Nutrition for The Bride-to-Be
Planning a Wedding tends to result in a lot of stress on the body…but it doesn’t have to be this way.
Let’s just be up-front with something, planning a wedding is hard work no matter how you cut it.
As some of you may know, I just got married just over a year ago, and it was the most wonderful, most incredibly perfect day. What most people don’t see, especially with weddings, is the struggle behind the scenes. For me, spending 9 months planning one day was a lot. I was just in the heat of my studies at The Institute of Holistic Nutrition when my hubby and I got engaged and let me tell you, planning a wedding as a student, living over an hour away from her fiancé, was really tough. Thankfully I had amazing support from everyone around me, especially from the amazing man that I am now married to.
With the knowledge that I had in Health and Nutrition, I could combat and prevent most of the physical and mental struggles that present themselves to most brides at some point during their engagement. When you are planning a wedding, you have numerous things to think about, including looking and feeling healthy, beautiful and most importantly stress-free!
As a favour to you engaged ladies, I wanted to provide a Holistic Health outline to get you through this crazy, beautiful, and busy season with your physical and mental health still standing strong.
1. Practice Stress Management
This one is big. If you have heard about adrenal fatigue, it can absolutely take a toll on your overall health, wether you’re engaged or not. Taking care of your adrenals is your number one priority! Take the time daily to destress in any way that you feel is most effective for you. That may mean regular phone calls with your honey, going for a hike, taking some time and enjoying a tea, a fun date with your fiancé, and my personal favourite, the “Do Nothing” days. I would often feel the most relief calling or talking face to face with my S.O. and making sure we were on the same page. I think I probably switched up my stress management techniques on the daily, but there are also many herbal options to help you manage stress as well.
Disclaimer: you should always do your research and seek counsel from a health professional before incorporating herbal medicine into your daily routine.
2. Eat Your Greens
Girl, this is no joke. Eating leafy greens and incorporating a lot of fresh veggies into your meals will provide you with some beautiful sources of good-quality nutrients. Pairing them with some clean proteins and healthy fats are the perfect formula for a sound mind, sustainable energy, and enhancing natural beauty. You will glow from the inside out! Don’t like kale? No sweat, although I personally could eat kale by the bowl, I am well-aware not everyone feels the same way about certain leafy greens, veggies, etc. Try hiding them in a smoothie, soup, or just focus on the colourful veggies that you do enjoy.
3. Get a Clean Skincare Routine
This was a game changer for me. We often forget about our largest organ - our skin! I am convinced that I have the worlds most sensitive skin, so I have to be so careful with what products I use on my face and body. I got hooked on Eminence Organics which is an amazing line of super clean, super sustainable skincare that lasts. I went to get a skin consultation/facial from an Eminence expert and they helped me find a simple routine that works with my skin. I have a perfect formula of 3-4 skincare products that I have used for over two years now and its been a huge part of maintaining healthy skin. Finding a clean line that you trust and that you feel comfortable using is a great way to look after your skin and the rest of your body too. Keep in mind that our skin absorbs everything that we put on topically, so I cannot stress enough the importance of clean skin care.
4. SLEEP
Ah, sleep. How I love a good nights rest. I like to keep this one pretty simple, this is a very important time for your body to recover and heal. Prioritize a good sleep schedule (another part of looking after your adrenals), try to be in bed by 10 and asleep by 10:30 or earlier. Thank me later.
5. Mind Your Gut
Healthy gut = healthy digestion, immune function, skin, the list goes on! Eating lots of fibrous food feeds your healthy gut flora and ensures your waste keeps moving. Consider taking a quality probiotic daily to replenish healthy flora. This is especially important when you’re under stress because stress can take a serious toll on gut health which has been shown to directly influence mental health as well. Regular exercise is also a great way to keep your gut happy and your body strong and mobile.
6. Hydration
Water is an essential tool that all cells of the body need in order to function. One cup a day is not going to cut it. Keep a water bottle on you at all times and refill often. You don’t need to chug a litre of water all at once, pace yourself and sip water in between meals.
One last thing… Don’t forget to breathe! Enjoy the moments of planning and anticipation because they will fly by. Take time to appreciate where you are as well as the wonderful season you are moving towards. Marriage is a beautiful gift and I hope you find these tips helpful as you gear up for this incredible celebration of commitment!
