Neha Shah dedicates her days to caring for others, whether it’s providing dental care to the patients at her practice, Beam Pediatric Dental Studio, or spending time with her family. Here, Shah shares how she also cares for herself through active movement and restorative rituals and how setting aside intentional time helps her to prioritize what matters most. Read on to learn more about how Shah makes the most of each day.
What is your approach to wellness? How has that changed over time?
Because of the foundation built through track and cross country at Girls Preparatory School, running has always been a big part of my life. As I traveled around the country for dental school and residency, I was introduced to cross training, yoga, and Pilates. As I get older and learn more about how to live a long and healthy life, I have focused more on non-running activities. I get my cross-training fix at Kyle House Fitness and my yoga fix at Southern Soul Yoga. My favorite thing about cross training and yoga is the diversity and well-roundedness of my fitness routine. Being a pediatric dentist requires more awkward angles than most people would think, and I’ve noticed a considerable benefit from practices like yoga and cross-training compared to when I would simply run five times a week.
What are your favorite ways to practice self-care?
In addition to my fitness routine, I have started to put additional focus into my skincare routine, mental health, and wellness. I love my facials with Suzanne at Pure Face Care, my Clearlight infrared sauna, and my therapist.
For me, self-care means using my face light, getting my nails done, getting a massage, or sitting for an hour in my infrared sauna. Owning a practice and raising two young girls leaves me with small windows to fit these luxuries in, but I try my best to schedule these things in advance to ensure my mental health also gets some attention!
What are the traits you most value in yourself?
I am very organized and it helps my day run smoothly. As a mom and business owner, I live and die by my paper planner. I also am an extremely disciplined person, which is vital to accomplish everything I want to get done in a 24-hour period. My days are pretty structured so I can give myself an opportunity to take care of myself, my business, and, most importantly, my family.
What does your daily routine look like?
I wake up at 5 a.m. to have my latte, read, and start the day on my terms. I typically will then hop on the treadmill or go to a workout class before getting ready and heading out the door for school drop off and then work. After work, I come home and that is our protected family time. We get the kids down around 7:30 p.m., and then my husband and I will relax, have a glass of wine, and watch a show or chat about our day until we go to bed around 10:30 p.m.
How do you encourage health and wellness within your family?
In our family, it’s all about time and being thoughtful. My husband and I have our own respective sacred times that are carved out for exercise and well-being. On Saturday mornings, we like to go as a family to Southern Soul Yoga to start our weekend off on a healthy foot. With our girls, we like to take them out to adventurous restaurants so they can experience a variety of flavors and styles of food beyond their favorites of chicken tenders, french fries, and pizza!
