The Art of Self-Love: The 'Key' for Women to Find Their Inner Self

Self-love plays an important role in middle-aged women - a group that is easily affected by age, pressure on appearance and family burdens.

Self-love, the turning point when the body begins to speak

Ms. Julie Van (53 years old, in Ho Chi Minh City), executive director in the beauty care field, said she began to understand and practice Self-love since realizing changes in her health.

“When I was young, I was caught up in the cycle of striving for advancement, so I never seriously cared about my health. When I reached the age of 30-40, my body changed a lot, I knew this was the time I had to be more conscious of taking care of myself,” Ms. Van shared.

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

PHOTO: NHU QUYEN

Dr. Chu Thi Dung, University of Medicine and Pharmacy Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City - Branch 3, said that middle-aged women often have symptoms such as insomnia, hot flashes, night sweats, irritability, decreased libido or menstrual disorders. These are both hormonal changes and the result of the imbalance of yin and yang, blood and the gradual decline of the kidney - the root of life - according to traditional medicine.

“This is not only a biological transition period but also a milestone for women to look back, love and take care of themselves more. When they understand their bodies, know how to balance yin and yang, nurture their spirits and maintain a healthy lifestyle, women can completely go through this period gently, peacefully and radiantly,” said Dr. Dung.

Find inner peace

Ms. Van said that her family is the motivation for her to care for her physical and mental health: “Women of the previous generation had few opportunities to take care of themselves, and my mother was no exception. That made me realize that taking the initiative to maintain my health is not only to take better care of my loved ones, but also a way to prepare myself for old age.”

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

“When I look inside, I understand what I lack and what I need. For me, women taking care of themselves is not selfish, because only when they improve their quality of life can they set an example for their family, and then more broadly, spread it to colleagues, friends, and society,” Ms. Van added.

Dr. Nguyen Phi Yen, Department of Psychosomatics, Thu Duc General Hospital (HCMC), 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 draw, gardening; maintain physical health through walking, yoga, swimming; or even seek out a supportive community, such as middle-aged women's groups, to share experiences and feelings.

In addition, family and partners play an important role in facilitating women's self-love, especially in cultural contexts where women often shoulder many responsibilities. Support from the family includes:

• Listen and acknowledge the pressures women face.
• Encourage women to participate in self-care activities.
• Share housework or childcare so women have time for themselves. Research shows this reduces stress and increases marital satisfaction.
• Agree on a small budget for women's Self-care activities, such as beauty treatments or education.

Food should be light and easy to digest, very good for middle-aged women.

PHOTO: AI

Self-love with proper nutrition

According to Dr. Chu Thi Dung, middle-aged women should divide their meals into many small meals, eat slowly, and avoid eating late at night to reduce the burden on the spleen and stomach. In the dry season, you can add nourishing porridge dishes such as lotus seed porridge, red apple, wolfberry, chicken soup with angelica, or seaweed soup with tofu to help increase blood circulation and stabilize hormones. On the contrary, you should limit spicy foods, alcohol, and coffee because they can easily deplete yin and generate heat.

Besides nutrition, lifestyle plays an equally important role. Traditional medicine values ​​“nourishing the mind and calming the spirit” - keeping the mind calm, avoiding anxiety and anger to keep the blood circulating. Sleeping on time, especially before 11pm, helps the liver and kidneys recover and improves the spirit.

Middle-aged women should also maintain light exercise habits such as walking, tai chi, deep breathing, while also practicing meditation, listening to music, writing a gratitude journal or doing what they love.

“A peaceful mind makes for a bright appearance, a relaxed spirit is a precious medicine to help women maintain their health and beauty from within,” Dr. Dung advised.

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