A March 2024 report stated 1 in 5 women reported their full or part time job work-life balance has worsened over the last year.
Matches what I hear in my office as well!
With job cuts it seems many are now working the jobs of 2 or 3 people.
No advice on how to juggle the increased workload.
Fear of losing your job if you fall behind.
One of the biggest complaints I hear from patients is…
..as soon as work ramps up healthy habits become hard to sustain.
It’s not your fault!
You weren’t taught how to juggle work and life.
Social media folks say they have it down – BUT do they really?
Women over 40 are the first official generation of career driven full time working women going through peri-menopause and menopause…
…who are talking about their experiences.
There’s a lot to learn.
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Present day work situations aren’t the same as your mother and grandmother experienced.
My mother was a nurse in the psych ward at the VA Medical Center in North Chicago, Illinois.
Her stories were about her patients not the work conditions at the hospital.
The nurses I see tell stories of being understaffed and overworked.
It’s clear times have changed since my Mom retired right before her death in 2004.
BUT what hasn’t changed is that YOU are in control of your own health.
Planning ahead to take care of yourself during the busy times is key.
You can slow down to eat and feed yourself wholesome food.
Breaks can be taken during the day to breathe.
In the US you’re required to take a break every 4 hours of work in addition to a lunch break if you’re working a full 8 hours.
Can’t tell you how many people eat at their desks and don’t take their breaks because they don’t want to get behind.
I get it – I used to be the same way…
…and if you work for yourself it’s worse.
Planning out breaks and time for yourself during the day isn’t easy.
It requires convincing yourself that an hour of your time is valuable enough to plan.
It’s easy to imagine planning will take hours – I know I talked myself out of it for years!
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What happened?
I burned myself out, gained weight and became an insomniac.
All cortisol driven reactions.
Not cool – especially when you’re trying to model healthy habits.
In all of my continuing education I can’t remember coming across a course that covered how to create balance between your work and life.
Would I have opted for that class over learning a new skill or technique?
Probably not.
It wasn’t on my radar as a thing to focus on to help patients.
Gosh I was wrong!
I came across a quote not too long ago that resonated with me…
…it’s become the guideline I now live by…
“If someone did everything you do for a week – would they be healthier?”
Ponder that for a moment.
Your family and friends take notice.
I know my friends in Washington have been horrified by my “meal planning” when I come to see patients.
Some of them shop for me, bring me food at the office or have meals for me when I’m come over for house calls.
I’m grateful and blessed to have a great Washington tribe.
But it is on me to plan better – especially now that I have this quote in my head 24/7.
How could you influence those around you to live a healthier life?
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My husband thought I was nutty when we first met in 2008.
A few years ago we did a podcast together where he talked about how my habits and routines transformed his health. (Ep 243 if you want a good laugh).
I’m going to do another one with him here soon for an update!
Cortisol is a necessary hormone to wake you up and keep you out of danger.
Modern society has trained you to use your fight or flight system to feel productive.
What it ends up doing is…
- causing blood sugar imbalances
- creating addictions to caffeine, sugar and carbs
- making you anxious
- giving you insomnia
- provoking hot flashes
- making you think you have ADD/ADHD
- and more
For men and women over 40 it’s at the root of why 1 in 3 people are pre-diabetic.
It’s why many women have hot flashes and night sweats that hormones won’t fix.
Plus it’s why so many men and women cannot tolerate bio-identical hormone replacement therapy.
If your cortisol isn’t in check it’s tough to regulate hormones.
Weight loss will not happen if your cortisol is off and your body is convinced something is chasing it.
The solution:
- free up at least an hour on your weekends to plan for your week
- take a hard look at your lifestyle for areas of needed improvement
- start your day off with protein and eat at least 3 meals a day for blood sugar balance
- assess your internal dialogue for negative self talk and change it up
- ask yourself – would someone be healthier if they followed my lead?
Got all those above dialed in but still feel like your cortisol is causing trouble?
Adaptogenic herbs help put cortisol in check while you’re working on the lifestyle and mindset factors.
My favorites for cortisol lowering:
- L-theanine 200 mg up to 1,600 mg divided dosages during the day
- Ashwagandha up to 2,000 mg divided dosages during the day
- Holy Basil in the evening
- Lemon balm during the day
- Vibrant Blue Oils – Parasympathetic essential oil blend
- Campo Beauty – Relax oil blend
There is no magic herb to counter cortisol permanently.
You have to do the internal work to convince your body that there is no bear chasing it.
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Yes, it takes time – and planning.
You’re worth it!
Here’s to your cortisol balance,
Dr. J
