Episode #28: Self-Care For PCOS
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What you’ll learn in this episode
I always thought that self-care was a bubble bath, a massage, or a pedicure. You know the things that everyone lists as self-care. But over the last several years of my PCOS healing journey, I have discovered an entirely new meaning and list of self-care and some incredible benefits of it for my PCOS root cause. Listen now so you can start weaving self-care into your day to improve your PCOS hormones too.
How Self-Care Benefits PCOS Root Cause Healing
It’s easy to neglect taking care of ourselves because we’re busy and overwhelmed by everything we need to get done. Even a small rest feels like a luxury. Taking time to eat lunch, exercise, and hang out with friends just feels like slacking.
This mindset backfires so BIG! Because self-care actually helps you make progress faster for a few reasons:
Self-care prevents “overload burnout”: We’ve all been there: you push yourself to the point that you can’t take anymore so you just give up. Selfcare helps you avoid getting to that point.
Self-care reduces the negative effects of stress: A small amount of stress can serve a purpose, but after a while, it just breaks down your mind and body. Taking care of yourself means keeping your stress from taking over so you can function at full capacity.
Self-care helps us refocus: When I was stuck on a complicated math problem in school, my teacher would suggest walking away and coming back—taking a break, basically. Breaks are the epitome of self-care, and studies show they’re great for helping you perform better.
Sometimes I treat self-care as a reward. I’m so hungry I can barely think, but I’ll force myself to finish a batch of work before I eat lunch. What I’m really doing is making my job more difficult by allowing myself to run on fumes.
In other words, self-care is not a reward. It’s part of the process. Sometimes we get so used to “rewarding ourselves” with lunch or even a trip to the bathroom, that we forget exactly what it means to take care of ourselves.
The Self-Care Frame Of Mind
Also, sometimes eating junk feels like self-care. I often “treat” myself with a handful of Oreos. Nothing wrong with the occasional indulgence, but in contrast, I think of healthy food as the enemy, so I don’t eat as much of it as I “should”. This really involves changing the way you think about eating well entirely, but you can start by experimenting with healthy foods you might actually like, and not trying to force yourself to eat stuff you hate just because it’s healthy.
There are so many ways of practicing self-care and I think that if you listen to this episode you’ll begin to think outside the box of all the ways you can practice self-care even in your current daily schedule.
So if you are ready to incorporate some fun and easy ways to practice self-care go ahead and listen to this episode now.
Resources & References Mentioned in this episode
Take the PCOS Root cause quiz to learn what your body needs to heal
Results are not guaranteed. Please see Medical Disclaimer for more detail.
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PCOS FERTILITY MEAL GUIDE
What I changed to finally get pregnant after almost 2 years of trying.
What the heck to eat to boost PCOS fertility
It's not a one size fits all
Sample Meal Plan Included
Plan and Prep Guide Included
Go beyond diet & nourish your hormones to boost fertility
I share the steps I followed in this FREE MEAL GUIDE.
About the Show
Welcome to The PCOS Repair Podcast!
I'm Ashlene Korcek, and each week I'll be sharing the latest findings on PCOS and how to make practical health changes to your lifestyle to repair your PCOS at the root cause.
If you're struggling with PCOS, know that you're not alone. In fact, it's estimated that one in ten women have PCOS. But the good news is that there is a lot we can do to manage our symptoms and live healthy, happy lives.
So whether you're looking for tips on nutrition, exercise, supplements, or mental health, you'll find it all here on The PCOS Repair Podcast. Ready to get started? Hit subscribe now
