The Air Mask Theory and Your Health

When you ride on an airplane, one of the first things they tell you is to put your air mask on yourself before helping someone else. When it comes to your health, the same theory applies, if you are not well, you cannot help anyone else. Parents, but moms in particular, tend to forget this. Putting yourself at the top of the priority list may feel selfish but is actually the least selfish thing you can do. 

Preventing serious health issues should be as important to you as brushing your teeth. If you were diagnosed with a fatal disease tomorrow, how would your life change? You would likely not worry about the smaller and less pressing issues like laundry and you would be focused on “fixing” the problem. Little things like driving your kids to their various activities might fall down on the list. Why must we wait for the diagnosis? Why not start by preventing it ever happening? Ask a person fighting cancer if they would have given 30 min per day to not ever experience the fight they are in. The answer seems obvious. 

In 30 min you can: plan healthy meals for a week, get an effective workout, cook a healthy meal with leftovers, meditate and use the power of your mind to heal your body. All of these things are proven to help prevent fatal diseases. Do you have 30 minutes per day to devote to your health? Yes! 

You have 1,440 minutes per day. How do you choose to use them? Are you waiting at a park for your child to finish practice? Surfing your phone in a waiting room? Killing time in the car waiting for the carpool line? All of these little nuggets of time are PRICELESS. 

You have a computer in your pocket. You can get a workout in on the playground. You can find recipes, plan a grocery list and even order the groceries! You can close your eyes and breathe, choosing only to focus on your healthy body and its strength. You have all the time you need to be healthy, all you need to do is use it. 

If you cannot breathe, walk, stand, travel without oxygen, leave the house, or leave your bed, you cannot be a good parent, spouse, sibling or friend. Your loved ones depend on you. Keep your air mask on so that you can assist them with theirs.