Empowering Women’s Wellness Practices

When we’re talking about empowering women, we can’t forget about the importance of health and wellbeing. It’s hard to make the most of our strengths, talents and opportunities if we aren’t functioning healthily. It seems like a given but so often women’s wellbeing is dismissed, especially when you reach the age of perimenopause. I’m finding that many health concerns I have are being put down to my age without any meaningful solution. I’m expected to live with it, even though it’s preventing me from living my life fully. 

So, I’ve had to take my wellness into my own hands. This isn’t completely new for me. Growing up with severe anxiety meant that my whole body was disregulated. I didn’t have a period for 10 years and have since been diagnosed with PCOS and adenomyosis (endometriosis' cousin). This could be linked as adenomyosis is an autoimmune condition and chronic stress has been linked to autoimmune issues. 

Over the years, I found support in natural and traditional medicine. The only thing that got my menstrual cycle back was attending a month-long panchakarma in India, something unacknowledged by Western medicine. What has made the biggest difference to my adenomyosis has been herbal and homoeopathic medicine. This is something that I only discovered recently. Since I started taking the herbs, I’ve gone from experiencing intense pain, bloating and cramps for 15 days before my period to just 2 days of pain around my period. This is life-changing for me!

I know what’s worked for me might not work for you. However, if you’re struggling with hormonal issues and would like any tips on which supplements I take, or a recommendation to my herbalist and homoeopath, please feel free to reach out. I’d be more than happy to help. 

There is so much to be said about women’s wellness. My biggest takeaway is that looking after my body and brain is an act of empowerment. When I’m physically and mentally well, I can give even more to my customers, business and community. So, I encourage you to think about how you can engage in empowering wellness practices, treating your body like a vessel for achieving your hopes and dreams. 

Different ways I nurture my health and wellbeing

I encourage you to listen to your body. This can seem unfamiliar because we often just push through our symptoms and dismiss our experiences. But everyone will need different support to feel their best. Here are a few practices that pretty much everyone can benefit from to get you thinking about how you can support your health and wellbeing. 

• Sleep - This has become more important with time! I used to be able to stay out late with friends, get very little sleep and take on a full day of work like nothing happened. Now I’m much more conscious of getting enough sleep because I notice how it affects me, including my stress levels and hormonal balance. I use the Sleep Cycle app and my Garmin watch to monitor and help me keep track of the quality of my sleep.

• Exercise - My love of exercise comes from how it makes me feel. It clears my mind, helps me release stress and gives me a boost to take on the day. It does a lot of good stuff for us physically too. I recommend finding a form of exercise that you enjoy because it’s much easier to maintain. Other than the gym, one of my favourites is ecstatic dance. I’m really excited to be running combined ecstatic dance and sound bath events which you can keep up to date with HERE. 

• Community - Another reason I’m excited to be running monthly ecstatic dance and sound baths is that we’re building a community around it of those who come regularly. We underestimate how good social connection is for us. It’s an amazing stress reliever, whether you talk about what’s on your mind or simply enjoy being around others who support and encourage you. Seeking community is especially important if you work from home on your own like I do!

• Fresh air - Sometimes, all I need to feel more grounded is fresh air. Going for a quick walk gives me a change of scenery and gets fresh air moving through my body. Again, working from home means I have to be intentional about getting outside and feeling the sun on my face (when the sun is out!)

• Crystal singing bowls - Just 5 minutes of playing my singing bowls gives me relief. I feel the tension melt away and can see more clearly how to handle anything I’m worried about. The healing vibrations of singing bowls have that rebalancing effect, especially when you find bowls you’re connected to. The long term impact of keeping on top of stress is amazing for your physical health too. 

• Cacao ceremonies - This is a lovely ritual you can do in your own space and your own time.

  Ceremonial cacao is a heart-opening ritual, helping you feel more grounded and connected to your innate wisdom. It’s one of those ancient practices that is actually really good for you as it contains a compound called theobromine, which widens blood vessels and enhances circulation, stimulating the heart. Find out more about ceremonial cacao in this guide. If you’re looking to order some ceremonial cacao for yourself, here’s 5% off your next order with my recommended supplier ReNurture using my code IKNOWKATE 

• Energetic cleansing - Sometimes what I need is an energy shift when I’m feeling weighed down or stuck in a negative cycle. I like to use Palo Santo to uplift me. The ritual of burning Palo Santo is an energetic cleansing ritual which has been used for centuries by indigenous cultures. All you do is burn the wood for a few moments, blow it out, smudge around your body or your home and place the wood down on a dish to safely release cleansing smoke into the space.

Advocating for women starts with advocating for ourselves. As Maya Angelou once said, ‘Each time a woman stands up for herself, without knowing it possibly, without claiming it, she stands up for all women.’ Feeling empowered to nurture my health and wellbeing, even after facing setbacks, has helped me in so many ways, not just in my business but also in my personal life. I hope this has encouraged you to do the same. You deserve to feel healthy and happy!

If playing crystal singing bowls is one of the practices you’d like to start or expand, book a discovery call with me for guidance in choosing a bowl from the shop that aligns with you.