Our bodies are amazing, isn’t it? It is like a machine that never stops since the moment we were born. Our cells heal and regenerate itself. Approximately 50,000 cells in our body will die and be replaced with new cells during the time it takes us to read this sentence – kind of like X-Men’s Wolverine, don’t you think? Everything just works automatically. All it is asking for return are food, rest and a bit of love. And by a bit of love, I mean listening to our body.

I used to be guilty of ignoring what my body was trying to tell me. Under eyes dark circles, back pains and fatigue were just some of the signs telling me I was stressed, tense and over-extended. An episode of mastitis and high fever that left me bedridden and unable to nurse my baby for a few days made me realized I should slow down. It was my body’s way of telling me it had enough. Since then, I vow to be a better mother by listening to my body.

Recognise stress and slowing down
I’m not sure about you, but I’m moody and quick-tempered when I’m stressed. So how can I be a good mom if I’m not a joy to be around? We can’t take care of our families unless we take time for ourselves.   Go for mommy time-out, schedule a date with husband or find a support group are all great ways to de-stress.

Ward off sickness
Stress hormones dampen immune cells’ ability to fight infection. Recognising and attending to minor ailments prevents more serious health complications like depression, diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease. Prevention is better than cure.

Stay energetic
Mothers are notorious for putting ourselves last; kids food to prepare, laundry to do, and homework to supervise. We also want to keep up with our social life. So we sacrifice sleep for Facebook. I used to be exhausted by midday. But life is simpler these days, I finally let go of trying to do everything by myself and got myself a helper. So now I sleep when I’m sleepy. Rest when I’m tired. I find myself having more stamina to keep up with an active toddler and a growing baby. Oh and my milk supply is ample too when I’m well rested.

Be really present
Beside physical exhaustion, mental fatigue may also hinder the quality of time spent with the kids. Having enough rest and nutrition helped me stay alert and be really present when I interact with Lauren and Georgia.

Live longer
I want to live long enough to see my kids grow up and have families of their own. Recognising symptoms of illnesses by listening to my body would help me detect sicknesses and diseases early. I’ve watch enough episodes of The Dr Oz Show to know signs of a heart attack when it strikes.

And now… for my special readers who would like to start giving your own body a bit of love, I have TWO boxes of 12s Brand’s Essence of Chicken + ONE bottle of Brand’s Essence of Chicken with Iron +VitB Complex (90tablets), worth $100 up for grabs!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Winners will be announced on 4 October 2014 right back here at the bottom of this post and on our Facebook page. Good luck!

Updated: Congratulations to Wly Wong! Check your email for details on how to claim the giveaway!