom, you already have done your part to ensure the perpetuation of the human species on this planet. That is a big feat in itself. From there on, everything you do to mother your kids day after day is an act of love. Dig deeper, and scientific research tells us that nature has equipped us with hormones that provide us the power to nurture and love our offspring unconditionally. 37.2 trillion cells make up the human body and beautifully communicate with each other via potent chemical messengers, aka hormones.

Although, we are hardwired for attachment, our biology, which includes wonderful hormones like oxytocin and serotonin, affects our capability to love and nurture. That is to say that the state of our endocrine system influences how we mother. So moms being in a state of robust homeostasis is in the best interest of the next generation.

Now take a look at some statistics –

• Dementia cases set to triple by 2050.
• It is projected that in the US, 1 in 2 women and 1 in 3 men will develop cancer at some point in their lifetime.
• 300 million diabetics projected around the world by 2030
• Hypertension is projected to be 25% of all adult population by 2030.

These statistics are grim and alarming. If this is our projected trajectory, the quality of care we can offer our kids also looks grim. The idea is not to get ridden with fear. It is to recognize that there needs to be immediate proactive preventive action.

Think about this – it is better to be a little bit less of a rockstar mom and be around and alive for those kids for decades to come. Instead of being a super-performer, think about being the longest serving performer. In my experience, even at 40 now, I need my mom. She still mothers me and also mothers my kids, for which I’m beyond blessed. We all want that for kids. So if it makes you feel any better, taking time for self-care is the best thing you can do being a mother.

Now how do we do that? While a day at the spa seems like a great self-care idea, which it probably is, that’s not what’s going to build a long-term strong foundation for a healthy future. Here I’m referring to self-care habits that can be simple but effectively contribute to well-being. Here are some ideas that you can incorporate today and keep up till next Mother’s Day and hopefully forever. Even if one habit lasts, it’s a WIN!

• Drink a tall glass of water first thing in the morning and right then fill up your large water bottle for the day. Do this everyday and watch yourself never slacking on hydration.
• Get morning sunlight for at least 5 minutes. Sunlight is excellent for all organ systems of the body, and there is no other health protocol that is this powerful for mental and physical health. Five minutes is a very achievable goal for anyone that cares.
• Wear your fitness tracker first thing in the morning. Invest in one today if you already haven’t, and use it as a motivator rather than just a reporter. Most of these devices are great at measuring our movement and energy expenditure. On a low-activity day, take charge of your diet to offset the low caloric expenditure. Likewise, on a higher activity day, fuel well to not feel depleted at the end of the day. The idea here is to be friends with that device and use the feedback in actionable means.
• Add a green juice to your weekly routine and shoot for at-least 3 times a week. They are excellent cleansers and the benefits are pretty quickly experienced through better skin and energy levels.
• Work out at least three times a week. This can be anything from heavy weight training to yoga or anything in between. Whatever moves you today! Don’t depend on motivation for this to happen. Motivation can come and go. Rely on discipline and commitment. Almost everyone feels better after the workout than before starting it. Focus on how you would feel after and use that as your motivator. As is clear from anecdotal and scientific evidence, regular exercise prevents muscle loss, cognitive decline, and most lifestyle diseases. Remember, if no action is taken, it’s just waiting for some lifestyle disease to show up.

These are just some tips. Most important is to remember your WHY. It’s a moral obligation that we have to the next generation. This Mother’s Day, kick off your journey to lay the foundation for a strong and healthy future. Happy Mother’s Day!