On Wednesday, May 30, more than 110 women from all over Westchester were at Bloomingdale’s in White Plains to celebrate “Beauty from the Inside Out,” an event sponsored by White Plains Hospital as part of its sixth annual Wellness Through Prevention Month.
The evening started off in true Bloomie’s fashion with gift bags, drinks, tasty treats, and upbeat music for the lively crowd. As the event was about to begin, four doctors from White Plains Hospital took their seats in front of the audience. The panel included Laura Himmelstein, program coordinator for the Caregiver Support Program at the Hospital; Dr. Jeannette L. Yuen, cardiologist; Geralyn Plomitallo, dietitian; and Dr. Nadia Levy, podiatrist.
Throughout the evening, these four women shared lots of useful advice and information on how to keep our bodies beautiful and healthy from the inside. Here are some of the tips they shared for summer.
- Time + Space = Relaxation
To alleviate stress, give yourself time and space. If you feel like you’re constantly stressed and aren’t sleeping, contact your doctor for help. “We all feel normal stress every day. But if you find that you’re overwhelmed, surely reach out to others for help,” recommended Himmelstein. Yuen added, “Make sure you take care of yourself by exercising, maintaining your diet, and getting enough sleep.”
- Make a DASH toward healthier living!
“With the DASH diet – Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension – you can try to control blood pressure without medication,” said Plomitallo. “It is a meal plan that is high in fruits and vegetables, about 10 to 12 servings per day; low-fat dairy products, which will give you high levels of potassium, magnesium, calcium; and whole grains, which help in controlling blood pressure.”
- Give yourself an at-home mani-pedi!
You never know what germs are hanging out on the instruments used at nail salons. “If you can give yourself a manicure or pedicure at home, you can avoid a lot of these germs,” said Levy. “Also, use nail polishes with fewer chemicals in them, like Dr. Remedy or Zoya.”
- Cut back on alcohol — you just may save your life.
“Alcohol is seen as poison in the body,” said Plomitallo. “Every drink that a woman consumes increases her chance at breast cancer. So, my recommendation is no more than two drinks in a week.”
- Be aware of heart attack signs.
The No. 1 killer of women is heart disease. “Women do not present the typical sign of ‘there’s an elephant sitting on my chest’ type of pain,” pointed out Yuen. “Signs can include toothaches, earaches, or nausea.”
- Eat your fruits and vegetables!
“This tip is not so glamorous, but, no matter what your health history is, this tip is supported by the American Heart Society, the American Diabetes Association, National Institutes of Health, Food and Drug Administration, the USDA,” said Geralyn Plomitallo
- Do daily deep breathing.
Himmelstein directed the audience in a relaxation exercise in which participants focused on their breathing and a “ball of color” growing inside of them. This feel-good exercise is easy to do anywhere and a good way to quickly relieve some stress from our daily lives.
- Don’t wear heels (okay, at least not for long-distance walking)
The best way to look stylish while also taking care of your feet is to wear heels in moderation. Walk to work in comfy shoes and change – never wear heels for a long distance. “Wearing heels can lead to tightness in your Achilles tendon, the ball of your foot can have a lot of pain, a stress fracture can occur, or ankle sprains can occur,” said Levy
- Exercise, exercise, exercise!
“If doctors could put exercise in a pill, they would,” said Plomitallo. “It is that important. We all need to be active.”
- Take care of yourself
Give yourself time to create a balance in your life by allocating time for self-care.
Make sure to set your priorities and allow yourself time to take care of your needs in order to reduce daily stressors. Make sure you leave time to exercise, sleep, take deep breaths, or just talk to your friends. “Think about what you can incorporate into your daily lives to reduce your stress,” advised Himmelstein.