The role of a stay-at-home mother is hard and that is an understatement. For typical Filipino families, housewives are commonly in charge of not only managing household chores but also caring for the entire family. The toll of this responsibility is already heavy enough to carry, but this is made even more difficult by health risks that stay-at-home mothers are often exposed to. (Unsplash)

Risks and prevention

Public health expert Dr. Anthony “Tony” Leachon said the psychological stress of overwork alone while spending most of the time indoors could pose serious health risks. “[This] can weaken the immune system, making the body more susceptible to bacterial infections, mental health problems [such as] anxiety and depression and cardiovascular diseases [like] hypertension and coronary artery disease,” Leachon told the Manila Bulletin. This phenomenon was also observed by the World Health Organization (WHO) amid the Covid-19 pandemic. On its website, WHO explained that staying at home and “doing less” in terms of social interactions and exercise can negatively affect a person’s physical, emotional, and mental well-being. To prevent this from happening, Leachon said stay-at-home mothers should follow a routine to keep themselves active and healthy. The routine’s central goal is to maintain a healthy lifestyle. To better illustrate this, the health expert came up with a basic checklist containing points that one should keep track of. These include the following: avoid consuming processed food or any high-fat meal; exercise daily and maintain an ideal body weight; take medications regularly; set regular visits to the doctor; and keep in touch with family and friends to reduce stress. While some find it hard to prioritize their health, Leachon stressed a well-known but often overlooked proverb: health is wealth. “Mothers are the pillars of our homes. They need to be physically and mentally healthy for their loved ones. An ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure,” Leachon concluded.