Self-Care Week
Self-care means different things to different people.
To one person it might mean exercise and eating well, to another it might be about treating minor injuries and ailments at home with plasters, painkillers and plenty of rest, while for others it’s about mindfulness and meditation, or getting vaccinated and attending screening appointments.
In reality it’s all of those things and more and they all help individuals to take greater control over their own health. During self-care week we’re encouraging all of our residents to do the same.
Self-care is about both doing what we can to prevent ourselves from becoming unwell and also about treating ourselves if we do fall ill – where appropriate. Serious illness and injury should always be treated by a healthcare professional.
A healthy lifestyle, such as one where you manage your weight, take regular exercise, eat well, stay hydrated and don’t smoke and you don’t drink too much alcohol, will dramatically lower your risk of heart disease, stroke, many cancers, diabetes, dementia and many other chronic and potentially fatal health conditions.
It’s almost impossible to avoid all of the bugs going around, especially in winter, but regular hand washing goes a long way to reducing the spread, while a well-stocked medicine cabinet can enable you to stay at home and rest when you’re not well instead of having to head to a pharmacy and risk spreading your illness. The same medicine cabinet, containing painkillers, anti-inflammatories, plasters and antihistamines, will help you to treat a whole range of minor health concerns from the warmth and safety of your home.
Yet self-care goes so much further. Flu and Covid can be dangerous for more vulnerable people, which is why some people are offered free vaccination. Taking up the offer of being vaccinated is a great way to minimise the impact of the viruses.
In the same way, accepting screening invitations helps to detect and treat health problems early, before they develop into serious and potentially life-threatening conditions.
So this self-care week, please make a promise to yourself to pay more attention to your health and your health needs. You’ll thank yourself that you did.