Shop with a Doc: 4 Products for Self-care this Holiday Season

2020 has been a challenging year for everyone, but women in particular have had it rough. From juggling work, home, class, and/or parenting duties, to taking on extra to care for sick family, overseeing virtual school, or just taking on the extra burden of worry and isolation – we understand. This holiday season, we hope you’ll treat yourself to some self-care items. Here are a few products that we hope bring you joy:

For the yoga inspired: Yoga is a great way to relax and center yourself – and it has a number of health benefits, including reducing inflammation, stress, arthritis symptoms, improving energy levels, and more. There are a number of products on the market for all your yogi needs. In particular, a good mat can make all the difference in facilitating comfort, balance, and stability. Mats can range from $5-100+ dollars and vary depending on frequency of use and desired quality. If you’re looking to invest for the long-term future, try to go for eco-friendly, non-slip, durable, and easy to clean. Less costly options are great for beginners who just want to plant their feet on the mat, too. Either way, make sure it has a fun pattern or choose a color that brings you joy.
For the clean and clutter-free: Cleaning products are great (especially during the pandemic!), and for some, a tidy, clean home can do wonders in reducing stress and anxiety. But do you know what’s actually in your cleaning products? Most surfaces do just fine when cleaning with a mixture of water and baking soda and/or vinegar. If purchasing products, it’s good to try and avoid certain add-ins such as:

- Petrochemical solvents
- Ethoxylates
- Sulfates
- Synthetic fragrance
- Alcohol
- Artificial dyes
- Parabens, which can alter hormones and cause adverse effects in the long termIf you’re not able to avoid all or some of these chemicals, always be sure to keep bottles out of reach from children and pets.

For the one who needs a good facial moisturizer: First, buy something that you can use night and day! Your face doesn’t know the difference between AM and PM, so rather than invest in multiple products, choose one that meets all your needs in one. Personally, I love a moisturizer that has a built in SPF of 30 or above, incorporates hyaluronic acid for hydration, and is fragrance free.
For the constantly dehydrated: Many women struggle with ensuring proper hydration, especially those of us wearing masks all day! For example, women should be drinking around 8 glasses of water each day, and those who are pregnant should drink closer to 8-10 glasses per day. For many, this is tough! My advice? Invest in a solid, all-day, everywhere-you-go, water bottle. Ideally, find a stainless steel or glass bottle to avoid toxins from plastic. To straw or sip is up to you (though reusable silicone or metal straws are great!), and personally, I enjoy a large bottle that I only need to refill once or twice to meet my hydration needs. This is also another product that you can find in a fun color or design to express your personality and bring you joy.

I hope you can have an opportunity to treat yourself to something from my shopping list above, and if not, all of us here at Axia Women’s Health wish you a happy, healthy holiday season!