Healthcare: Why It Matters and Why I Struggle With It
When people talk about healthcare, most of us immediately think of hospitals, doctors, and medication. And yes, those things are important. But real healthcare starts much earlier. It starts at home—with the food we eat, the sleep we get (or don’t get), how we handle stress, and the way we treat our bodies on a daily basis.
I know this. I’ve read about it, heard about it, and even seen how true it is in my own life. But if I’m being completely honest? I don’t always take care of myself the way I should.
The Truth About My Eating Habits
Let me confess: my eating habits are bad. Horrible, in fact. I don’t mean the occasional “oops, I ate too much chocolate.” I mean I don’t make time to cook healthy food for myself. I’m always rushing, always prioritizing my kids, always grabbing something quick and usually unhealthy.
Don’t get me wrong—I cook for my kids. They’re my priority, and I try to give them the balanced meals they need to grow strong and healthy. But when it comes to me? I end up eating scraps, fast food, or just whatever satisfies my cravings in the moment. And you know what? It leaves me feeling sluggish, guilty, and sometimes even sick.
It’s a vicious cycle: too busy to cook, too tired to plan, and then paying for it with low energy and poor health.
What Research Says About Diet and Health
The crazy part is, I know how much food matters. There’s research everywhere proving that what we eat directly impacts our health:
The World Health Organization (WHO) has reported that unhealthy diets are one of the leading risk factors for chronic diseases like diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.
A study published in The Lancet (2019) found that poor diet is responsible for more deaths globally than smoking. That fact alone hit me hard.
Harvard’s School of Public Health emphasizes that even small changes—like eating more vegetables, whole grains, and healthy fats—can lower the risk of disease and increase life expectancy.
And yet, here I am, knowing all this, still struggling to do better for myself.
Why It’s So Hard for Moms
I think moms especially fall into this trap. We put everyone else first. The kids get their meals, the house gets cleaned, and if there’s any time left, maybe—maybe—we eat something decent. But most of the time, we’re too exhausted. So we grab the chips, the soda, the leftover chicken nuggets, and call it a day.
It’s not that we don’t care. It’s that we’re spread so thin, and cooking a nutritious meal for ourselves feels like a luxury. Add in cravings and stress, and the whole idea of eating clean can feel impossible.
The Bigger Picture of Healthcare
But healthcare isn’t just about food. It’s also about sleep, exercise, stress management, and mental health. And let’s be real—if you’re not eating well, chances are you’re also struggling with at least one of these other areas. I know I am. Poor eating leads to low energy, which makes it harder to exercise. Being tired makes me crankier, more stressed, and less patient with my kids. It’s all connected.
The research proves this too:
The CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) has repeatedly shown the link between poor diet, lack of exercise, and chronic illness.
Studies also show that stress and lack of sleep can weaken the immune system, making us more vulnerable to illness.
On the flip side, even small steps—like drinking more water, walking for 20 minutes a day, or adding one extra vegetable to each meal—can significantly improve overall health.
Where Do I Start?
This is the part I wrestle with every day. Where do I start when I feel like I have no time? How do I care for myself when all my energy goes to caring for my kids?
The answer, I think, is small steps. I don’t need to suddenly become a master meal-prepper or run a marathon tomorrow. But maybe I can:
Drink water before I reach for soda.
Keep healthier snacks in the house.
Take 10 minutes at night to stretch or walk around the block.
Cook one meal a week that’s just for me—something nourishing, not just quick.
It’s not about perfection. It’s about progress.
A Note to Anyone Struggling Like Me
If you’re reading this and you feel like you’re failing at healthcare too, please know—you’re not alone. So many of us struggle to balance everything, and our own needs fall to the bottom of the list. But we deserve better. You deserve better.
Healthcare isn’t selfish—it’s necessary. The better we take care of ourselves, the better we can take care of the people we love.
So maybe today, let’s both start small. Swap one unhealthy choice for a healthier one. Go to bed 30 minutes earlier. Drink one more glass of water. These little things add up, and they remind us that we matter too.
Because at the end of the day, healthcare isn’t just about living longer. It’s about living better. And I think we all deserve that.
