Taking Care of Your Health Post College

I love all health related topics as of late but who doesn’t? Social Media is all over the #wellness trend. I’ll admit, I didn’t grow up caring much about food.. all i wanted to do was try different foods and eat everything. Food was my hobby.

It wasn’t till my late teens that I started noticing that my body was just holding on to so much weight and I was taking in more calories than I was burning. With a few shifts in my diet and daily exercise I lost 35 lbs within months. I was 18 after all.

Things really changed in my early twenties and that’s when i realized I really need to step up my game and really take care of myself. It can seem so challenging with so many health gurus out there and so much content all over social media. This is why I am breaking it down to just the basics. Here are some of my basic tips to help keep you balanced:

Allergies

Half the time when people around me get sick it is typically from allergies. Staying on top of your allergy medicine and allergies in general is super beneficial. On top of that, as we get older our bodies can’t always process the same foods anymore. If you are one of the many who don’t run into this problem you can move on over to the next topic, however dairy intolerance is a real issue. In fact, Dean Foods just filed for bankruptcy recently with hopes that this will help them get rid of some of their dairy assets. People are just becoming more informed and not purchasing as much dairy products anymore. Have you noticed that you are bloated, groggy or fatigued? Start a food journal to see if you have a potential allergy. The food allergy tests are difficult to truly find out what you are allergic to and this process of elimination can help you figure out potential causes. Of course consult with your medical professional on this issue if you have noticed any changes.

Water

Oh man, we can’t ever hear enough about drinking more water. However it can curb your sugar cravings at work which honestly i think we do to avoid work in the first place. How many times have you actually been hungry when you had some sugar. Next time you want more food or have a sugar/caffeine craving I would take a sip from a big jug of water and see how you feel. I like the rule of thumb to drink half your weight in oz of water at minimum per day.

Check ups

Check ups may not seem as a necessity through out your twenties but you can diagnose small issues ahead of time before they become bigger issues later on in life. The hardest part is setting up that first appointment. Getting your eye exam, skin exam, biannual dental cleaning/checkup and annual blood work are just the few things you can do to just stay on top of your wellness. It’s important because as we get older we have stress and dietary changes and this can start impacting our bodies. Sometimes we are unaware that we are low on a certain supplement and that can change our whole mood! Hello Vitamin D! Some companies will even bring a medical professional to the office for the employees so you can save time on setting up the appointment yourself. My biggest tip is to reschedule for next year immediately after your appointment and that way you don’t even have to think about it!

Eating Real Food

The health food trend is a blessing and a curse. There are so many more options now but also it’s a huge market for companies to make money. Familiarize yourself with local and seasonal produce and the basics like oats, rice, fresh seasonal fruits and vegetables and you really don’t have to break the bank. Some grocery stores will even mark down the produce towards the end of the day so they don’t have to throw it away. Staying away from fat food and foods that are not made at home will not only keep viruses at bay but also keep your digestion and mental health more clear too. It’ll also save you money in the long run for more important things in life like a gym membership or extra cash for a few yoga sessions.

Exercise

I grew up loving to be active and exercising but then college happened and walking around campus was an exercise in itself. It wasn’t until my junior year when my body was screaming for stress relievers and that’s when I went to my first yoga class. After college I started my career and i realized that i was going to die if i came to work and sat all day and then went home and sat on the couch. My life had become sedentary to the extreme and it was screaming for some movement. Easy ways to get movement throughout the day is going for a brisk walk or two during work hours. You can even try to go right before work and after work. Supplementing this with a few workout sessions throughout the week will also help! These new fitness watches are all the rage but you can use your phone if you don’t have one to at minimum get your 10K or so steps a day. My friends that live in the city aim for 20K steps if you want that for comparison.

What ways do you stay on top of your health? Are there exercises or other mindful approaches you take to get not only some me time but also some wellness into your daily life? Share below!

Adopting an Adultish Nighttime Routine

It is so easy to just stay up late studying and catch up on sleep later in the day during college. My friends and I would joke about being nocturnal. It was funny back then but it isn’t so much now. After graduating, I realized how all these bad habits had a big impact on my physical and mental health.

The reason I was able to pull all-nighter’s and go straight to class was because I would come home after and sleep for several hours or until i felt revived. However, that’s not the case for the majority of us that start our careers. Whether you go to graduate school full time, part time, or go straight to working full time or any combination thereof, it is super important to get a good allotted amount of time to sleep. This will impact how you perform at work, your energy levels to hang out with friends, and also your physical and mental well being.

Since it is so easy to come home from work and lay on the couch and not want to get up.. I created a night time routine … which is constantly evolving but the same concept applies each time. This could also be seen as a after work routine to get myself to sleep earlier. That being said, it’s important to also apply the same rules to your non working days ( weekends) so your body gets used to the routine.

Physical Exercise

After work I like to unwind and calm my energy by hitting up a HIIT class (to drain out all the remaining energy I have for the day), I’ll check out yoga classes or even go for an hour walk depending on my mood.

Physical exercise for me has become a habit to calm my nerves for the evening and to be honest I look forward to this “me” time I get every day.

Unwind and Plan for the Following Day

Once I am home, showered and fed, I start planning for the next day. This could mean wrapping up work or planning/packing up meals for the next day, checking my calendar to see what I have in store for the next day, planning my attire..Knowing my meals and plans for the next day helps reduce my anxiety for what’s expected for the day ahead. I

Get Ready for Bed

After I eat, I brush my teeth so my body knows it’s time to unwind and this helps prevent any late night snacking.. From here I try to watch very minimal television. However, sometimes I just have to see the next episode of whatever show I was watching so I will limit myself to one hour ( depending on the time) then i turn everything off, sip some more tea, dim the lights and get in bed with a book. Establishing a night time routine has helped me get more in tune with my body so I can feel fulfilled, spend less time on social media ( I don’t feel deprived since i got my one hour) and start the day on a well energized note.

Limiting Caloric Intake

I always brew some tea when i get home and right before bed. Some of my favorites are lavender, chamomile and ginger. This helps me unwind, relax and ease digestion for when I am sleeping. Getting in my bed with some hot tea helps me relax and unwind. Limiting caffeine and sugar in the evening allows my body to spend time relaxing and less time working on breaking down food.

For Day’s Outside Of My Normal Routine

For days where I have plans in the evening and come home much later I try to still adopt some of the same routines. A warm shower/bath. Some hot non caffeinated tea, some soft pajamas. It only takes 20 minutes tops to feel more energized and less frazzled the next morning. Knowing I am ready for the next day helps my brain to shut down completely so I can fall in a deeper rest at night.

What are your night time routines and what is something you love that helps you sleep?

SIMPLE UPGRADES THAT WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE!

First off… Happy Valentine’s day! This day is so FULL of love… however for me it’s all about SELF LOVE. We truly have to work on ourselves and loving ourselves before we can open our heart to loving someone else.

It’s crazy how much joy we get from different types of items as we get older. A brand new vacuum cleaner? High thread count sheets, a new Breville juicer? Sign me up please!

I decided to include some top adultish splurges that have made a huge difference in my life and other millennial’s I interact with daily.

Silk Pillowcase

I used to think that silk pillowcases were some Instagram gimmick. When i was 16 i asked for silky pillowcases, which were basically some polyester pillowcases. Despite the polyester composition i noticed less frizz in my hair and overtime I didn’t realize it at the time but my hair started to actually grow. When i was 16 my hair grew about 2.5 inches over the course of a year. Did i use hot tools?.. yes however the growth was incredibly slow. I forgot the difference it made in my hair as I grew older and moved on to other things. Then at age 25 i noticed my hair growth had become incredibly uneven. I went to a specialist and came off of biotin ( that was the problem, it was messing with my hormones) and work stress was beginning to wreck havoc on my skin and hair. That’s when I decided to read every article on self care. I came across a few IG self care gurus that swore by silk pillowcases and I started researching more into the benefits.

I found amazing options but decided to splurge on a silk pillowcase from SLIP however i was very close on this option and this one as well. I knew with my experience with the polyester blend pillowcases as a teenager that it would not stay cool all night which was a big deal breaker for me however my experience with the silk pillowcases have been very positive. My hair feels great in the morning, I’ve noticed even growth on my head hair and it’s cool to touch when i get into bed. I’ve noticed that in the middle of the night i get a little warm however the other side of the pillow stays cool so one flip over and it’s good to go.

On top of that it’s felt so luxurious getting into bed. I don’t have to do a bunch of face masks to feel like I’m taking care of myself. Just sleeping on these luxurious pillowcases is a calming ritual in itself.

Blender

Remember the days when you got a free blender just for opening a savings account? I do! I used that free blender for 8 years and it still didn’t give out. Tip #1, expensive doesn’t always mean better. However, when i started making shakes every morning i realized I wanted something more seamless so I can just grab, blend and run out the door. I finally did some research and on Prime day went for the Nutribullet. When you make a smoothie every morning, it’s important to have something fast and powerful. I’ve tried other brands that have this same feature with the cup and it just did not measure up. Within seconds my shakes are ready in the morning and the consistency is super smooth. You can also use this blender for other concoctions in the kitchen. I’ve had mine for almost a year and can’t believe I didn’t make the splurge sooner. This and my Fab Four smoothies recipes go hand in hand.

Vacuum

I visited my friend who has an indoor cat a few months ago and I was so shocked at how clean her space was. Don’t get me wrong, she had piles of clothes everywhere but there was not one drop of dirt or cat hair in site. She told me this exact robotic vacuum cleaner had changed her life. I searched on amazon and I saw that I could afford a robotic vacuum cleaner too! If my friend can have clean floors then so can you. Skip out on eating out for a few meals and get this automatic vacuum cleaner by eufy. It will change your life.

Sheets

Working longs hours constitutes having a luxuriously soft and cozy bed to come home to at the end of the day. Not only will you feel a difference but you will want to get in bed earlier which is a plus for me! I still have this mindset that avoiding my bed will mean there are more hours in the day to accomplish more things.

The great thing is that us millennial’s live in the digital age and we don’t have to drive to a department store or get married to get some high thread count sheets to wrap ourselves in at night. There are so many companies now that offer guarantees and luxurious sheets at a fraction of the cost at department stores.

Some of my favorites include the Luxe sheet set from Brooklinen, Cultiver linen sets, and the 600 count sheets at Target,

Putting Exhaustion to Rest

According to Sleepfoundation.org, the recommended number of hours we should sleep is 7-9 hours. I don’t know about you but the only time I get that amount of sleep is on weekends. One thing to note is that once college is over you won’t have the additional time in between classes for naps or relaxing.

Most desk jobs will require you to be there around 8 hours a day. You are working on a computer screen for at least 7 hours of those 8 hours, assuming you are getting an hour for lunch. Screen time will impact the health of your eyes and your eyes will have to adjust to this new routine.

For many new comers to the corporate world this new change will impact your energy levels. Little alone the additional hours of work you may have to do after hours or weekends to get caught up or during your busy seasons. It’s very important to catch up on sleep as soon as you can and head to bed earlier than you did during college years.

Here are some of my tips for staying on top of it and keeping exhaustion at bay.

See an Optometrist

When you first start a new career where your average screen time is increasing, it is very important to ensure your eyes stay healthy. You may need a new prescription or invest in some blue light lenses for your glasses. It will make a huge difference and keep those headaches/migraines away.

Catch up on Sleep

We can never determine when that long work day will come up.. or the never ending work week or month! It’s super important to catch up on sleep. Skip the caffeine and wine, and diffuse some lavender oil, take a warm shower, wash the day away, and head to bed early instead. It will make a world of difference when you get that extra hour of sleep.

Exercise

Yoga made a big difference for me. Some companies are even having yoga at the workplace now, and seeing an increase in productivity. Even some light exercise like a walk after work or a 45 min spin class is a great day to get your mind off of work and help with some energy levels.

Sleep

I can’t stress the importance of just getting to bed earlier. Turning off screen time at least an hour before bed and beginning a bed time routine will help set the mood and help you establish a good sleep pattern. During some of my busy seasons, I would forgo screen time, like binge watching Netflix and scrolling mindlessly on Instagram to get a longer shower in and get ready for sleep. it made a world of difference. Getting some shut-eye will give you more energy for the next day and decrease the need for caffeine and extra calories. Weekends are also a great time to catch up on some sleep.

Would love to hear your tips for keeping exhaustion at bay!

Staying on Top of Your Wellness

According to a 2015 survey of more than 2,000 Americans from Zocdoc, a digital health platform, 80 percent of people said they delayed or swore off preventive care. Millennials, in particular, avoid the doctor the most, with nine in 10 (93 percent) not scheduling medical appointments. Over half of Millennials (51 percent) also reported visiting a doctor less than once a year. 

Some of the young adults I’ve encountered typically have very valid reasons for avoiding the doctor. You have to research specialist, find an internal medicine doctor you click with, make an appointment and hope that you don’t have a last minute meeting that will be vital and cause you to cancel.

However, there are just a few appointments you need a year to ensure you are in good health. Some doctors stay open one Saturday a month to accommodate for working professionals. It takes a few months to get an appointment however you can just block out that day and get it taken care of. Here are some of the most important physicals and routine checkups you want to take care of and don’t wait till year end when everyone is trying to use their insurance.

Annual Physical

You are now an Adult. You have been for a while but it’s time to start making sure you are taking care of yourself properly. It’s time to get a full head to toe check up. For most of us we left it to our parents to take us to the physician during grade school and probably saw the pediatrician for most of those years. Then, during college you might’ve seen the University onsite Nurse for flu shots and colds. Well, it’s time to get a head to toe checkup and make it an annual priority. Your body changes so much during your twenties and it’s really important that you take care of it. Also, don’t skip out on your womanly/manly exam either. Your insurance covers it and if you aren’t aware, birth control is covered as well. On top of that, go ahead and ask for an STD test. Yup, most insurances cover it and it’s just a little more blood work that you can take care of during the same visit.

Blood pressure, diabetes and cholesterol screening are vital part of your physical exam as there are typically no symptoms of issues in early age and can easily be corrected/prevented if caught early.

The way we nourish ourselves is so important and the sleepless nights, caffeine and stress will have taken a toll on your body. Also, once you find your primary care physician, it will be a lot easier to get a quick appointment for colds or antibiotics. You don’t want to end up in the hospital. That will only cost you more time and money.

Dental Care

I know, i know. We all want to avoid the dentist. Why? Because every time we go in there’s a problem. Right? My biggest tip on this one is to research around and find a dentist you trust and get in a good dental hygiene routine so you don’t want to avoid the dentist. Most dentists also offer a mini checkup cleaning between appointments which can help you stay on top of your checkups and hygiene and ensure there won’t be issues each time you go to your dentist.

TMJ issues and headaches are caused my your jaw and your dentist can give you solutions in helping those headaches and jaw lock issues you may be experiencing. Best of all.. it’s usually covered by your insurance.

Eye Care

It’s important to get your eyes checked whether or not you have vision issues. If you have vision problems, have an eye exam every 2 years or more often if recommended by your provider. If you have diabetes, then you want to be sure you have an eye exam at least every year. Vision insurance is usually just a few dollars per pay period, under most employers, and it’s your pretax dollars.

Skin Care

Most PCP’s will check your skin during your annual physical however, i highly recommend you get a skin screening from a dermatologist if you have any other issues. In your twenties your skin will change. You may get a mole or infection and sometimes going straight to the dermatologist will really help you nix the problem at the root. A small pimple or mole may be a bigger concern than you may think or maybe it won’t be. Always best to check on things sooner rather than later when it’s too late to fix.

Finding your Balance Post Grad

I’m not a nutritionist and will never claim to be one. I have had my own struggle to figure out the best foods for me and my body. However, if you are anything like me, my body changed so much after college.. maybe even during college.

All the energy drinks, coffees and sleepless nights really took a toll on my body. I started having severe stomach cramps, rashes and just noticing that my body no longer could process certain foods. I would talk to doctors and wellness practitioners but at the end of the day i had to do my own research and really test things out for myself. If i could go back and tell my 22 year old self anything that i’ve learned I would say the below. These may not work for you however I think at the end of the day, nutrition is really important and i’m figuring out everyday that it’s nearly impossible to eat as healthy as we think we are eating and it’s impacting our hormones, stress levels and overall well being.

1. Lactose Intolerance

   I could link several studies here however they all sum up that close to 80% of the population is lactose Intolerance in some form or another. Does that mean I will kick the bucket once I have some cheese or yogurt? Not necessarily, however, for most of us, our bodies start changing around our twenty’s and we really need to start listening to see how we feel. For me cutting out dairy seemed so simple, mainly because i didn’t admit to myself Pizza had cheese on it. That’s a whole other story in itself. My point is, really listen to your body. If the dairy isn’t settling with you, chances are your body is trying to tell you something. I know so many people with sever gas issues that continue to consume dairy products. It’snot a fad. There’s a lot of science behind it and I encourage people to look into it. Our bodies are not made to digest Cow Milk and i encourage you to try living a dairy free lifestyle (we are living in the prime of dairy free alternatives right now!). I would definitely research the difference between Milk allergy, dairy allergy and lactose intolerance.

2. Sugar

   I always read articles about how important it is to cut back on sugar to lose weight. What i didn’t realize was how detrimental it was to my health. I would consumer so much fruit thinking i was on a cleanse or being healthy when in fact the fruit was increasing my sugar uptake and giving me horrible crashes midday. This may not be the issue with other people however i would definitely look into the total consumption of sugar that you have and how it’s making you feel. I always felt great eating some fruit or a bowl of blueberries but i would always experience severe cramping and IBS related symptoms. I went through a period of brain fog and symptoms of “narcolepsy”. I didn’t want to believe it was the fruit but it was. I truly encourage some of you who are dealing with any small issues that come up by looking directly at your diet and seeking a nutritionist who is well versed on how food impacts your overall being.

3. Eating Plant based

   I think we can saw we’ve all tried dabbling in Veganism and Vegetarian lifestyle. It’s pretty difficult to sustain if you don’t do your research. I will definitely say that we are in this great time where there is ample research on how our bodies are digesting certain foods. For me learning to make my meals plant based first truly helped me to solve the issue with eating enough vegetables for my body. Again, everyone is different but I highly encourage you to look into the Fab Four Lifestyle by Kelly LeVeque and the Whole 30 programs. It’s incredibly useful to find a diet that you can sustain long term that helps you feel good. Don’t we all miss the days where we could eat anything and feel just fine? I sure do! However, I will definitely say that I wish I was more informed of the importance of having the right amount of protein, fat, fiber and greens at every meal.

4. Alcohol

   This is one of those personal things i had to naturally give up. After I turned 25, my body started taking a turn and alcohol consumption was not something I could sustain. After just one alcoholic drink my body would turn into a ball of fire and I would have trouble sleeping, have increase digestive issues and for a whole week after my body would be in a state of recovery. Again, everyone’s body is different, but I highly encourage you to evaluate how you are feeling after consumption of alcohol and maybe choosing a better alternative. Maybe your body will do better with Vodka & water? Maybe just water. Also, don’t feel the pressure to live a lifestyle that is just not working for you.

5. Be Active

   I won’t spend much time on this one. Mainly, I want to add that taking up yoga in college and continuing a habit of exercising at least 3 days a week truly changed my anxiety and overall wellness. It wasn’t about losing weight, which didn’t always happen, but just an overall sense of wellness and calmness that comes after breaking a sweat. Combining that with a balanced diet has really helped me maintain the same or smaller pant size since High school. The best advice i got was when my mom encouraged me to work out or take a yoga class straight after I got off of work. After a one hour session of yoga or a run, HIIT class,etc., I just felt calm and less stressed out about work and other social stresses of the day. You don’t have to be an athlete or wait for the right time to start forming this habit.

6. Sleep

   If I could go back and relive my childhood years I would go back to all those nights I stayed up and watched the sunrise. I loved it! I can definitely watch the sunrise now, however I need to sleep by 7 p.m. to have that experience again. It’s mind-blowing how much energy you have after 7-8 hours of sleep. I’ve noticed for me, sleeping around 10:30 p.m. to 6:30 a.m. is what works for me the best. My best advice is to truly listen to your body. A good night of sleep will calm you, energize you, cleanse you and lower the chance of anxiety and depression. If you are unable to have a restful night of sleep I would start figuring out the root cause. Lavender tea, lavender lotion, and turning off media have helped me out tremendously.

These are just some of the things that I learned and I’m always telling my coworkers and girlfriends about. Let me know what helps you and the changes you’ve made to live a more balanced and healthy life.