Balanced Leadership

February is Heart Health Month; a time when we increase awareness about the effects of heart disease, especially in women. We know the statistics all too well. 1 out of 3 women die each year from heart disease. We also know that heart disease is preventable. We encourage our patients and loves ones to take care of their hearts by reducing their blood pressure and cholesterol levels, by eating healthy, exercising and reducing their stress level.

How much of this advice do we take on ourselves? When was the last time you checked in with yourself? How much stress are you dealing with right now? Stress is hard to quantify, but if you are having feelings of overwhelm on a daily basis, this chain of events can eventually lead to health problems and increase your risk for heart disease.

As women we spend so much time taking care of everyone else, that we put our own needs and sometimes our health on the back-burner. We are by nature caregivers, problem solvers and nurturers. We carry...

Does this sound familiar? You wake up each morning with a list of things that must get done. You rush out the door to work, forget to pack your lunch, spend your day answering emails and going to meetings. Only to have to come home, cook, attend family events, prepare for the next day and then start all over again. We are so used to running from one activity to the next, that we often forget to just slow down and breathe.

If we continue to go about our busy lives without allowing ourselves time to recharge, we run the risk of being chronically stressed. Signs of chronic stress are muscle tension like neck or back pain, headaches, forgetfulness, insomnia, gas and bloating and weight gain. These long-term effects can lead to heart disease, depression, hypertension, memory loss, obesity, stroke and advanced aging. The good news is that there is a way we can reduce our stress levels. We can improve our health by practicing meditation.

Meditation has many physical and mental health...