What is physical care: Physical Care – Mindful Wellness Assessment

Physical Health Maintenance & Hygiene for Kids

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Physical health and maintenance include hygiene, nutrition, physical activity, regular check-ups, and sleep. Parents and caregivers can exert major influence over their children’s health maintenance, even into adolescence.

Hygiene behaviors

Both hand and oral hygiene are important aspects of health. 

• Research has found that hand hygiene decreases across childhood. But inexpensive interventions can counteract this trend effectively. 
• Children from poor families have higher levels of tooth decay than their advantaged counterparts, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. 
• Both oral hygiene knowledge and behaviors can be improved through interventions, but the improvements in behaviors generally fade after the intervention.
• According to the Surgeon General’s Report on Oral Health, more than 51 million school hours are lost every year because of dental-related illnesses. Untreated dental diseases can ultimately lead to other problems such as difficulties in eating, speaking, and paying attention during learning activities.

Regular check-ups

Regular vision and hearing screenings are important for children’s healthy development; yet, many children do not receive such care.

• Early screening for hearing problems is especially important for children who are deaf and hard-of-hearing. One study found that the earlier children were enrolled in early intervention the better their vocabulary and verbal reasoning skills at age five, no matter the severity of their impairment.
• As many as four out of five children do not get eye exams. Reasons range from economic (e.g., low-income, no-insurance), social (e.g., language barriers), and political (e.g., underfunded preventive medicine) barriers.

Nutrition

Many children and adolescents do not meet the suggested nutritional guidelines, failing to eat healthy foods often enough and frequently consuming unhealthy food and drink.

• In a sample of high-risk adolescents, more than half of the sample reported drinking sugar-laden soda at least five to six times a week, and half of the sample reported consuming food or drink from a fast-food restaurant at least three to four times a week.
• Nearly 1 in 5 early adolescents reported that they usually skipped breakfast and about 1 in 3 reported that they did not eat a vegetable on the previous day.
• Regularly eating dinner with family has many benefits for children and adolescents (e.g., less likely to be overweight, more fruit consumption, and fewer risky behaviors). 

Physical activity

Physical activity significantly decreases as children grow older, and more affluent kids get more exercise than the less affluent. The positive impacts of exercise on physical and psychological health are well documented.

• A survey of physical activity during adolescence found that, on average, the mean change in physical activity per year was approximately a 7 percent decrease.
• Children from advantaged homes (e.g., higher income and levels of maternal education) are more likely to participate in physical activity than their lower-income counterparts.
• Psychological variables are related to physical activity: self-efficacy is positively associated with physical activity both in childhood and adolescence. Motivation is positively associated with physical activity during adolescence as well.
• Exercise also decreases the incidence and likelihood of depression.

Sleep

As children grow older and enter adolescence, they sleep less, even though their sleep needs don’t decrease proportionally.

• Parents have a significant influence on children’s sleep, as positive relationships with parents and parent-set bedtimes are associated with better sleep outcomes.
• Children who sleep more report better academic performance.
• Meanwhile, the same study says, less total sleep was related to increased depressive mood, and increased levels of sleepiness.
• Adolescents with greater levels of weekday sleep and total sleep were less likely to use cigarettes and marijuana two years later; higher levels of weekend sleep were linked to a decreased probability of later cigarette use.

This short quiz will help you gain an understanding of your child’s development
as it relates to our whole child education model. 

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Physical Self-Care: Self-Care Series (Part 1)

September 17, 2020

Introduction to the Self-Care Series

This is an uncertain, stressful time for a lot of people. During this year we’ve experienced an ongoing pandemic, an economic downturn, intense political polarization, and most recently, devastating fires across Oregon that have resulted in immense loss. In the midst of these life-altering events, it can be difficult to fully prioritize our mental wellbeing.

You’ve likely heard the term “self-care” a lot. The stereotypical idea of self-care is sometimes portrayed as splurging on skin-care products or other gifts for oneself. While that could be part of someone’s self-care, it’s actually a lot more simple, yet multifaceted than that. Self-care is a deliberate activity done in order to take care of our mental, emotional, and physical health. The act of self-care itself isn’t selfish; it’s necessary for our wellbeing and it takes on many different forms.

We acknowledge that no amount of self-care can completely mitigate the struggles that may arise from these trying times. If you are experiencing symptoms of trauma, grief or loss, or heightened depression or anxiety, it’s best to seek professional help. This Self-Care Series is meant to provide supplemental guidance and touch on the different types of self-care that people can implement into their lives.

Physical Self-Care

Physical Self-Care is the most basic and important form of self-care that you can practice. It can be as simple as brushing your teeth in the morning or taking a warm shower. Once you’re able to practice good physical self-care, you’ll then be able to adopt other forms of self-care into your routine as well.

Get Enough Rest

Prioritizing your sleep is part of your self-care. As an adult, try to get between 7-9 hours of sleep each night. It’s also important to get enough rest during the day. This might mean taking several short breaks each day, so that you can return to your work with more energy and a clearer mind.

Eat Well and Stay Hydrated

Eating healthy is all about balance. Food that makes you feel nourished and taken care of is important, but so is treating yourself from time to time. Along with full, balanced meals, it’s good to drink a lot of water throughout the day. Taking care of these basic needs may seem obvious, but they are incredibly important. We can all make these small decisions throughout the day on what we put into our bodies to make us feel good.

Move Your Body

Physical activity is healthy for our bodies and our minds. It’s a form of self-care that can boost your mood and clear your head. Even a short 15-30 minute walk around your neighborhood is a great way to take care of your body daily. You can also try out new kinds of exercises, like yoga or hiking. We know that right now we can’t really do walks or any activities outside because we still need the smoke to clear. In the meantime, stay safe and indoors.

At the most basic level of self-care, maintaining your physical self-care is the most important. Taking care of your body in these ways can make a significant difference in your overall mental health.

5 Proven Ways to Improve Your Personal Life Through Self-Care

When you hear the expression “self-care”, you probably think it’s time for a pedicure (after a couple of months away from the beauty salon) or maybe maybe sign up for sports on the weekends. And all too often, this “leaving” is illustrated not as a necessity, but as something that would be nice to do if you could somehow squeeze it into a busy schedule. But making time for self-care is really essential for any healthy relationship—whether you have a significant other or you’re just hoping to meet the love of your life.

It is important that you invest as much time and energy into taking care of yourself as you give to the people you love. Self-care is not a luxury or a pampering, because if you don’t have any fuel left in your emotional reservoir, you won’t be able to express yourself and give back. You can’t physically, emotionally, or mentally give to others if you’re destroyed

Dana McNeil

PhD

Prioritizing your physical, emotional, and mental well-being will not only prevent burnout, but set you up for a better dating outcome, experts say.

Being in touch with yourself is the key to having a satisfying relationship. When you can identify your needs, express them, and ask for their satisfaction, you are able to make genuine contact with others. You can take care of yourself instead of relying on others to guess what you want, which often leads to disappointment. Psychotherapists recommend including them in the daily routine.

Invest in wellness rituals

Get in the habit of doing something that calms the nervous system: yoga, meditation, etc. Photo © Freepik

We are often reminded that the best way to feel better is to drink a day’s worth of water, move, and eat nutritious foods. But do not forget about physical care, which affects personal relationships. After all, if you don’t take care of your body and don’t feel good physically, you won’t be able to fully express yourself in a partnership. Find a practice that calms the nervous system. This could be meditation, prayer, yoga, journaling, or acupuncture sessions.

Also, be active every day and take the time to get at least a little sun exposure. This practice will increase mood and positivity, which can lead not only to a sunnier look, but also to improved self-esteem, a boost in self-confidence.

Engage in self-satisfaction

Any physical care of yourself allows you to live with greater comfort, confidence in your body, psychologist Lauren Cook emphasized: “I see so many people who are so disconnected from the body . .. They are so lost in thought, that they don’t know how to be in their bodies – sexually, emotionally, in love relationships” .

For this reason, the specialist advised to increase the level of comfort in relations with your own body. You can do this by looking at yourself in the mirror when you get out of the shower, or by engaging in self-gratification, whether it’s sensual touching or enjoying full solo sex. “This will certainly help those with a partner who are trying to build a physical relationship,” added Cook.

Have Deep Conversations

Deep conversations will improve your ability to emotionally connect and be vulnerable in communication – this is what romantic relationships need. Photo © Freepik / gpointstudio

Continuing to develop curiosity and lifelong learning is very important when it comes to mental self-care. Think about how a stagnant life can feel, especially during the winter when you’re in Groundhog Day: work gives way to dinner, watching a TV series, then sleep, and then everything repeats itself in a circle. The antidote to this (and a powerful, rewarding form of self-care that can improve your personal life and relationships) is to seek intellectual stimulation.

Psychologist Cook suggested having deeper conversations, beyond small talk, with friends and loved ones. Such an experience will not only strengthen your bond, but also improve your ability to emotionally connect, to be vulnerable with others, a skill that is undoubtedly useful in romantic relationships.

Learning to manage your emotions and come to terms with vulnerability is a valuable investment of your time, and it opens up the possibility for you to be vulnerable in relationships as well. Good relationships are built on trust, communication, play, a [general] sense of curiosity, so if you can develop this in yourself and then share it with your partner, you will set yourself up for success

Lauren Cook

Psychologist

Immerse yourself in self-improvement in the company of a therapist

By working on yourself and meeting regularly with a coach, you cannot help gaining self-awareness. Family therapist Stephanie McAdaan calls it a superpower, especially useful when looking for a partner or building relationships when the second half is already there.

By discussing everyday situations and past patterns, you can learn more about your inner self, including how you block vulnerability and connection with people. All this will help in building healthy relationships.

In psychotherapy, you can find the root causes of triggers that interfere with relationships. Photo © Freepik / Racool_studio

Relationship psychologist Kristi Kederian recalled that everyday life with a long-term partner can cause many triggers – and it is with the help of therapy that one can find their root cause. Are they about your loved one or about your past? You really need to know the difference so you don’t sabotage yourself in a relationship.

For those who are single, therapy will help you look at the “ideal” relationship that you once modeled for yourself from a different angle and find out why you are looking for it. “Having that objective space where you can rediscover yourself will help you attract the kind of partner you want to live your life with,” pointed out Kederian.

Avoid judging your emotions

You have definitely experienced this: an inexplicable sadness came up and you felt guilty or were disappointed by these emotions. Or ashamed of the excitement that arose when something did not go according to plan. At times like these, you can develop an emotional self-care habit: accept feelings as they arise.

Instead of seeing emotions like happiness or excitement as “good” and other emotions like anger, frustration or fear as “bad”, develop a capacity to experience any emotion without judgment

Lauren Cook

Psychologist

After all, they inevitably come up when you’re dating or in a relationship. Getting in touch with your feelings and inner feelings can make it easier to overcome difficulties in your personal life. Indeed, it is important to be able to accept the reactions of the body and brain to excitement, for example about a date, nervousness or fear of a meeting or performance.

All the practices proposed by psychologists will benefit those who find themselves in a long-term love relationship, writes InStyle. As Cook explained, with their help you will learn to share feelings and you will only be in the black from this.

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