COVER STORY

Ask any mother, and she’ll tell you that free time is at a premium these days. As a result, moms often end up at the bottom of their own priority lists. The stress and demands that are put on families have never been higher. So how can busy moms make time to take care of their own health?
   
Good health is the key to long-term well-being. Whether it’s scheduling your next checkup or carving out time for exercise, it’s time to take charge. Here’s how to start:

Retrain your brain
From the moment pregnancy begins, a mother’s body is hard-wired to provide for the growing baby – even if it’s at the expense of her own health. Maybe that’s why it’s so difficult for mothers to grasp that the idea that self-care really is for the greater good of the family.
   
“As a mom of a special-needs son, it’s really hard to find any time for myself,” says Marissa Howard, 31, of Corona, “but I know that to really take care of my family, I have to take care of myself first.”
   
Howard continues, “Honestly, I hate working out, but I force myself to do it. It’s really nice to actually get some alone time and fresh air. I don’t have to worry about anyone calling my name or needing me. It’s guilt-free time that I know I need.”

Walk the walk
Experts agree that as little as 30 minutes of moderate activity three times a week can promote good health. Regular exercise has impressive long-term benefits like improved heart health and stronger bones. Better yet, it lowers body fat and stress levels.
   
“Even if it’s just a walk around the neighborhood after work a few nights a week, give yourself credit for trying. Working out is not an all-or-nothing thing,” says fitness expert Kim Lyons, NASM. 
   
“It’s really easy to put yourself on the back-burner,” says Lyons, “so the trick is to just get moving and stay positive so you can get to a healthy weight and maintain it.” 

Watch your weight
Being overweight or obese has several long-term health implications, including diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
   
Body mass index (BMI) is a simple tool that uses height and weight to determine if you are overweight or obese. You can find BMI calculators online, or ask your physician. A BMI between 18.5 and 25 indicates a normal weight, while a BMI of 30 or higher is cause for concern.
   
If you are overweight, talk to your doctor about counseling, medication and other treatment options that may assist with weight loss.

More than an apple a day
There’s more to physical health than staying active and making smart food choices. Busy schedules make it hard to remember what is scheduled for tomorrow, much less when your next dental exam is supposed to be.
   
So make sure to be proactive with your medical and dental check-ups. Make appointments far enough in advance so childcare arrangements can be made. That way, you aren’t scrambling at the last minute.

Screenings save lives
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends that women get the following screenings to identify disease before any symptoms appear:

Breast cancer - Ask your doctor whether a mammogram is right for you based on your age, family history, overall health and personal concerns.

Cervical cancer - Have a pap smear every one to three years if you are between the ages of 21 and 65 and have been sexually active.

Chlamydia, HIV and other STDs - Sexually transmitted diseases can make it hard to become pregnant, may affect your baby and can cause other health problems.

Colorectal cancer - Have a colorectal screening starting at age 50. If you have a family history of colorectal cancer, you may need to be screened earlier.

Depression - Your emotional health is as important as your physical health. Talk to your healthcare team about being screened for depression if you have felt down, sad or hopeless.

Diabetes - High blood sugar can cause problems with your heart, brain, eyes, feet, kidneys, nerves and other body parts. Get screened for diabetes if your blood pressure has been elevated or if you take medication for high blood pressure.

High blood pressure - High blood pressure can cause stroke, heart attack, kidney problems, eye problems and heart failure. Starting at age 18, have your blood pressure checked at least every two years. High blood pressure is 140/90 or higher.

High Cholesterol - Starting at 20, have your cholesterol checked regularly if you use tobacco, are overweight, have diabetes or high blood pressure, or have a personal history of heart disease. Risk increases if a man in your family had a heart attack before age 50 or a woman before age 60.

Love is the heart of authentic spirituality. Spirituality without love is a body without a heart, a robot mechanically performing religious duties. Love is the divine, life-giving spark that ignites the fire of a relationship. Love sustains us even when the circumstances of life threaten to quench our thinly smoking flax. But, like all fires, spirituality must be tended. The good news is that small increments of time, invested daily, can build a roaring fire of love that warms the winter soul.
   
A good first step for beginning a spiritual practice is the small, daily discipline of taking notice. Father Gregory of St. Michael’s Abbey in Trabuco Canyon suggests “dedicating five minutes in the morning, before the distractions of the day, to completely turn toward God.” This is particularly important for busy moms who spend most of their day tending the needs of others. “A mother represents the unconditional love of God to her children,” Gregory says.
   
If your beliefs aren’t traditionally religious, you can think of God as an acronym for “good, orderly direction.”
   
Sarah Markley, a mother of two and an Orange County blogger, says she uses the individual pieces of her life to reflect on God and spirituality. “Because I am a busy mom who is a part-time everything (carpool driver, homework helper, cook, house cleaner and writer), I find time to see God in the daily, often boring parts of my life. I pray on the way to school in the morning. I meditate as I fall asleep at night. I use a notebook that I keep in my purse to jot down important spiritual truths that have been there all along but that I’m just finally noticing. Writing these things down has brought me closer to God.”
   
The key to a thriving spiritual practice is learning to experience a fully alive life right where you are. There isn’t a proprietary, secret formula for authentic spirituality. It’s accessible to everyone. If you have breath, you have life. When is the last time you simply stopped for a moment and listened to yourself breathe? Slowing down for a moment to listen to your breath is a powerful reminder that you are alive. You are here. You are now. Try it. Right now. Listen to yourself take three breaths in and three breaths out.
   
See? No matter where you are, you can reconnect with that quiet, life-giving breath inside of you. As you build on these small moments of stillness and reflection, you may find yourself hungering for more. This is spirituality’s virtuous cycle: The more you take notice, the more spiritually alive you become. A healthy spirituality grows inclusively. This means that as you grow in love and spirituality, you share love with others.
   
Even so, there are days when we don’t feel very loving, not to mention spiritual. On those days, perhaps make the simple effort of smiling. As Mother Teresa once said, “Let us greet each other with a smile, for a smile is the beginning of love.”
   
It’s a small thing, a smile. But it just might be the first step toward a healthier spirituality, a happier world and a love that never fails.