According to Dr Sadhana Deshmukh, a renowned aesthetic dermatologist and trichologist based in Mumbai, self-care is an extremely important practice, which helps in replenishing one’s energy. “Several working women overlook the need for self-nurturing, owing to their busy lifestyles but that precisely makes it important for them to indulge in such practices because with self-care, you can avoid burnouts,” says the founder of Forever Young Clinic.
Self-care, care of one’s body and mind, is a much-needed break that increases productivity, enhances self-esteem, improves self-knowledge and promotes better health. However, self care is not only restricted to pampering oneself. It can also be done in more substantial ways like incorporating a healthy diet and exercise, enough sleep and meditation in your daily activities. Doing so helps in eradicating any long-term health and stress issues in the future.
Talking about the effective ways of indulging in self-care, the doctor says that it can focus on either physical or mental aspect of a person. “Some effective ways would include exercising regularly to make sure that your body stays strong and healthy, opting to eat healthy most of the time, and trying to cut down processed carbohydrates and excessively oily food from diet,” she says.
She further adds that to maintain healthy hair and skin, it is recommended to maintain a diet that is rich in protein, healthy carbohydrates, and fatty acids. Along with that, one can opt for some beauty supplements containing vitamin B and Biotin for hair and vitamin E and C for the skin. A check-up with a dermatologist is recommended in cases of any persistent issues like pigmentation, acne of hair fall, etc.
“Meditation, yoga, and dancing can also improve the well-being of the body and allow one to let off steam. Allotting some ‘me time’ is a good way of replenishing oneself,” Deshmukh says.
She adds that excessive stress can damage the skin and hair. It can result in lack of sleep, dehydration and craving for unhealthy junk food, leading to poor hair and skin health. Taking too much stress can cause the body to release hormones that can trigger various skin and hair issues like breakouts, acne and wrinkles and hair fall. “It can also lead to dehydration in the body that results in hyperpigmentation and dullness. It weakens the skin. As a result, it retains less water and moisture making it more fragile and open to sun damage,” she adds.
As stress causes blood vessels to contract, hair follicles on the scalp become deprived of oxygen, minerals, and vitamins that are usually required for healthy growth, leaving the hair frizzy and thin while causing fallouts and breakage. Excessive hair loss and lack of shine and lustre in the hair are very common among people suffering from stress.
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