Have you ever felt bad for being a girl? Have you ever thought that cooking and homemaking are not what you are made for? Did you find any differences in the way men and women are treated in society? If yes, then go ahead!
In childhood days, all kids, be it a boy or a girl, have only one goal- to play carefree all the time. They love to run around, climb trees, laugh out loud, and make friends all the while. This, in turn, led them to be healthier and energetic.
But, as years roll by, the life of a girl changes manifold. Right from attaining puberty, she will be made to follow new restrictions. And, will also be made to do only household-related work. It includes cleaning the house, helping elders in the family work, cooking, and other routine work. This workload becomes too high, especially after she gets married. Her responsibilities will multiply. She has to learn to survive and thrive in a completely new environment.
How does it affect her physical and mental health?
A woman can be observed multitasking all the time. Always juggling from one place to another and doing the chore continuously. Her day starts by waking up the kids and husband, preparing breakfast and lunch, then cleaning the house, washing clothes, and some women go to work as well, traveling hours and hours. By taking care of all the members of the family, she stops taking care of herself. She does not get time to sit and relax and reflect on her life, as there will be one need or the other.
Thus, her health takes a back seat and goes for a toss, and the impact of this neglect can be seen years later.
A woman would have forgotten the playfulness she had as a kid. The usual lines heard are ‘no time’ for morning walks, no time for relaxation, no time to read and no time for friends. All of these lead to stress and which disturbs the body’s internal balance. Some women will eat only the leftovers of the family, and their stomachs will be similar to a garbage bin.
This small action can lead to bigger health issues if continued. Some of the common symptoms are constant headaches, stomach upset, and sleep disorders. Prolonged stress and carelessness can lead to high blood pressure. One disease left uncared for will lead to another, and thus it progresses. A recent study shows that the number of diseases that women suffer from because of stress is increasing with each passing year. All of her pent-up aggression and negative emotions keep flaring up.
This shows up slowly in her children and other family members. Again, as she reaches menopause, she finds herself fighting with obesity and loneliness. By mid-age itself, she would have lost contact with her friends and find herself disconnected from the outer world.
She will start to wallow in self-pity when she looks at her old photographs and makes herself emotionally vulnerable.
Most Women leave their health to fate. The attitude that “we will face it when it comes” does not hold good in the context of health. Our body does not understand the deadlines, commitment, targets, child’s exams, etc. When the disease strikes with a bigger blow, any effort to restore health will end up in vain.
With the imbalance in eating, sleeping, a woman’s body starts to build up toxins, and this makes her weak and ill again and again. Every one of us should understand that everyone has the right to take a break and take care of themselves.
As owners of this body, we need to take utmost care and attention all the time. We deserve care, love, rest, and all the fun we had in childhood. If we understand this and take special care, then we can look at our old pictures and smile to know that we have aged carefully and gracefully. With proper efforts, all women can live healthily in their 30s, 40s, and 50s. After all, let’s remember that only a healthy woman can create a healthy family and a healthy society.
At Ayurhealing, our Kyguna specialist, Dr.Mini Nair, gives such women a motivating counselling session and gives her empowerment to lead her life happily.