Why Mothers fall sick more often than Fathers?

I was not sure if this was a worldwide phenomenon, until I read this article.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/vanessa-loder/why-american-mothers-have_b_5630825.htm

I know we are talking on two different lines- but they do converge at some point. Women health.

Be it working mothers or housewives- I have always seen mothers falling sick more often than fathers.

How can anyone be unfit even when she is running all day? My mother is a teacher and her day starts at 5am. She wakes up and complete all household chores before leaving for school. She comes back in the afternoon, cooks food and then rests for an hour. And when my father is back from his office, she is back on her feet- evening tea, dinner and then finally calling the day off at 11pm. How many hours of sleep?

Six.

Ailments? Varicose veins. She has swelling all over her body. 24*7.

My mother-in-law is a housewife and she wakes up at 6. She then goes for her morning walk, comes back to help me prepare breakfast & lunch for us. After my husband and I leave for our day jobs, she takes charge of cleaning the house. Buying grocery, vegetables, laundry- she doesn’t take a break. When we reach back home we prepare dinner and finally calls off the day at 11pm. How many hours of sleep?

Seven.

Ailments? High blood pressure, knee pain.

My father(s), on the other hand, happily wander through the house, hale and healthy. Not saying that they are among those men who think that women are destined to do this job. But by the grace of god they have got wives who themselves think that it’s their job to complete all this chores- without making a fuss about it.

And then, when mother(s) falls sick- they smirk (jokingly) at them saying “you have no physical activity. All you do it sit at home and relax”

I revisited their schedule to understand what time they can devote for their health and personal care.

None.

Among all those chores, father(s) want to have their breakfast-on time, lunch- on time, evening tea- 5pm (strict), and dinner- bang on time!

I have joined the league recently (not motherly league, but being a wife is equally hectic) and I have experienced this first hand. The day just fades away in four meals- whooshhh! Just like that. And I have been trying to wake up early and go for my routine morning walk, but I have failed miserably.

And I have come to an understanding that without the help of men in kitchen/household, it’s nearly impossible that women will ever be hale and healthy. And more so, women need a push.

Thanks to our upbringing, our mind is channeled to worry about all things related to family- timely food for family, clean clothes to wear, children, school, their homework, their parents-teacher meeting, children hitting puberty, and so on….

I saw my mother doing this in my family, and so I must carry it on. Else I will never be a good wife/good mother.

So the only option is to mentally wash off this notion- year by year, generation by generation. It will take time and effort. But it’s necessary.

For the sake of your women’s mental and personal heath.

This post is a part of challenge that I took. I will be writing 100 words everyday for 100 days. Day sixty four is here. Thank you for reading.