Eight habits every woman needs to stay strong, healthy and thriving

Dr Elly Odongo during the interview on Bibian's journey fighting cancer. He is the head of gynaecological oncology at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH). [Gardy Chacha/Standard] Every year, on 8 March, the world remembers its women. And why not! If it were not for women, you would not be reading this. That alone is reason enough to pause and celebrate our womenfolk. If you are like my mother, you worked your way into old age, sacrificing every bit of your being so that your children could achieve what you never had the chance to. If you are like my elder sister, you established boundaries to guard your peace in a chaotic world with challenges moving from west to east and vice versa. And if you are like Christine Khasinah, you started a women's wellness company to grow in your purpose but also to live as fulfilling a life as your ecosystem allows. It is easy to lose sight of your well-being, busy caring for others, and surviving just enough to wake up the following day and hit the grind again. It does not have to be that way. You should take care of yourself. All of us, both men and women, should. But it is International Women's Day. Health & Science sat with different experts on women's health and wellness to bring you what you could start with. Here are eight must-do healthy living habits you should consider. Eat (and drink) healthy It is cliche to say, 'eat healthily'. We have all heard it before. However, what is eating healthily? Gladys Mugambi, who heads the Division of Health Promotion and Education at the Ministry of Health and is also a nutritionist, says: "You should eat a balanced diet. This means the right amounts of proteins, carbohydrates, fats, minerals, and vitamins. In simpler terms, eat a variety of foods. We usually use a plate to demonstrate this: half of your plate should be vegetables and fruits, a quarter carbohydrates, and the other quarter protein," she explains, adding that nutrients are distributed differently across foods. If your diet is limited to specific foods, you will miss critical nutrients you could have benefited from had you been more adventurous with food. "Over and above a balanced diet, you should eat in moderation. Do not overeat. Also, eat as much wholemeal food as possible and avoid industrially processed foods," she adds. Historically, doctors have recommended at least eight glasses of water a day. Mugambi agrees, but adds, "The amount of water may vary depending on a woman's level of activity, sweating, body size, and so on." Processed sugar in food, or tea, does not add any nutritional value, she says. "You can avoid sugar altogether, and it will not affect you. But if you must have it, take it in small amounts and infrequently." And finally, salt. According to Mugambi, salt is good, not least because it contains iodine, which protects against goitre. Even so, it should be used only to taste. Be fit, be active and burn calories Christine Khasinah is 45, but she does not look it at all. This could partly be due to a weekly exercise routine she has maintained. "I exercise four to five times a week," she says. "I have been running consistently for about 20 years. It is part of my routine." Dr. Bundi Karau, a physician and neurologist, says: "The recommendation is 150 minutes of aerobic exercise per week. This can include jogging, skipping ropes, or walking. Exercise improves blood circulation throughout the body, as well as muscle and bone development. These are important, especially as a woman ages." Physical activity is defined as any bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles that requires energy expenditure. Khasinah believes exercise is essential for physical health, mental clarity, and emotional well-being."Exercise boosts my mood, improves my sleep, and keeps me physically strong. It also gives me discipline and achievement that carries over into other areas of my life," she explains. She adds, "Every woman's pace and preferences are different, so I encourage doing what feels right for your body and schedule. Find something you like and be consistent." If done properly, Mugambi says, both exercise and healthy eating can reduce the likelihood of obesity or being overweight. Stop social media addiction According to a recent report by Players Time, Kenya leads the world in per capita social media presence. According to the report, released in January 2026, the average Kenyan spends five hours and 10 minutes on various social media platforms per day. This translates to 21 per cent of one's time. We beat even the best economies in the world: the United States of America and China included. "If you have good reasons why you are spending all that time on social media, for instance, you work for a social media company, or your job regards social media monitoring, or you are studying or learning while in there, then it is understandable," says Roselyn Kigen, a counseling psychologist at Intentional Therapy Services in Nairobi. The challenge, she notes, is social media addiction. And how would you know if you are addicted? "When you are on your phone at the dinner table. Or when someone is engaging you in a conversation, and your attention is divided between them and the phone. Or you wake up, and the first thing you do is go to social media," she says. Addiction to social media, she says, robs a woman of valuable time to spend with loved ones, "if they are married or have children," or quality time with themselves, "like reading a book or meditating about herself." Practice self-care The World Health Organisation (WHO) defines self-care as actions that promote health, prevent disease, and help manage illness or disability. In a broader sense, everything you are reading now is self-care. A group of smiling women with coach dancing zumba in gym. [Getty Images] Personal self-care can include spa visits, massages, manicures, pedicures, or skincare routines. Kigen says self-care does not have to be expensive; it can be as simple as spending time with friends. According to Dr. Karau, massage can have positive effects when performed by a qualified professional. Sleep Do you go to bed late? Do you sleep for at most five hours? Do you sleep intermittently? You should rethink how you get your daily dose of shut-eye. Dr. Karau says, "Your body heals and rejuvenates during sleep. But more importantly, your brain cleans itself during sleep at night, not during the day. So, if you've got to prevent early onset dementia, or challenges with your brain health, and of course stress, depression, mild cognitive impairment, then you must take sleep seriously." Optimum sleep, he says, lasts between six and eight hours. "And it should be continual sleep." Not only that: you should have it at night. Why? "Fluctuation of the hormones in the body between day and night follow circadian rhythm; you experience the most satisfying sleep at night." If you struggle sleeping, Dr. Karau says, it could be because you don't practice sleep hygiene. He says: "Sleep hygiene means how somebody sleeps, where they sleep, what they interact with just before or as they get to bed. "The bedroom should only be for sleep. If possible, there should be no gadgets around. And, sleeping time should be regularised: go to bed at the same time every evening. "You should sleep on a mattress that can support the back properly, keeping you safe from spine discomfort, muscle pain, and stretching of nerves." Go on vacation or just rest As the country was coming out of lockdown and businesses were slowly coming out of hibernation, Khasina, as the sole proprietor of her company, was up and running. The constant barrage of work that needed to be done and deadlines that needed to be met left her reeling in burnout. She recalls: "I was experiencing high levels of stress as I was rebuilding. I started feeling physically exhausted, with frequent headaches and difficulty sleeping. Emotionally, I felt overwhelmed and anxious, which affected my ability to focus and make good decisions." This experience left her drained and disconnected. Which was ironic because she was working hard to achieve great results, but burnout is not something you overcome through sheer will. "It was a clear reminder of the importance of listening to my body. Since then, I have made conscious efforts to incorporate more rest in my schedule." All systems, whether biological or mechanical, says Kigen, need time to cool off. "Even machines do. Your computer does. You, more than other systems, need rest. If you don't rest, then you will experience burnout and stress that will lower your productivity and will challenge your mental health," she says. According to Kigen, you should take time off to rest at least twice a year. "Resting means doing nothing other than sleeping, taking in the scenery, no phone calls, no laptop, just breathing and maybe meditating and enjoying the rest. Resting can be done during a vacation. Or, "just go up country and take many nature walks. Just don't do any work that requires your physical or mental energy." Regular pap smears and breast self-examination The two leading cancers among women are breast and cervical cancer. Dr. Elly Odongo, a gynaecological oncologist, stresses early screening. "For breast cancer, self-breast examination is simple and cost-free. Women of reproductive age should do it monthly after menstruation. Look for lumps, skin texture changes, pain, or asymmetry." "For cervical cancer, the deadliest cancer among women in Kenya, we advise that they go for Pap smear tests regularly. The test will pick the cancer early, when it can be treated fully and successfully," he says. Plan your motherhood ahead of time Dr. Kireki Omanwa, president of the Kenya Obstetrical and Gynaecological Society (KOGS), advises women to prepare for pregnancy early. Pregnancy lasts nine months and requires preparation for better maternal and child health outcomes. Eating iron- and folic-acid-rich foods helps prevent birth defects such as spina bifida and hydrocephalus. Women are born with all their eggs. "A woman is most fertile between the ages of 24 and 35 years. Before 24, her body may not be mature enough to carry a pregnancy, and past 35, her fertility may have decreased, thereby making it difficult to conceive naturally," Dr. Omanwa says. Motherhood can also be achieved through adoption. Regardless of the path, motherhood requires preparation.

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