Valentine’s Day is typically a day that we honor and recognize the people we love in our lives. Whether you’re sharing it with a spouse, child, parent or friend, perhaps you consider that it is actually the perfect time to also focus on loving yourself. With the busyness of today’s world, I often hear from many of my female patients that there is little time to care for themselves. I encourage them to take time each day to practice loving themselves first before loving others. According to author and healer Louise Hay, “It’s not selfish to love ourselves. It clears us so that we can love ourselves enough to love other people.”

We can really help the planet when we come from a space of great love and joy on an individual basis.” As a practicing physician, I do firmly believe that loving ourselves is essential for our overall well-being, happiness and success.

Below are some ways that you can consider loving and nurturing yourself this year:

Exercise regularly and eat to nourish your body: 15 minutes a day of dedicated exercise can make you stronger and healthier. Top it off with putting nourishing foods in your body, which will both do wonders when both combined.

Fall in love with taking care of your skin: Our skin is our largest organ and how we care for it and treat it is vital for good health, both on the inside and out. Why? Beyond the obvious reason that putting clean, non-synthetic skincare products on the face creates a healthy glow, additionally, the daily ritual of taking care of our skin is rewarding, healing and good for the mind, body and soul. After 15 years of dealing with skin I have learned one thing: Love it, nurture it and protect it so creating a ritual is actually a celebration of health.

Minimally Non-Invasive Skincare Treatments: Treatments such as LED Light Therapy, Ultrasonic, and Micro-current treatments are rejuvenating, affordable, relaxing and non-invasive. They are designed to stimulate the skin’s natural regenerative process and bring renewal to the cellular level, unveiling a toned and youthful complexion with suppleness and radiance.

Cosmetic Surgery, Botox and Fillers: Cosmetic surgery procedures these days are safer, more efficient and yield better recovery in years past. Whether it is a Mommy Makeover, a breast lift or augmentation, fillers or injections, it is a nice way to center on your own goals and take care of yourself. A personalized consultation with your cosmetic surgeon is a way to talk about who you are, what you want and what you hope to achieve in regards to your beauty and health.