No one knows exhaustion better than a working mum. Gone are the days of finishing work and then heading home to kick your feet up. No more ‘chilling’ on the weekends. There’s still lots to be done. Kate Freeman, nutritionist and spokesperson of Cenovis shares how working mums make it through winter without getting sick.
At the end of a long day, it’s still “full steam ahead”. Think: after school sport, changing nappies, doing the washing, supervising homework, cooking dinner, making school lunch boxes, reading/signing school notes (I swear kids these days need an administrative assistant), and spending quality time. Some days it feels like it will never end.
I know full well what it’s like. Running a busy private practice and raising two busy little kids often leaves me teetering on the edge of exhaustion. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE my work and I LOVE raising my kids. But some days, my little body and soul gets pretty worn out.
It’s in those times, when we’re worn out and exhausted that we’re susceptible to getting sick. And that’s the last thing we need. I’ve heard lots of mums say: “I don’t have time to get sick!” And we don’t!
So from one working mum to another, here are my top tips for keeping your immune system healthy and making it through winter.
Eat well
Your food plays a super important role in your immune system’s ability to stay healthy. Key nutrients such as iron, zinc, vitamin D, vitamin C, vitamin E and selenium are all important contributors to keep your immune system healthy. To ensure an adequate intake of these nutrients regularly eat whole vegetables and fruits, unprocessed meats, poultry, fish, nuts, seeds, legumes, whole grains and unsweetened dairy products.
Also, your energy levels will be compromised if you’re skipping meals or not eating adequate amounts of good quality food. Aim to eat regularly throughout the day so you’ve got plenty of energy. The days that I feel the most tired and emotional are the ones when I haven’t eaten enough.
Some tips for eating well:
– Make up big batches of vegetable rich meals to keep in your freezer for those days when you don’t have time to cook.
– Keep your fridge stocked with vegetables that are easy to grab and munch on or quickly cook up to serve with a meal: carrots, celery, capsicum, snow peas, sugar snap peas, sweet potato, pumpkin.
– Keep quick, nutritious snacks in your handbag or at your desk so you don’t skip a meal: mandarins, bananas, apples, low sugar muesli bars, Greek yoghurt (in the fridge at work), flavoured tins of tuna, small handful of raw nuts, etc.
Move well
Regular, moderate exercise is a really important part of your long term health and actually supports your immune system. However, when you’re stuck in an office for eight hours or more a day, it doesn’t leave a lot of time to move your body. Don’t worry, even as little as 30 minutes a day can help and it also counts if you break it up and do three, 10 minute sessions across the day.
Don’t push yourself or feel stressed if you can’t do more. In fact, there is evidence to suggest that high levels of intense exercise (running or training for a marathon) can actually make you susceptible to catching a cold. So go easy on yourself.
If you’re not moving much, then set a goal to move for 30 minutes, 3-4 times per week. If you’re doing lots of exercise but feeling run down, maybe it’s time to dial it down a bit a give yourself some time to recover.
Some tips for moving well:
– Take your kids to an oval and run around with them. A game of ‘tips’ is such a good workout.
– Take brisk 10 minute walks at work for a quick break. I’ve been taking a whole 30-45 minutes in my lunch break to walk/jog and I’m feeling great for it.
– Grab a friend and exercise together. The social fulfilment from these meetings is almost just as important as the exercise itself.
Sleep well
Sleep is really important recovery time for the body and is important for good immunity. Adequate sleep needs to tick two boxes:
1. It needs to be good quality, and
2. It needs to be long enough.
Most women need around eight hours of good quality, deep, uninterrupted sleep. As a busy mum, one of the hardest things I find with my sleep is my phone. I bring it to bed with me and as I scroll though all my social media channels, check web stats, emails and other random things, my little brain becomes totally wired and I find it difficult fall asleep.
Helpful tips for sleeping well:
– Switch off screens at least an hour before you head to bed or start thinking about sleeping. Dimming the lights in your house also helps.
– Watch your caffeine intake throughout the day. More than two espresso shots is perhaps too much caffeine.
– Create yourself a nice bedtime ritual: herbal tea, hot shower, moisturise legs, head to bed, read a book.