Health News and Tips:

35 Simple Health Tips Experts Swear By - A Series

“Stop, Breathe, Be” is a three-second brain reset to help manage anxiety in the moment. The instructions are in the name: Stop whatever you’re doing, take a brief pause. Take a deep breath in and out. Be grounded in the present moment. “Stop, Breathe, Be” helps you escape “What if?” thinking and return to what is, in the present moment.

Dr. Aditi Nerurkar

Harvard physician specialising in stress and burnout

I’m a big fan of making fancy ice cubes by freezing lemon or lime juice with chopped berries, pineapple, and herbs. These little flavour-packed cubes turn plain water into a refreshing, luxurious treat, with added vitamin C.

Emily Haller

Dietitian

As a step-guardian of a 10-year-old, every day is awash in the feeling of: “Wow, I wish I knew that!” More so because I had never anticipated becoming a guardian in the first place; falling in love with my partner was a package deal — a happy accident but also a bumpy ride.

One piece of wisdom that I would’ve told my old self: Don’t treat kids like a blank slate. The more you respect their agency and approach their behaviour with curiosity (rather than just instruct or guard them), the more you’ll not only foster a healthy relationship, but you’ll actually enjoy it.

In Susan Poole’s reflection on things she wished she knew before becoming a mom, she doesn’t only talk about her regrets, but also about how thankful she is that she prioritised self-care:

“I managed to maintain some semblance of self without short-changing my family. I see how that balance has impacted my children. They’ve learned how to be independent and compassionate and to work hard to achieve individual goals while caring for others.”

“Before I had children, I was a perfect mom,” says Seconde Nimenya, MBA, in her story about parenthood, making me laugh out loud. She reflects on getting rid of that imaginary and futile perfectionism: “Don’t raise your child to be perfect, because you’ll quickly find out that you’re not perfect either.”

Whatever your relationship to parenting may be, there are stories here that can encourage, inform, and empower. Consider contributing your unique expertise to the mix — what do you “wish you knew”?

— Carly Rose Gillis