Self-Care with Valentine’s Day

Whether you celebrate with someone special, with family, or with yourself, love always starts with caring for one person—you!

Consider these self-loving practices to add into your Valentine’s weekend celebration.

Yoga & Meditation

Yoga can be meditative but it can also strengthen your core which is great to prevent back injuries. Even simple and focused poses stretch and strengthen parts of your body that don’t get used as often. It has loads of health benefits and can be a great time to give some love to your body as well as your mind.

Massage therapy & Chiropractic care

Self-care and healthcare are one and the same often. Chiropractic adjustments can bring an abund

ance of health into your life by boosting your immune system, relieving pain, and helping the body work at its optimum capacity. Massage therapy can also help relieve pain and prevent injury, while boosting endorphins, reducing stress, improving circulation and promoting your body’s natural healing.

Read

Nowadays, the television or easy quick-bites of social media might take up a lot of our daily time and attention. It might even fracture our attention spans, and man

y of the apps and social media platforms we use are designed to be addictive. Reading can be a good brain-boosting alternative for down time. Learn something new, promote empathy, see the world from others’ perspectives, and keep away from mindless scrolling and screen time.

Journal / Gratitude log

Daily reflection can do wonders for the mind and spirit and your general outlook on events in the past, present, and future. This can be especially beneficial with an added layer of intentional gratitude. Studies have shown that keeping a gratitude log for an extended period can help boost one’s mood and strengthen their ability to deal with stressful situations. It can also help patients with depression to boost their mood.

Treat yourself (with healthy treats!)

Opt for dark chocolate with more 70% or more of cocoa/cacao. Dark chocolate has antioxidants and heart-protecting flavanols in it. Be mindful of the sugar content (less is better of course, but darker more cocoa means more bitter and more caffeine). Eat this with a fruit and in moderation to stay on the healthy side.

Make a colorful meal with plenty of omega-3s, colorful vegetables, and limited on inflammatory ingredients like dairy, grains, and legumes. Maybe try some probiotic-rich foods or drinks, like kombucha or kimchi to make your gut microbiome happy!

Get straight with your posture

Your posture affects so much of your body, AND poor posture can lead to some serious health problems down the line. This is especially important for those of us in odd stances for work, or if you have a desk/sitting job. Check in with sleep posture and alignment, too!

Ask your doctor what pillows and adjustments you might need to make while you sleep so you can wake up refreshed and avoid that morning achiness and tightness.

Heat up with some exercise

Pilates takes some of yoga’s principles and applies it to exercise, especially when it comes to core strength which is so important for your back health. If an exercise class isn’t yet on your to-do list, consider taking a brisk stroll, some time in a pool, a bike ride, anything to get yourself moving as an act of self-love is a great way to keep a healthy relationship with you and your body.

Your first relationship is with yourself, so give yourself some love this holiday!

Our Vancouver chiropractors and massage therapists are ready to help you meet your health goals. Call or text 360-718-2346 to get started with care!