EPISODE: 5
As a Physician Mom,
Do You Want to
Dance into Your Future?
InspiredMomMDs.com/5
Thriving as a Physician Mom: Feel Strong, Energized, and Ready to Dance Into Your Future with Joy
Episode 5: As a Physician Mom, Do You Want to Dance into Your Future?
This past year I hit a milestone – a 50th birthday. Holy cow that was hard to accept. I clung to those 40’s with a vengeance.
That was one of several eye-opening moments life throws you. You know, the moments that give you pause to reevaluate how you’re living and feeling.
Fifty was one of the softer life lessons I’ve experienced that changed the way I took care of myself. I now think in terms of “how many more years?”
How many more years until my kids graduate high school, have a new job, have kids of their own? How many more years can I travel? And the key question:
Will I be healthy enough to enjoy those years?
Yes, I want to be healthy later in life, not only to live longer, but to enjoy it! So, how do I make that happen?
How can you?
Physicians Are Trained with a Business Mind
You can start now, and with compounding results. Think of the example of putting away money in a retirement fund. You hand over money at regular intervals and then just hope. You ride the wave of market swings and trust your investment will one day pay off.
Now think about investing in your health. You are laying the groundwork for a healthier future. And you do ride the waves and swings of life physically, and mentally. But you also get to enjoy the benefits of feeling healthier now.
How Does a Physician Mom Feel Healthy?
Physicians know the nitty gritty about what it means to feel and be healthy, right? The list of medical conditions that a poor lifestyle alone can induce is mind boggling, from obesity, HTN and diabetes, to cardiovascular disease and increased risk of cancer.
No one chooses to get those conditions. But you can choose to try and sidestep them. Where do you begin?
You begin with what you can control. You also begin with what makes the most sense for you, your life, your genetics. Of course, there isn’t a “one solution fits all.”
Ask yourself, where is the greatest return on time invested? What will give the biggest bang for your buck.
Where can you make small changes today that will help you feel better tomorrow?
For me, a high impact category in my life is exercise. Talk about a quick return! Within a few days I notice an improvement in strength and stamina. I’ll tell you a recent story of getting on track with movement.
The 2023 holiday season started with the usual bustle of excitement. My family headed to New York City and had a blast. We crammed in a lot in our short trip. We saw the tree at Rockefeller Center, paid respects at the World Trade Center Memorial, and became a pro at the subway system.
We headed home anticipating our next trip scheduled in a few days. Sitting in my airplane seat, exhausted and happy, my son kept sneezing next to me. I thought that was an odd time for his allergies to pop up.
They weren’t allergies. That was COVID.
I went into full mom doctor mode and helped him through a relatively mild case. We could still make our second trip to see family. Yay, right?
Well, no. My husband developed a full-on fever and I felt slightly off… but no positive tests. Even so, we needed to officially cancel plans.
With all of this, my exercise routine went to sleep. No biggie, I’ll get back to it after Christmas. Ha! On December 26 th, I got a high fever and vicious shaking chills.
For the first time in my life, I finally test positive for COVID. I was a bit miserable, even while taking anti-viral meds. From my vantage point in bed, I watched fireworks from around the world that New Year’s Eve.
My doctor checked in on me a few times, which was a little sobering. But this was COVID, and I am 50 years old. Thankfully, I gradually improved with lots of rest.
You can accurately guess that I didn’t exercise for a long time after those holidays. A strange shortness of breath plagued me for a while after I thought I was better.
By this time, I could see the effects not exercising has on my body. I saw the loss of muscle tone, I felt the weakness, I watched the scale creep up a little.
Oh my gosh, and for the scale to go up as muscle mass goes down, yipes. Are y’all calculating percent body fat change here? I was.
This was 100% not where I wanted to be. It made me feel older while all I wanted was to feel healthy and strong.
I did make it back to my exercise routine, slowly at first. I set lower goals for myself. It was OK to walk at a slower pace and for less time on the treadmill. It was ok to take the easier paced workout class for a while.
And you know what? Even those “lighter” workouts started to have an impact. I marvel at how quickly the human body improves when we give it a little grace.
What would a high impact category on your health be for you? Maybe your sleep needs the most attention now? Or is it having healthy relationships with others? Changing to a healthier diet may be top of mind.
Medicine Teaches the Definition of Health, it’s Time to Feel it!
I want to live a healthy longer life, not just a longer life. And, if I’m honest, I don’t just yearn for longer really, just health. Of course, I want to see my kids graduate high school, and then college. To be there for all the milestones my mom got to see. I want to dance at my kids’ weddings!
I want to continue exploring the world and have the stamina to handle the rigorous travel to get there. I am so grateful today to be able to do so and want many more days like this.
When it’s my time to go, I want to know that I went out as healthy as I could based on my choices. I want to minimize regrets. A no-regrets deathbed for me. Sorry to be a bit morbid. But life is a bit frail, no? Why drag it down?
Prioritize your health now, not only to feel better now, but for the sake of your future self and family. You won’t regret it, I’m sure.
Invest in yourself. The time is now.
I’m rooting for you.
It’s time to take control and thrive.
About Cindy Van Praag, MD, NBC-HWC
Wellness Advocate for Physician Moms
Cindy talks about the current climate of practicing medicine while juggling the roles of mom, wife, daughter, and more. She brings a fresh pair of eyes and guidance for common situations physician moms face daily. In Inspired Mom MDs Podcast, Cindy delivers a fresh perspective and actionable steps to take agency and elevate your power. Listen on your favorite podcast app!
