white-wilson

Tag: health care

  • Women’s Wellness: The Importance of Self-Care

    For many women in their 20s, 30s and 40s, life is very demanding. Between working, caring for children and older family members, and tending to household needs, there seems to be little time for much else. When you are always focused on helping others, it quickly becomes easy to neglect your personal well-being. 

    “Women frequently disregard their own health for long periods of time because they tend to put others first such as their spouse, children, parents and friends,” says White-Wilson Advance Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) Mary Jean Middleton. “While proactively caring for yourself does consume precious time and energy, it is important to understand the benefits and how prioritizing your own needs can help you in the long-term.”

    Women at every age are faced with a multitude of life changes and challenges, both of which can be positive and negative, explains APRN Middleton. The status of parenting, family roles, metabolism, work, interpersonal relationships and hormones all fluctuate throughout a women’s life, and ignoring the body’s needs can often lead to heightened levels of stress or depression, as well as cause more serious health issues down the road.

    “Self-care looks different for everyone,” says Middleton. “For example, I have young children and work full-time, so taking a break with a paperback book or playing with my dog allows me some quiet time to myself and an opportunity to take stock of my physical and mental well-being. Making time for those activities helps me decompress and recharge so that I am ready to face whatever life throws my way next.”

    The benefits of maintaining your physical and mental wellness can include decreasing the risk of anxiety and depression, improving sleep, bolstering brain health and cognitive function, and benefiting the overall quality of life, elaborates APRN Middleton. Finding what works best for you and then sticking with it will help you discover and fulfill your unique needs.  

    Here are some simple examples of how you can include self-care in your day-to-day life:

    • Get moving. Walking, practicing yoga or playing a game can bolster heart health and decrease blood pressure levels.  Strive to get 30 minutes of moderate to intense exercise per day. This can be something as simple as a brisk walk. 
    • Read a book. Taking a break from your phone or computer screen can increase productivity, learning and awareness.  
    • Take a bath. Soaking in warm water before bed can elevate your mood and help you sleep better.
    • Get an annual check-up. An annual wellness exam is a time to address changes in your body and catch potential issues early. Putting these off will only lead to more stress and possibly more issues later. 

    APRN Middleton emphasizes that you should not underestimate the power of self-care. Always give yourself priority when divvying up your time and energy because doing so will ultimately strengthen your capacity to focus on those around you. Be sure to visit your primary care provider to receive your annual wellness exam as well as talk through any questions or concerns you may have about your overall health and wellness. 

    Mary Jean Middleton, APRN provides comprehensive care at White-Wilson Medical Center in Destin. She works with patients to treat and manage a wide range of urgent health conditions and offers same day appointments. Learn more about APRN Middleton and her approach to patient care here. 

  • A Senior’s Guide to Managing Stress

    Throughout our lifetime, we will inevitably experience stress or changes that cause physical, emotional or psychological strain. Feeling stress is common for everyone, but undergoing too much can be overwhelming, especially for seniors. This is why it is essential to understand common causes of stress as well as how it affects the body and how it can be managed.

    While seniors have likely had their fair share of stress over the years, moving into a new age range comes with its own unique set of challenges.  Stress for those 65 and older can show up in many forms and be both positive and negative. For example, positive stress may come from exciting life events such as retirement, weddings and births, and negative stress may come from pain or mobility issues, death of loved ones and financial dependence.

    “Seniors are typically more susceptible to adverse physical reactions when it comes to stress because of age-related changes to the body,” says White-Wilson Advance Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) Pamela Lee. “This is why it is important to identify stressors and work to reduce them as much as possible. Understanding how you are personally affected can lead to better long-term health outcomes.”

    In older adults, stress can cause health issues such as high blood pressure, diabetes and heart disease, warns APRN Lee. Recognizing whether your stress is physical, mental or emotional can help place you on the correct path to stress discovery and management.

    “For many patients, lowering stress levels can come from taking surprisingly simple steps,” says APRN Lee. “I always recommend establishing a healthy diet, participating in physical activity and setting aside time for mental reflection. These actions will improve your heart’s health while reducing the impacts of stress on the body.

    Healthy Eating Plate, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health

    Eating a balanced diet can facilitate a healthy immune system and repair damaged cells. Harvard Medical School provides this example of a Healthy Eating Plate which explains how to create well-balanced meals.

    Consistent physical activity helps improve blood pressure, cholesterol levels and overall heart health. The American Heart Association recommends that adults participate in at least 150 minutes of physical activity every week. Several popular exercises among seniors include pickleball, walking and water aerobics. 

    Reflecting and connecting through meditation, yoga and journaling reduces muscular tension, calms the mind and slows the heart rate. Set aside some time each day to take a breath and focus on the positives. 

    “Once you have established these relieving practices, it is important to also remember that stress is normal function of life,” says APRN Lee. “In other words, stress is unavoidable at any age, but taking certain steps will help you to control or reduce the physical and mental strain it may cause.”

    APRN Lee emphasizes that stress can actually provide several cognitive benefits if it is managed properly. Always be aware of how your body responds to stress and the actions you take to control its affects. If you continue to experience issues related to stress, be sure to talk with your primary care provider for further explanation and guidance on your unique health and wellness needs.   

    Pamela Lee, APRN provides Internal Medicine care at White-Wilson Medical Center in Destin. Friendly and empathic, she helps her patients to be well-informed on their treatment options and works with them to make health-related decisions that will result in successful health outcomes. Learn more about APRN Lee and her approach to patient care here.