The art of self-love: The 'key' for women to find their inner selves.

Self-love plays a crucial role for middle-aged women – a group particularly vulnerable to the effects of age, appearance pressures, and family responsibilities.

Self-love: A turning point when your body starts to speak.

Julie Vân (53 years old, residing in Ho Chi Minh City), a CEO in the beauty care industry, said she began to understand and practice self-love when she noticed changes in her health.

"When I was younger, I was caught up in the relentless pursuit of career advancement and never seriously paid attention to my health. After turning 30-40, my body underwent many changes, and I realized it was time to be more conscious about taking care of myself," Ms. Vân shared.

Instead of focusing on losses, middle-aged women should look inward through activities that bring joy.

PHOTO: NHU QUYEN

According to Dr. Chu Thi Dung from the University Medical Center of Ho Chi Minh City - Branch 3, middle-aged women often experience symptoms such as insomnia, hot flashes, night sweats, irritability, decreased libido, or menstrual irregularities. These are both hormonal changes and the result of an imbalance of yin and yang, qi and blood, and the gradual decline of the kidneys – the root of life – according to traditional medicine.

"This is not just a biological transition period, but also a milestone for women to reflect, love, and care for themselves more. By understanding their bodies, knowing how to balance yin and yang, nurturing their spirits, and maintaining a healthy lifestyle, women can absolutely navigate this phase smoothly, peacefully, and radiantly," said Dr. Dung.

Rediscover inner peace.

Ms. Vân said that her family is the driving force behind her concern for both her physical and mental health: "Women of previous generations had fewer opportunities to take care of themselves, and my mother was no exception. This made me realize that proactively maintaining my health is not only about taking better care of my loved ones, but also about preparing myself for old age."

One of Van's "secrets" to practicing self-love is playing sports , meditating, socializing, and thinking positively.

"When I looked inward, I understood what I lacked and what I needed. For me, women taking care of themselves is not selfish, because only by improving their own quality of life can they set an example for their family, and then, more broadly, spread that example to colleagues, friends, and society," Ms. Van added.

Dr. Nguyen Phi Yen, from the Psychosomatic Department at Thu Duc General Hospital (Ho Chi Minh City), said that self-love is a way for middle-aged women to accept themselves. Instead of focusing on losses such as beauty or time, they should look inward through activities that bring joy such as learning to paint, gardening; maintaining physical health through exercises like walking, yoga, swimming; or even seeking a supportive community, such as middle-aged women's groups, to share experiences and emotions.

Furthermore, family and partners play a crucial role in enabling women to practice self-love, especially in cultural contexts where women often shoulder many responsibilities. Support from the family includes:

• Listen to and acknowledge the pressures that women are facing.
• Encourage women to participate in self-care activities.
• Sharing household chores or childcare responsibilities allows women time for themselves. Research shows this helps reduce stress and increase marital satisfaction.
• Agree on a small budget for women's self-care activities, such as beauty treatments or education.

Light, easily digestible food is very good for middle-aged women.

PHOTO: AI

Self-love through proper nutrition

According to Doctor Chu Thi Dung, middle-aged women should divide their meals into smaller portions, eat slowly, and avoid eating late at night to reduce the burden on the spleen and stomach. During the dry season, they can supplement their diet with nourishing porridges such as lotus seed porridge with red dates and goji berries, chicken soup with Angelica sinensis, or seaweed soup with tofu to strengthen blood circulation and stabilize hormones. Conversely, they should limit spicy foods, alcohol, and coffee as these easily deplete yin and generate heat.

Besides nutrition, lifestyle plays an equally important role. Traditional medicine emphasizes "nourishing the mind and calming the spirit" - maintaining a peaceful mind, avoiding anxiety and anger to allow blood circulation. Sleeping at the right time, especially before 11 PM, helps the liver and kidneys recover and improves mental well-being.

Middle-aged women should also maintain a routine of light exercises such as walking, Tai Chi, deep breathing, and practice meditation, listen to music, keep a gratitude journal, or do things they enjoy.

"A peaceful mind leads to a radiant appearance; a relaxed spirit is a precious remedy that helps women maintain their health and beauty from within," advises Dr. Dung.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/nghe-thuat-yeu-thuong-ban-than-chia-khoa-de-phu-nu-tim-ve-ben-trong-185251019181412025.htm